Jean Teillet Explained

Jean Teillet
Birth Date:1953[1]
Birth Place:St Vital, Winnipeg, Canada[2]
Nationality:Canadian
Alma Mater:York University, University of Toronto
Occupation:Lawyer, author
Relatives:Louis Riel (great-granduncle), Roger Teillet (uncle)

Jean Teillet is a Canadian retired lawyer and author of Métis descent. Her legal work has specialised in Métis and First Nations land rights in Canada.

Teillet is Counsel Emeritus at the Canadian law firm Pape Salter Teillet having retired from legal practice in January 2024.

Career

Teillet received her LL.B and LL.M from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law.[3]

Métis and Indigenous rights and history

Teillet was a founder of the Métis Nation of Ontario. Teillet was a lead counsel regarding the R v Powley defining Métis Aboriginal rights.[4]

In 2019, Teillet wrote history of the Métis people called The North-West Is Our Mother: The Story of Louis Riel's People, the Métis Nation.[5] [6] The book won the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award at the 2020 Manitoba Book Awards.[7]

In October 2022, Teillet wrote a report commissioned by University of Saskatchewan entitled Indigenous Identity Fraud following a controversy regarding the Indgienous identity of one of their faculty (Carrie Bourassa).[8]

In April 2023, Teillet suggested that institutions should have policies to check identity when people claim Indigenous rights.[9] August 2023, Teillet criticized the candidate vetting processes by major political parties in Canada regarding Indigenous identity claims.[10]

Personal life

Teillet is the great-grandniece of Louis Riel, a political leader of the Métis people.[11]

Honorary doctorates

Works

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jean Teilett . Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research Virtual Museum . 14 April 2024.
  2. 2018 . Indigenous Jurists and Policy-Makers from Manitoba: A Collection of Oral Histories (2018) . The Manitoba Law Journal . 41 . 2 . 311–353 . 14 April 2024.
  3. Web site: Jean Teillet . 14 April 2024.
  4. News: Lawyer wins key court case for the Métis and her family . The Globe and Mail . 20 September 2003 . Kim . Lunman . 14 April 2024.
  5. News: The North-West is Our Mother by Jean Teillet . CBC . 30 July 2019 . 14 April 2024.
  6. News: In the Eye of the Historian . Literary Review of Canada . 1 January 2021 . Christopher . Dummitt . 14 April 2024.
  7. News: Jean Teillet & Jenny Heijun Wills among winners of the 2020 Manitoba Book Awards . 20 May 2020 . CBC . Samraweet . Yohannes . 14 April 2024.
  8. News: New University of Sask. commissioned report tackles 'poison' of Indigenous identity fraud . CBC . Geoff . Leo . 3 November 2022 . 14 April 2024.
  9. Metis lawyer Jean Teillet explains how to deal with the Indigenous identity fraud . Global News . 6 April 2023 . 14 April 2024.
  10. News: Manitoba's political parties not doing enough to verify Indigenous identity: Métis lawyer . CBC . 1 August 2023 . Joanne . Levasseur. 14 April 2024.
  11. News: Louis Riel's great-grandniece Jean Teillet continues to speak out about Métis legacy and recognition . CBC . 1 May 2020 . 14 April 2024.
  12. Web site: Human Rights Activist Among 13 Receiving Honorary Doctorates . 3 June 2014 . 14 April 2024.
  13. Web site: Honorary LLD . Law Society of Ontario . 14 April 2024.
  14. Web site: University to honour eight with honorary degrees during Spring Convocation . 25 May 2017 . 14 April 2024.