BCFNJC Celebrates Andrea Hilland's Appointment to BC First Nations Justice Council's Board of Directors

Okanagan Syilx Territory, Westbank BC, Nov. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Okanagan Syilx Territory, Westbank BC): The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) is elated to announce that the First Nations Leadership Council has appointed Andrea Hilland, KC to serve as a member of the BCFNJC Board of Directors for a three-year term. Andrea is a member of the Nuxalk Nation, an Assistant Professor at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, and an empowering advocate within the Indigenous justice landscape.

"Andrea brings with her a powerful, living legacy of work, research, and advocacy pertaining to the revitalization and assertion of Indigenous laws," stated Kory Wilson, BCFNJC Chair. "Andrea also possesses ? and inspires in others ? the strength, empathy, and leadership needed to advance BCFNJC's work to reform the colonial justice system and restore Indigenous legal traditions and structures through the implementation of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy. A former BCFNJC Policy Lawyer, Andrea understands how our work will advance self-determination and encourage sovereignty over justice for Indigenous people."

Professor Hilland has extensive expertise in legal practice and prior to her academic career advocated on behalf of First Nations to assert their rights with respect to environmental issues. She has also advised organizations such as the BC Human Rights Tribunal, the Canadian Bar Association of BC, and the Law Society of BC on Indigenous issues in the context of legal regulation. Andrea also supported Allard Law's Innocence Project to gather evidence in a wrongful conviction case.

"Andrea's teachings, research, and body of work challenge contemporary colonial legal systems and reflect a strong commitment to the resurgence and power of Indigenous laws ? a commitment that our Justice Council also shares," stated Boyd Peters, BCFNJC Director. "Andrea has dedicated her career to correcting colonial injustices and passing on her knowledge to students and future lawyers. She has empowered others with her empathy, humility, and forward thinking, and will continue to do so as she helps BCFNJC support First Nations to reclaim and restore their legal orders, traditions, and customs that are vital for healing and wellness at the individual and community level."

About the BCFNJC

The BC First Nations Justice Council has been entrusted with the mandate to transform the justice system and create better outcomes for Indigenous people through implementation of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy.
The strategy, signed March 06, 2020, was jointly developed by the BC First Nations Justice Council, BC First Nations communities and the Province of British Columbia. It includes 43 actions along two paths which involve the reformation of the current system as well as the restoration of First Nations' legal traditions and structures.

Attachments

• BCFNJC Celebrates Andrea Hilland's Appointment to BC First Nations Justice Council's Board of Directors
• Andrea Hilland, KC