b'SNOW CRUST MOONDEFENDINGTHE SEVENTHGENERATIONBy Ashley AlbertRoberta Jamieson on opening doors and meaningful reconciliationR enowned for her trail- she grounded herself by returning homelegislation in the House of Commons. She blazing, lifelong commit- on the weekends, where she receivedran for National Chief for the Assembly ment to creating positivesupport that saw her through the chal- of First Nations during that period, and change for Indigenouslenge of pursuing a law degree in ashe led the legal team during some of the people in Canada, Roberta Jamiesonstime where Indigenous peoples lackedconstitutional negotiations as well.career has spanned many roles. Thesignificant constitutional rights and Mohawk woman from Six Nations ofconversations about that were dismissed.Her biggest influences are all the the Grand River Territory has workedI needed to remember who I am andgrandmothers and grandfathers in her as mediator, ombudsman, Chief of Sixfeed my soul. Get ready, and go backcommunity who survived residential Nations and CEO, including leadingagain, shares Jamieson. She graduated inschool. Six Nations has the oldest residen-the National Aboriginal Achievement1976, becoming the first woman from atial school in Canada. Our people were Foundation (now Indspire) and servingFirst Nation in Canada to graduate fromvery proud, Jamieson said. Were Six on the boards of major organizationslaw school.Nations. We formed the first democracy like RBC, Deloitte and, just recently, thein the Western world. I learned about the Mastercard Foundation. After law school, Jamieson worked as ahistory, and those people who imbued mediator before becoming a commis- that in me were real role models. She also Although Jamieson is celebrated as thesioner of the Indian Commission ofpoints to George Manuel, founder of the first Indigenous woman to become aOntario, which chaired negotiationsWorld Council of Indigenous Peoples, as lawyer in Canada, her initial ambition wasbetween Canada, Ontario and Firstanother influence.to be a doctor. At 17, she attended McGillNations in Ontario. She served as the University, but in witnessing urgent issuesOmbudsman of Ontario for a decade,Jamiesons proudest accomplishments are impacting the future of James Bay Creeresolving conflicts between individualsher grandchildren. For her, being a grand-communities, she saw that Indigenousand the Government of Ontario, andmother is an achievement with a huge communities needed legal advocates andextending the reach of the office to allresponsibility. Ultimately, it is her grand-decided to pursue law at the University ofpeople who were underserved, includingchildren that motivate her now, because Western Ontario. Despite facing ageism,Indigenous peoples, racial minorities, newthey remind her that she is responsible for sexism and racism, Jamieson thrived as animmigrants and others. the seventh generation. Through their outsider, viewing her unique perspectiveeyes, I can see that what we do today, we as an advantage. She recognized her talentIn 2001, Jamieson was recruited to run formust be able to defend to the seventh for conflict resolution, which led her toChief of Six Nations, where she took ongeneration, Jamieson shares. Our deci-become a mediator after law school. a challenge to inspire positive change insions must be guided by knowing what the the community. She served for one term,impact of our role might be. Jamieson attributes her confidence toduring which she was part of a group of her strong sense of identity, knowing herleaders in Canada who fought against theJamieson shared that the biggest history and understanding the values ofFirst Nations Governance Act. They won theimpact she feels she had in her career her people. While she was in law school,battle, and the government withdrew thewas the work she did with Indspire, an 22 Fall/Winter 2025'