Old friend of UCFV now B.C.’s lieutenant governor
Steven Point, whose family is connected to UCFV in many ways, is the new Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. He is the 28th person to hold the post, and the first with aboriginal heritage. The Lieutenant Governor is the representative of the Queen of Canada in British Columbia, and as such, personifies the Crown.
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Gwen and Steven Point in 2003. | Point brings to this prestigious appointment a wealth of wisdom and experience. He was first elected as chief of the Skowkale First Nation at age 23. Since then, he has enjoyed a distinguished career, notably as a provincial court judge, chief commissioner of the B.C. Treaty Commission, and National Aboriginal Achievement Award recipient. A provincial court judge since 1999 who most recently served in Abbotsford and , Point has also served as elected Chief of the Skowkale First Nation for 15 years, and as tribal chair of the Stó:lō Nation and Grand Chief of Stó:lō Tribal Council.
Steven Point was one of the first recipients of an honorary doctorate from UCFV in 2000.
Before he began his ascent in the legal system, he was a logger, husband, father, and band chief looking to upgrade his education. He completed three years at UCFV (then Fraser Valley College) before entering law school at UBC.
“A lot of our aboriginal leaders had a limited education because of limited opportunities,” he recalled in a profile in Aluminations, UCFV’s alumni newsletter, in 2003. “We needed people who had more understanding of how the world worked, including areas like the legal system. I decided to go back to school at age 31, and having UCFV in my community was the best thing for me. I could go to class right from home and received a lot of good help and support.
“This appointment almost feels like a gift to us. I still don’t know everything that’s involved from my point of view, but I can’t complain about the residence or staff to which that we’ll now be entitled. I won’t have to worry about housecleaning for five years!"
-- Gwen Point, wife of Steven and a UCFV faculty member |
Many Points, including Steven’s wife Gwen and daughter Christine, have attended UCFV. See the full profile on them here: www.ucfv.ca/dev/Aluminations/AluminationsSpring03/Points
Gwen has been a faculty member cross-appointed to history and social work/human services since 2005. She teaches courses with a Sto:lo focus in both disciplines. The required move to Victoria for Steven’s new posting will prove challenging for the couple, but Gwen is looking forward to balancing her professional duties with her new role as the “chatelaine” of Government House.
(A Vancouver Sun story on Steven’s appointment said that the Lieutenant Governor’s spouse, called the “chatelaine” if female, will often be actively involved in running the social commitments of Government House, the official residence, and will work with staff to ensure proper menus and seating arrangements. She/he will also have a significant role to play during visits with dignitaries and outside organizations.)
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| President Skip Bassford and Steven Point at the 2000 Convocation ceremonies, at which Steven received one of our first honorary doctorates, and his daughter Christine (centre) received her BSc. |
“This appointment almost feels like a gift to us,” Gwen says. “I still don’t know everything that’s involved from my point of view, but I can’t complain about the residence or staff to which that we’ll now be entitled. I won’t have to worry about housecleaning for five years! I have a lot to learn about my role, but we’ve already been talking to the staff about incorporating aboriginal cuisine into the official menus. We even asked about what happens when one of our nephews presents us with a deer, as they sometimes do, and we’ve been assured that they would welcome that in the kitchen!”
Gwen has been planning to take time to work on her PhD, and thinks the office provided for her in Victoria will be a useful sanctuary for her intellectual journey.
On a more serious note, Gwen says she was touched by all the tributes that poured in from both aboriginal and non-aboriginal leaders when the news of Steven’s appointment broke.
“I was both surprised and not surprised by the announcement. We weren’t expecting it and we sure didn’t see this coming, but in retrospect I’m not surprised that he was considered. I’ve known him for 36 years and have had the privilege to witness the work he has done over the years and more important the manner in which he carries out the 'work' and I can affirm that he is a good man. I can say with confidence that the wonderful words that were spoken when the news broke are true!”
And both she and Steven are taking the symbolism of their being the first First Nations couple to occupy Government House in BC very seriously.
“When I think of all the folks who have worked tirelessly to address our aboriginal rights, then I realize this is a testimony to the work done by many people over the years,” she says. “When you have an awareness of the reality that First Nations people are the aboriginal people of this land, then it’s a real tribute to recognize us in this very symbolically significant role. It is shaping the future of British Columbia.”
“When I think of all the folks who have worked tirelessly to address our aboriginal rights, then I realize this is a testimony to the work done by many people over the years,”
-- Gwen Point |
The whole Point family is excited about this new adventure, and will be travelling to Victoria for the installation on October 1.
Notes on the role of the Lieutenant Governor:
The Lieutenant Governor is the representative of Her Majesty The Queen of Canada in the Province of British Columbia, and as such, takes precedence over everyone in the province except the Sovereign. The Lieutenant Governor personifies the Crown, which is both the apex and the unifying link in the constitutional and political structure of the province - executive, legislative, and judicial. All legislation must receive Royal Assent before it becomes law. It must therefore be signed by the Lieutenant Governor. All Orders-In-Council and official proclamations are also signed by the Lieutenant Governor in the name of The Queen.
The prime responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor is to ensure that at all times there is a First Minister in the province and, after the selection of the First Minister, any time when the position is vacant because of death or resignation, or after defeat in a provincial election, or as a result of a non-confidence motion in the Legislature, the Lieutenant Governor must either dissolve the House or call upon someone else to become First Minister and try to form a viable government.
http://www.ltgov.bc.ca/office/role.htm
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