Jody Wilson-Raybould on 'Reconciling History: A Story of Canada'

Following the conversation, we invite you to join us for a meet-and-greet with the author, book signing and light refreshments.

Topic:

Reconciling History: A Story of Canada (McClelland & Stewart, October 2024)

Speaker:

Jody Wilson-Raybould, Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

In Conversation with: Nam Kiwanuka, Award-winning journalist; Co-host and producer, 'The Agenda with Steve Paikin'; 'Host, The Thread with Nam Kiwanuk'

Book Synopsis:

From the #1 national bestselling author of 'Indian' in the Cabinet and True Reconciliation, a truly unique history of our land—powerful, devastating, remarkable—as told through the voices of both Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

The totem pole forms the foundation for this unique and important oral history of Canada. Its goal is both toweringly ambitious and beautifully direct: To tell the story of this country in a way that prompts readers to look from different angles, to see its dimensions, its curves, and its cuts. To see that history has an arc, just as the totem pole rises, but to realize that it is also in the details along the way that important meanings are to be found. To recognize that the story of the past is always there to be retold and recast, and must be conveyed to generations to come. That in the act of re-telling, meaning is found, and strength is built.

When it comes to telling the history of Canada, and in particular the history of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, we need to accept that the way in which our history has traditionally been told has not been a common or shared enterprise. In many ways, it has been an exclusive and siloed one. Among the countless peoples and groups that make up this vast country, the voices and experiences of a few have too often dominated those of many others.

Reconciling History shares voices that have seldom been heard, and in this ground-breaking book they are telling and re-telling history from their perspectives. Born out of the oral history in True Reconciliation, and complemented throughout with stunning photography and art, Reconciling History takes this approach to telling our collective story to an entirely different level.

About our Speaker:

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., O.B.C., K.C., served as the Independent Member of Parliament for Vancouver Granville, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence until her resignation in 2019. Wilson-Raybould is a Principal of JWR Group, a lawyer, an advocate and leader among Canada’s Indigenous Peoples with a strong reputation as a bridge builder between communities, and a champion of good governance and accountability.

She has been a provincial crown prosecutor, a councillor for the We Wai Kai Nation, a chair of the First Nations Finance Authority and has served as the BC regional chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Wilson-Raybould has written two bestselling books, “Indian” in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power (2021) and From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada (2019).

Jody Wilson-Raybould is a descendant of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples, which are part of the Kwakwaka’wakw, also known as the Kwak’wala-speaking peoples. She is a member of the We Wai Kai Nation. Her traditional name, Puglaas, means “woman born to noble people.”

Nam Kiwanuka is an award-winning journalist and is the co-host and producer of The Agenda with Steve Paikin and host of TVO’s latest project, The Thread with Nam Kiwanuka. She also contributes columns to TVO.org and has been published in the Globe & Mail, Jane magazine, the Toronto Star, Chatelaine and Reader’s Digest. She has moderated conversations with Jack Dorsey and Margaret Atwood; has moderated the Ontario Leaders Debate for the Equal Pay Coalition; and has interviewed Salman Rushdie, Esi Edugyan, Martin Amis, Colson Whitehead, Dr. Jen Gunter and Walter Isaacson. As a public servant, Nam forces on local stories and works to amplify stories that impact communities throughout Ontario. She is a strong advocate for women’s healthcare. Kiwanuka was born in Uganda and lived in a refugee camp in Kenya before moving to London, Ontario. Nam has worked with Sportsnet, MuchMusic, BET and the BBC’s Focus on Africa and has volunteered with War Child, Journalists for Human Rights and the Canadian Red Cross. She has an indoor plant collection that rivals Allan Gardens and is on a mission to bake the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

Event Logistics:

This event is available to attend in-person only.

Rotman Events is committed to accessibility for all people. If you have any access needs or if there are any ways we can support your full participation in this session, please email [events@rotman.utoronto.ca] no later than 2 weeks in advance of the event and we will be glad to work with you to make the appropriate arrangements.

General Admission: In-Person Ticket Details

The event will be hosted in Desautels Hall at the Rotman School of Management (105 Saint George Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E6).

Cancellation & Refund Policy

• Refunds will only be issued for cancellations received in writing NO LATER than 24 hours prior to the event. Please email events@rotman.utoronto.ca for processing.
  

• In-person registrants who do not pick up their book at the event will have 5 business days to request postal delivery by emailing us at events@rotman.utoronto.ca. All unclaimed books will be returned to the publisher after that time.

Questions: events@rotman.utoronto.ca, Megan Murphy