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.

Jean Teillet
Born1953[1]
St Vital, Winnipeg, Canada[2]
NationalityCanadian
Alma materYork University, University of Toronto
Occupation(s)Lawyer, author
RelativesLouis Riel (great-granduncle), Roger Teillet (uncle)

Teillet is Counsel Emeritus at the Canadian law firm Pape Salter Teillet having retired from legal practice in January 2024.[3]

Career

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

Métis and Indigenous rights and history

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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

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

Honorary doctorates

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Works

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  • The North-West Is Our Mother: The Story of Louis Riel's People, the Métis Nation (Patrick Crean Editions, 2019) ISBN 978-1443450126

References

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