Among the countless peoples and groups that make up this vast country, the voices and experiences of a few have too often dominated those of many others.
The West Vancouver Memorial Library and Iron Dog Books are proud to present the launch of bestselling author Jody Wilson-Raybould’s newest book, Reconciling History: A Story of Canada. Co-authored with Dr. Roshan Danesh, Reconciling History is a truly unique history of our land—powerful, devastating, remarkable—as told through the voices of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The event will be moderated by acclaimed scholar Cliff Atleo Jr.
The evening will begin with a Traditional Welcome offered by Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).
Event Details
- Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
- Registration is required and seating is general admission.
- Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event.
About the presenters
The Honourable Dr. Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., O.B.C., K.C., served as the Independent Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence until her resignation in 2019. Wilson-Raybould is a Principal of J.W.R. Group, a lawyer, an advocate, a leader among Canada’s Indigenous Peoples with a strong reputation as a bridge builder between communities, and a champion of good governance and accountability. She has been a provincial crown prosecutor, a councillor for the We Wai Kai Nation, a chair of the First Nations Finance Authority and has served as the B.C. regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Wilson-Raybould has written three bestselling books: “Indian” in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power (2021), From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada (2019), and True Reconciliation: How to Be a Force for Change (2022).
Jody Wilson-Raybould is a descendant of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples, which are part of the Kwakwaka’wakw, also known as the Kwak’wala-speaking peoples. She is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation. Her traditional name, Puglaas, means “woman born to noble people.”
Dr. Roshan Danesh, K.C., is an internationally renowned lawyer and educator who, for over two decades, has been on the frontlines of advancing Indigenous rights and reconciliation in Canada. Danesh’s reconciliation work has included representing Indigenous Nations and political organizations in complex negotiations, serving as the special counsel on reconciliation to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, and advising the Government of British Columbia on the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Alongside his work in Canada on Indigenous rights, Danesh has worked around the globe on issues of peacebuilding and conflict resolution. He has helped design and implement cutting-edge peace education initiatives that have involved hundreds of thousands of people, including as part of post-conflict reconstruction efforts.
Educated at Harvard Law School, Danesh has taught at universities across Europe and North America, and is a widely published author, including Dimensions of Bahá’í Law (2019).
Cliff Atleo Jr is a Ts’ymsen (Kitsumkalum/Kitselas) and Nuu-chah-nulth (Ahousaht) scholar who researches and teaches Indigenous governance and political economy at Simon Fraser University’s School of Resource and Environmental Management. He is interested in how Indigenous communities navigate/adopt/resist mainstream capitalism while working to sustain their unique cultural identities and worldviews. He has recently published on Indigenous water and water relations, extractive settler colonialism, and decolonizing planetary health.
Chepximiya Siyam’ Chief Janice George is an hereditary chief of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw. She is an acclaimed weaver, educator, and trained museum curator. George is the co-founder of the L’hen Awtxw Weaving House and the co-author of Salish Blankets: Robes of Protection and Transformation, Symbols of Wealth. Don’t miss TedxWhistler talk, The Spirit Moves Like a Storm.
Presented in partnership with 