The Current - Indigenous leader Bill Wilson’s legacy, told by his daughters

Episode Date: January 28, 2025

Hereditary chief Bill Wilson, who helped to reshape Indigenous rights in Canada, has died. Matt Galloway discusses his legacy with his daughters, Kory Wilson, chair of the B.C. First Nations Justice Council; and Jody Wilson-Raybould, the former federal minister of justice.

When a body is discovered 10 miles out to sea, it sparks a mind-blowing police investigation. There's a man living in this address in the name of a deceased. He's one of the most wanted men in the world. This isn't really happening. Officers are finding large sums of money. It's a tale of murder, skullduggery and international intrigue. So who really is he? I'm Sam Mullins and this is Sea of Lies from CBC's Uncovered, available now.

This is a CBC Podcast. Hello, I'm Matt Galloway and this is The Current Podcast. I know that there are people here at this table who are more concerned with protecting the power they have, the jurisdiction they have, than making sure that the lives of native Inuit and Métis people across this country is improved. A change in attitude among all Canadians must solve this problem. That was BC Hereditary Chief Bill Wilson speaking at a First Minister's conference in 1983 about why his people's rights need to be written into the constitution.

Bill Wilson was, as you heard there, an outspoken and forceful advocate. An indigenous title to land, treaty rights and equality of indigenous women were indeed enshrined into Canadian law after that meeting. Bill Wilson died on Friday. He was 80 years old. He is survived by his two daughters and they are on the line with us now. Corrie Wilson is executive director of Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships at the BC Institute of Technology and chair of the BC First Nations Justice Council. And Jodie Wilson-Raybould is a former federal minister of justice and author of among other books, Reconciling History, a Story of Canada. They're both in Vancouver. Good morning to you both.

Good morning. I'm sorry for your Good morning to you both. Good morning. I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you so much, Matt. Corrie, tell us what you were thinking as you were listening to your dad there. I think that his message is just as timely today as it was then. I think every Canadian does have a responsibility to ensure that the places and spaces they occupy

are better and that we make this province, this country better and we all have a route, must do it. Jodie, tell me a little bit about what he was like as a father. We'll talk about his legacy in this country beyond the family, but he's your dad first. Oh yeah, when I think about my dad and I hear him speaking with such a conviction

and authority, it was a fierce order. But for us, he was sometimes challenging, but a constant support. And he challenged us to fulfill our responsibilities to our people and to be the best that we could be in terms of advocacy for Indigenous peoples, as he was a constant advocate through his entire life. But he believed in us as much as he believed in the potential for Indigenous peoples to find their way into Canada. Kori, did you just laugh in the background when Jodi was talking about perhaps being a little challenging sometimes?

Yeah, he was a little challenging, but at the same time, he was our dad. He was funny. He was loving. We always knew we were loved and cherished even in the challenging times. And he was quite the character. Jodie, where do you think, I mean, I said in the introduction that he was outspoken and forceful. Where do you think that came from? in the introduction that he was outspoken and forceful. Where do you think that came from? That came from his mother, our grandmother Pugleti, who was the matriarch of our clan, the Eagle clan. My dad was our hereditary chief and he was raised, as my sister and I were, to be leaders. And sometimes when I heard my dad speak, I could hear the voice of our grandmother. And that is a tribute to her and his fundamental belief in the strength of our people and our

people, as I said, finding their way into Canada and helping to make Canada better. At that First Nations Conference in 1983, your father spoke directly to the then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau about you both. And this is a legendary clip in this country. This is really quite something. If people haven't heard this, you have to see it and you have to hear it. He's staring down the Prime Minister as he speaks. Have a listen to this.

I have two children in Vancouver Island, both of whom for some misguided reason say they want to be a lawyer, both of whom want to be the Prime Minister, both of whom, Mr. Prime Minister, are women. Laughter Applause Tell them I stick around till they're ready. Laughter Mr. Chairman, I'm informed by the Government of British Columbia that one of them could be out here on a plane this evening. Laughter Corey, what do you think when you hear that now, the government of British Columbia that one of them could be out here on a plane this evening.

Cory, what do you think when you hear that now and hear the laughter that surrounds your father's comments? Well, I think the laughter, I mean, it's of it, people would say it's of its time, but I don't think that's necessarily true because there was my, our dad saying that to him, it didn't matter that we were women or men in our culture and in his mind women were just as capable. He never put any limitations on us. So seeing it from our side is a little bit different and I think it just is indicative of how society has to change and even today I think there probably still be some people that would laugh at that. But societies are stronger when everyone's included.

