First Nation Citizenship/Membership: Eliminating Sex Discrimination from the Indian Act Webinar

Chief Marilyn Slett is a member of the Heiltsuk Nation and the elected chief councillor of the Heiltsuk Tribal Council. She is currently serving her fifth consecutive term as chief councillor, beginning in 2008. She is also the president of Coastal First Nations, Secretary Treasurer for the Union BC of Indian Chiefs, and board member of the Pacific Pilotage Authority.

Chief Marilyn has a long history of public service and has served boards including:

• Vancouver Coastal Health Board and Health Governance Committee.
• British Columbia Assembly of First Nations (former member of the board of directors),
• Wild Salmon Advisory Council to British Columbia (co-chair), and 
• Assembly of First Nations Women’s Council (B.C. women’s representative).

As Chief Councillor, Marilyn has guided her Nation’s collective protection of their environment.  She believes that the forests, mountains, sea, plants, and animals are the foundation of her Nation’s inheritance, to be protected and nourished. She has advocated for the recognition of Heiltsuk’s title and rights. And that all things to be done must be carried out with a view to Heiltsuk’s laws.

Cheryl Rule is Vice-Chief for the Nstla’tko, Coldwater Indian Band in the territory of the Scw’xmx (People of the Creeks) Nłeʔképmx people. Her Nłeʔképmxcin name is Syəmyịm (Rainbow), which was gifted to her by her grandfather, Peter Bob. Cheryl descends from a long line of Nłeʔképmx ancestry, she spent much of her early life hunting, fishing, and harvesting medicinal and food plants with her family. This instilled in her a deep love and respect for her people and the Tmix (the land). 

Currently, Cheryl is the Chairperson of the Coldwater School Education Committee and is also the designated Negotiation-Representative for Nstla’tko, Coldwater Indian Band. She previously, worked as the District Support and First Nations Support Worker for School District #58 (Nicola-Similkameen) for nine years. Cheryl is also the former business owner of The Cave Clothing and Lionz Lash Studio located in her traditional territory of the Scw’xmx.

Cheryl holds a House of the Moon Certificate, Indigenous Negotiation Training Certificate and a Calling our Spirits Home: Indigenous Women in Leadership Certificate from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity located in Alberta. Cheryl is a strong MMIWG2S+ advocate in her community and has organized MMIWG2S+ Community Awareness Walks and many other activities for her First Nation. 

Cheryl is strongly committed to:

• Governance, human resources, and policy development;
• language and culture/traditional teachings from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers / Elders;
• raising awareness of all Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls (children/youth), 2SLGBTQQIA+, and Men/Boys;
• healing for Residential School Survivors; and 
• advocating for children in care and preventative programming for vulnerable youth and young adults in the current drug crisis.

Harmony belongs to the Tla’amin First Nation. She operates a consulting business providing strategy and advisory services in Indigenous health, governance, data, and human rights, as well as teaches on these same matters. She also serves as Vice-President, Indigenous Wellness and Reconciliation at Providence Health Care and in this role develops strategy and policy direction that promotes reconciliation and addresses anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination, and facilitates system transformation through initiatives, programs, and research. Harmony is the co-author of a number of publications, including print and digital books about her grandmother’s life history and Tla’amin teachings. She has a BA from Simon Fraser University and an MHA from the University of British Columbia.