Jody Wilson-Raybould PC OBC KC (born March 23, 1971), also known by her initials JWR[2][3] and by her Kwak’wala name Puglaas,[4][5] is a Canadian lawyer, author, and former politician who served as the member of Parliament (MP) for the British Columbia (BC) riding of Vancouver Granville from 2015 to 2021.

[17] Defence lawyer Terry La Liberté described her as a smart, fair, and skilled prosecutor who treated defendants with compassion, saying, "She has actually talked to the people who are affected.

City of Vancouver first-ever Aboriginal Relations Manager[20] Ginger Gosnell-Myers, then a youth representative on roundtables Wilson-Raybould organized, said working with her as a young person "felt like I was being heard for the first time in a process that was normally exclusionary.

During her first terms as Regional Chief, Wilson-Raybould worked with colleagues, including Senator Gerry St. Germain to introduce Bill S-212, the First Nations Self-Government Recognition Act.

[30] In the wake of the Idle No More protests and despite criticism from some First Nation leaders, Wilson-Raybould participated in high-level talks with then Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Wilson-Raybould has travelled extensively to work on Indigenous peoples' rights and leadership issues, including to the Philippines, Taiwan and Israel.

[38] Her areas of core policy concern and competence include: democratic reform, balancing the environment and the economy, Aboriginal affairs and affordable housing.

Numerous First Nations supporters rallied behind Wilson-Raybould on social media, calling her a figure who could make "changes from the inside" and harshly criticizing Chief Day for meddling in BC affairs.

[43][44] Wilson-Raybould began serving as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada (MOJAG) on November 4, 2015, becoming the first Indigenous person and third woman to hold the office.

[45] On November 12, 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave Wilson-Raybould her mandate letter, which asked her to deliver on, among other matters, responding to the Supreme Court of Canada's decision on medical assistance in dying, reviewing the government's litigation strategy, conducting a review of the changes in the criminal justice system and sentencing reforms over the previous decade (including looking to increase the use of restorative justice processes and other initiatives to reduce the rate of incarceration amongst Indigenous Canadians), creating the process to legalize and strictly regulate cannabis, restoring a modern Court Challenges Program, introducing government legislation to add gender identity as a prohibited ground for discrimination under Canadian law, and reforming the Supreme Court of Canada nomination process to ensure that it is transparent, inclusive and accountable to Canadians.

In collaboration with her colleague, Minister of Health Jane Philpott, Wilson-Raybould led the effort to pass Bill C-14, which received royal assent on June 17, 2016.

[50][51] The directive guides the Government of Canada's legal approaches, positions and decisions taken in civil litigation involving Aboriginal and treaty rights, and the Crown's obligation towards Indigenous peoples.

[63] On April 13, 2017, Wilson-Raybould also introduced Bill C-46, which is the most comprehensive reform to the Criminal Code transportation regime in more than 40 years, including to drug and alcohol-impaired driving.

[69] This legislation complements the judicial resources for Unified Family Courts announced in Budget 2018, which is a commitment in the Mandate Letter of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

In her role as Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Wilson-Raybould also introduced Bill C-84, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (bestiality and animal fighting) on October 18, 2018.

[70] The changes brought forward in this legislation aim to amend Section 160 of the Criminal Code, which adds a definition of bestiality as any contact for sexual purpose between a person and an animal.

For instance, the government introduced changes to the structure and composition of the Judicial Advisory Committees, which are tasked with evaluating candidates who apply to the bench.

[76] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the name of his second appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada, Justice Sheilah Martin from Alberta, on November 29, 2017.

In addition, the prosecutor, Mark Scott, at Assoun's new trial, referenced what he called the "considerable period of time since the minister's decision has been pending.

[91] The move was seen as a demotion, and initially believed to be related to Wilson-Raybould's positions on Indigenous reconciliation; Don Martin, host of CTV News Channel's Power Play called it a 'hit job' and suggested it could be due to her criticism of the pace of reconciliation under the Trudeau government, while the president of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip called the decision "disappointing and disturbing", saying "[the] removal of these critical and well-respected ministers, during a period of significant conflict and tension, demonstrates Trudeau's lack of resolve to address Canada's deplorable relationship with Indigenous peoples.

[108] In his column in the National Post, Andrew Coyne questioned this conclusion, pointing out that Trudeau had originally claimed Wilson-Raybould would "still be [Attorney-General] today" had Scott Brison not resigned and necessitated a cabinet shuffle.

[109] Conservative MP Peter Kent called the leak a "disgusting act of desperation" and said it could only have come from someone who had or was currently working in the Prime Minister's Office.

[115][116] The call accompanied a submission of forty pages supplementing her original testimony, including copies of texts and emails, outlining Wilson-Raybould's view of events.

The report's analysis section discusses the topics of prosecutorial independence and Shawcross doctrine (dual role of Attorney General) to draw the conclusion that the influence was improper and a violation of Conflict of Interest Act.

An RCMP spokesperson declined to confirm or deny whether an investigation is underway, saying that the police force is carefully reviewing the facts and will take "appropriate actions as required".

[130] After the report was made public, Wilson-Raybould released a statement saying it is a vindication of her positions on prosecutorial independence and the role of Attorney General.

On October 21, 2019, Wilson-Raybould defeated Liberal candidate Taleeb Noormohamed by 3,177 votes, becoming the first woman to be elected as independent member to Canadian Parliament.

[138] Her memoir, titled 'Indian' in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power, was published September 14, 2021 by HarperCollins Canada, days before the 2021 Canadian federal election.

[144] The 2018 award winner was Roberta L. Jamieson, the first First Nation woman in Canada to earn a law degree, and the president and CEO of Indspire.

[145] Wilson-Raybould was featured in Paulina Cameron's 2017 book Canada 150 Women: Conversations with Leaders, Champions, and Luminaries which profiles the achievements and struggles of ground-breaking female role models.