He thought you would be first into politics, is that right? Probably just because I'm the oldest. I was the oldest and more serious, perhaps. When you listen to that, Jodie, what do you hear? That was a clip from the constitutional discussions in 1983. What I hear is a belief coming from my dad, a belief in us that we can achieve anything we want if we put our minds to it. And I hear pride that I also hear. This was a time when the Constitution was amended to affirm Indigenous title and rights, and that was incredibly important. It was a, I hear a belief that our country can do better. That goes back to how we opened this segment, a belief that Indigenous peoples have a rightful

place in this country. He believed that then, as did so many of the other leaders of his generation, who paved the way to enable my sister and I and so many younger leaders today to cement the imperative of reconciliation in this country. When you quit Justin Trudeau's cabinet, your father said that he was proud of you. What did that mean to you? proud of you. What did that mean to you? My dad's pride in me means everything, and I will continue to live my life every day to live up to his expectations and to fulfill my responsibility to our people and to work

as much as I can to help improve this country and create the space for indigenous peoples and nations to thrive. Does that mean you're gonna run for prime minister at some point in time? Well, you never say never. And you know, 1983, my dad was a wise person. We'll see what happens, Matt. I just, he sacrificed a lot in that role.

And I just wonder what you that role and I just wonder what you think, and I'll ask you both this, what you think the big impact of how he changed this country in some ways, Corey? Cause we talk about specifics, we talk about what it came out of that conversation, we talk about the constitution, but broadly, how do you think he changed the country? Well, I think he opened the country's eyes for

sure, opened the eyes of everybody that's ever heard him speak. He's brilliant at that. But I hope that people upon net going forward, recognize and understand that he demonstrates a type of leadership that I think is needed for all people. It's a leadership that is based on integrity, grounded in truth, and that pushes the boundaries to ensure systemic change. And I hope people recognize that each and every one of us has a responsibility to do our part to do that and I think that's perhaps his greatest influence and lesson that I hope people will take forward. He told the Vancouver Sun once that he wished all Indigenous children could grow

up surrounded by love like he did. He said, my people treated me as a god and I treated my children as gods and I think we should treat, all treat each other like gods. We may not be, but it's a lot better than dumping on each other. I mean, there's hope and there's pride in that, Jodie, but there's also some sadness in that, I think. I mean, what regrets do you think he had? Well, I think my dad, like so many other leaders, was a person before his time. That didn't stop him from speaking out and challenging, as he did other people his entire life, challenging other people to do better. We're not in a place where we have equality and equity in this country for every

person. And, you know, the way that my father was raised by his mother and the way that we were raised was to know that everybody in the community has a role to play. And when somebody is not fulfilling that role or living up to their potential, then the community and the nation community and the nation suffer. My father would have liked to, and certainly have, advanced title and rights and the recognition of title and rights and seeing the rebuilding of Indigenous nations more so. But I take heart and I know that he knows that he helped to, along with heart and I know that he knows that he helped to, along with many other leaders, cement the foundation of the reconciliation of Indigenous rights within a stronger Canada. Do you think the mindset that he spoke about in that first clip that we played, that all Canadians need to be invested in that, has that come to pass, do you think, Jodi?

We have come, I think we need to take stock in the fact that there has been constructive change in the mindsets of people. There are Canadians from coast to coast to coast that are coming out and demanding change, wanting to be supportive of the recognition of Indigenous people's rights and wanting to be a part of that. And when we were being dragged around by my father and my grandmother from meeting to meeting throughout this country, that wasn't the case back then

in the 70s and the 80s. We've seen a substantial change in the mindset of individuals, and that's how we're gonna continue to make progress and continue to ensure that we all fulfill our role. Corey, you work for an organization that is trying to end the over-representation of Indigenous children in care and Indigenous people

in the prison system. How does your father live in the work that you do? That I'm just, we're going to keep going until these changes happen, until the statistics write themselves and Indigenous people are'm just, we're going to keep going until these changes happen, until the statistics right themselves and Indigenous people are not just not overrepresented, but you know, maybe even underrepresented in all of the areas that are negative. It's going to inspire us to continue to do that work of systemic change and ensuring

that neither systems or any institution in Canada has a disproportionate number of Indigenous people. Jodie, just before I let you go, we just have a minute or so left. When you think of your dad, we've talked about him, personally, we've talked about him in terms of the impact on this country. What are you remembering this morning?

I remember he was funny and he was, he always, I think I might have heard some stories about a thousand times that he would continue to tell, but I remember sitting beside him for the final days of his life and sharing some of the highlights, so many highlights of what he's done and just the personal moments that my sister and I have shared. And I just remember his beautiful smile and his dimples, which he was very proud of. I'm really glad to have you both here to remember your dad and talk about his impact on this country and his impact on you as well. Thank you both for being here.

Thanks for having us. Thank you both for being here. Thanks for having us. Thanks for having us. Corey Wilson and Jodie Wilson-Raybould are the daughters of the hereditary chief lawyer and politician, Bill Wilson. Bill Wilson died on Friday at the age of 80.