Leah George Wilson⁺

Leah is a well-known and respected Indigenous leader and lawyer. She was elected Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation for four terms, becoming the first woman to serve in this position.

Leah is currently an elected co-chair of the First Nations Summit and a director on the Land Advisory Board. She has also served as a director of the First Nations Health Council and the Four Host First Nations. As a past board member of the Four Host Nations, she was a key voice in ensuring the appropriate representation of Indigenous Peoples in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

EXPERTISE

Leah has a deep understanding of Indigenous governance, Indigenous legal orders, community engagement, reconciliation, and government-to-government work.

An exceptional communicator, Leah has negotiated on behalf of her own community at the federal and provincial levels. She has built many strong relationships at all levels of government, which is an asset for clients seeking an experienced, representative voice for their interests.

Leah’s client work includes negotiating on behalf of the Taku River Tlingit for their right of first refusal to an Atlin Health Centre. She also helped Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) participate in the Canadian Delegation to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) by connecting the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and TWN. The AFN appointed TWN as its representative; Leah’s comments and contribution on their behalf appear in the IPCC reports.

WORTH NOTING

Leah’s ancestral names are Sisi-ya-ama Tsiyalia. As a member of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, she participates in community events and is a knowledge holder. She loves to take photographs and is passionate about the TWN family tree and Indigenous languages.