IRSHDC would like to congratulate the honourable Steven Point on his appointment to the Order of Canada.
Steven Point is a member of the Skowkale First Nation. He is UBC’s current Chancellor. Chancellor Point is the current chair of the Indigenous Advisory Committee, which guides the IRSHDC and ensures that our work is led by Residential School Survivors and their families.
Officers of the Order of Canada are recognized for their outstanding achievements, community commitments, and impact on the nation as a whole.
Canadian Governor General Mary Simon announced the appointees on December 28, 2023. The announcement credits Chancellor Point’s appointment as officer to, “his dedicated commitment to reconciliation and esteemed leadership throughout his trailblazing career as a chief, judge and academic, and as the first Indigenous lieutenant governor of British Columbia.”
In addition to his role as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of BC, Chancellor Point’s career has included practicing as a lawyer, working at the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs and in the Department of Employment & Immigration, serving as a provincial court judge and the Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission.
He is a recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award, Queen Elizabeth II Golden and Diamond Jubilee Medals, the Order of BC, the Joseph H. Cohen Award from the Justice Institute of British Columbia Foundation, and the Order of Chilliwack. He has also received honorary degrees from UBC and the University of Victoria, and has honorary Doctorate of
Laws degrees from the University of the Fraser Valley and Capilano University.
Congratulations to Chancellor Point – we are grateful for his dedication, wisdom, and commitment and honoured to have his guidance as part of our Indigenous Advisory Committee.