tansi ninôtemik,
On January 24, 2025, Kwagiulth Hereditary Chief Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla (Bill Wilson) passed away.
Hereditary Chief Wilson lived an inspiring life of “leadership and striving to make change.”[1] Hereditary Chief Wilson was the second Indigenous person to graduate from the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) law school in 1973.[2] Although he was already very active in Indigenous rights organizations before and during law school, as a true trailblazer in these institutions, his law degree was well used in continuing the fight for Indigenous people’s rights.
One of his many notable contributions to fighting for Indigenous people’s rights was ensuring Indigenous title to traditional land and treaty rights were enshrined in the Constitution.[3] This successfully came to be section 35 of the Constitution Act.[4] Hereditary Chief Wilson had many heated discussions with Pierre Trudeau and other government representatives to make this happen. Hereditary Chief Wilson was also heavily involved in many Indigenous rights organizations. He helped found the First Nations Summit (previously known as BC First Nations Congress) in 1988 and was then elected to be the chairman of it.[5] Hereditary Chief Wilson lived an inspiring life, and this did not stop with just him. He is also the father of former cabinet minister Jody Wilson-Raybould. During the heated negotiations with Pierre Trudeau about the constitution amendments, Hereditary Chief Wilson told Trudeau that his daughters would become prime ministers one day.[6]
Hereditary Chief Wilson was an inspiring man whose legacy will continue on through his two daughters, Jody Wilson-Raybould and Kory Wilson, as well as the many other people he inspired throughout his lifetime.
If you are interested in learning more about his contributions to Indigenous rights, we highly recommend watching the film “Dancing Around the Table” (part one and two).[7] In this film, you can watch Hereditary Chief Wilson fight for Indigenous rights to be protected in the Constitution and get a glimpse into how difficult it was for him and his other Indigenous colleagues.
ekosi.
The ReconciliACTION Team
Citations
[1] Jody Wilson-Raybould, “Our beautiful beloved father, grandfather, husband to Bev, and Hereditary Chief, Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla (Bill Wilson), passed away tonight surrounded by love and this glorious sunset” (24 January 2025), online: <instagram.com> [perma.cc/979S-7AGH].
[2] Paul Tennant, “Bill Wilson” in Michelle Filice, ed, The Canadian Encyclopedia, (4 February 2008) online: <thecanadianencyclopedia.ca> [perma.cc/396Y-U5GR] [Canadian Encyclopedia].
[3] Constitution Act, 1982, s 35.
[4] Canadian Encyclopedia, supra note 2.
[5] Ibid.
[6] The Canadian Press, “Hereditary chief Bill Wilson, father of former cabinet minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, dead” (25 January 2025) online: <cbc.ca> [perma.cc/TGN7-YMHV].
[7] Maurice Bulbuian, “Dancing Around the Table: Part One” (1987) online(film): <nfb.ca> [perma.cc/2CW2-QNT6].
[IMAGE] The Canadian Press, “Hereditary chief Bill Wilson, father of former cabinet minister Jody Wilson-Raybould, dead” (25 January 2025) online: <cbc.ca> [perma.cc/TGN7-YMHV].