Cultural Survival congratulates Board Member Grand Chief Edward John (Tl’azt’en Nation and Dene Za) on receiving a National Aboriginal Achievement Award (NAAA) in Canada. On February 24, 2012 Edward John will be recognized in Coast Salish territory (Vancouver, Canada) for his political leadership and decades of fighting for First Nations rights and freedoms. The National Aboriginal Achievement Awards is Canada’s largest and most influential annual showcase of Aboriginal achievement. Each year, the NAAA celebrates the accomplishments of 14 recipients. 2012 marks the 19th year the awards are presented.
Edward John is a prominent First Nations political leader. He holds a B.A. from the University of Victoria and an LL.B. from the University of British Columbia. John has served as an elected Councilor and Chief of Tl'azt'en Nation. He also served as Chief of the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Council. For his service to Tl'azt'en Nation he was awarded the title of Grand Chief of Tl'azt'en Nation. A fluent speaker of Carrier and one of the few people considered eloquent public speakers in Carrier, John was the founding President of the Yinka Dene Language Institute. He helped to create the First Nations Summit, the organization representing the British Columbia First Nations involved in treaty negotiations with Canada and British Columbia. In June 2010 John was elected to his ninth term on the Task Group of the First Nations Summit. He is also Chief Treaty Negotiator for the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council. In January 2011 he began a three year term as the North American Representative to the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Edward John joined the Board of Directors of Cultural Survival in November 2011.
Photo: Courtesy of SPFII
Source: Carrier Sekani Tribal Council
