Paddling Together: Centering Community Led Responses

We’re excited to invite you to the third installment in our progress update series. Paddling Together: Centering Community Led Responses. We will be sharing the latest updates on the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan (IWJP).

This virtual gathering is a critical opportunity to hear about the ongoing progress in implementing the IWJP and, critically, to learn directly from community leaders who are driving change on the ground.

In this update, our team will provide an overview of the work moving forward with a strong focus on community-led solutions related to:

Strategy 8: Man Camps and Resource Extraction
Strategy 9: Crisis Response
Strategy 15: Legislation and Policy

We are honoured to feature the powerful voices and expertise of these community leaders:

Christine Wilson Gitxsan Nation Advocate

Christine Wilson is a proud Gitxsan woman who has lived, worked and played in both traditional and western world; she now permanently lives in Gitxsan Territories. She has over 20 years of experience in indigenous advocacy; she has held frontline and leadership positions within BC such as housing, addictions, recovery, advocacy, and family wellness. Her last position as Director of Advocacy for Indigenous Women allowed her to collaborate with governments and indigenous organizations to advance the recommendations of Red Women Rising and MMIWG2S+ Calls to Justice. Her work centralizes on truth, safety, systemic change, ensuring that justice for Indigenous peoples are rooted in community, culture and respect.

Sherry Da Program Coordinator, Keepers of the Circle | Vancouver, BC

Sherry Da is a climate justice advocate focused on Indigenous rights, water governance, and youth climate leadership. She has worked with First Nations on policy development, watershed governance, and environmental assessment, supporting culturally grounded, community-led decision-making. Her work centers on strengthening equitable participation and outcomes in sustainable development and resource projects. Sherry holds an MSc in Water Science, Policy, and Management from the University of Oxford. In her free time, Sherry enjoys hiking, sewing, and being out on the water.

Alexandra Bridges Project Manager, Keepers of the Circle | Timiskaming District, Northeastern Ontario

Alexandra Bridges is an Oji-Cree woman of the Pike Clan and member of Mattagami First Nation located in Treaty 9 territory. Alex is obtaining an MSc in Rural Planning and Development from Guelph University and is prospective OPPI candidate member, working towards becoming a licensed and registered professional planner. Her area of focus in her work and academic career is environmental impact assessment and gendered impacts of resource development. She has published several writing pieces, notably on implementing MMIWG Calls for Justice in IA, and Indigenous (CR)GBA+ in IA. She has over ten years experience working in Indigenous non-profit organizations and is a current member of Nishnawbe Aski Nation Women’s Council. She is also currently serving as chair for the Technical Advisory Group for the Indigenous Centre for Cumulative Effects and volunteers her time on several advisory groups and grassroots initiatives. She is a strong advocate for Mino-Bimaadiziwin, the inalienable rights of First Nation peoples and pursues with passion environmental and socio-economic development projects in Northern Ontario that support First Nation self-determination and cultural resurgence over lands and resources.

We look forward to having everyone join us in this virtual circle as we come together with a shared passion to move this work forward in a good way with Indigenous Women, Girls and 2S+ voices at the center.

We’re asking that you please submit any questions that you may have for the team in advance to: [email protected]

Learn more about the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan, Strategy 11 of the Justice Strategy, and about the BCFNJC at the links below:

Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan (IWJP): Final Draft – 2025 Revision
Tracking Justice: Improving Justice Outcomes for Indigenous Women, Girls and 2 Spirit (2S+) People
Read the BC First Nations Justice Strategy
About the BCFNJC (Video)

We will be sharing a rebroadcast of this webinar on our YouTube channel here: youtube.com/@bcfnjc at a later date if you are unable to attend.