For Wendy Grant-John, defining herself as a successful woman in business has never been part of the equation thanks to her roots in aboriginal culture.
“There is an idea that our [aboriginal] community is male-dominated, which isn’t the case. I was raised to never think that I was any different in my abilities than a man; it was just not part of the community, family or government body’s ideology,” said Grant-John.
She grew up with values instilled by her family and surrounding families who didn’t teach values overtly but lived them daily – a simple credo to be responsible for self as much as for others.
Throughout her 30-year career, Grant-John has been
•a three-time chief of the Musqueam Indian Band;
•the official representative for the minister of Indian and northern affairs Canada on the issue of matrimonial real property on reserves; and
•an active member on numerous boards.
Today, as executive adviser of aboriginal client services at Deloitte, Grant-John is an influencer in national First Nations and aboriginal issues. “My position with Deloitte allows me to look at the whole spectrum of resources and help develop the wealth of the aboriginal community,” said Grant-John.
One of the ways Grant-John finds significant meaning is by working to strengthen the social fabric of her community. She is a founding member of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and of the Musqueam Weavers, a group that revitalized traditional Coast Salish weaving as an economic opportunity for women.
“Weaving is such an integral part of the community and it was dying off,” Grant-John explained of her impetus to revitalize the craft among the Musqueam community. It is a tradition not practised since the 19th century. “I looked at it as an opportunity to impact the economic development and education of women weavers in the community.”
Today, four weavings hang in the international terminal at Vancouver International Airport, where they can be viewed from every side in the arrivals area. Grant-John was also involved in Hands of Our Ancestors: The revival of Salish Weaving at Musqueam, a book that helped reclaim the heritage craft of the Coast Salish culture.
Grant-John’s weaving group proved to have a significant impact on her own life. “Those women encouraged me to run politically, and when I was 38 years old, I was first elected chief. Things just grew from there.”
During her three terms as chief of the Musqueam First Nations, Grant-John helped negotiate one of the first aboriginal commercial fisheries in Canada, and was a part of her community’s two Supreme Court cases that helped define aboriginal rights.
“At the time, I never thought about what I was achieving as a woman, rather, ‘I am chief and I am here.’ In my community, men and women are treated the same. It’s a perspective that gives equality, respect and dignity to the person, not the gender.”
It’s this philosophy that has driven Grant-John to achieve an impressive collection of accolades and accomplishments. She was the first woman elected regional vice-chief to the Assembly of First Nations and co-chair of the Renewal Commission of the Assembly of First Nations. She remains a sitting member of Chief and Council for the Musqueam Indian Band.
As a mother of four and grandmother of eight, Wendy Grant-John has contributed to the foundation of the Big Sisters mentoring program for First Nations women; the Wellness Council; and the Concerned Parents Group for the Musqueam nation for parents coping with childhood drug and alcohol abuse.
Throughout her career, she worked at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, served as a lay bencher of the Law Society of BC and as a board member with Canada Lands Company Ltd., as well as commissioner on the Pacific Salmon Commission.
Some boards Grant-John has served on include the Aboriginal Economic Development Board, Alliance with the International Indigenous Women’s Forum for North America, the Aboriginal Women’s Advisory Council to the provincial government, the Musqueam Development Corporation and the National Aboriginal Economic Development Board.
Grant-John holds an executive MBA in aboriginal business and leadership and an honorary doctorate of law from Royal Roads and Simon Fraser University.
She has also been honoured with the 2001 YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for social action. In 2006, she was awarded the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for advancing aboriginal culture, social and political advancement in Canada and diversifying the economic base of the Musqueam.
Currently, as chair for the Minister’s Advisory Council on Aboriginal Women for BC, Grant-John will advise how government can work to address the causes and social and economic challenges that often leave aboriginal women and girls exposed to violence. Said Grant-John: “I really want to focus on young aborginal women and give back.” •
