The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould Shares Insights with RDP Audiences

Oct 24, 2024
Jody Wilson-Raybould stands on a stage speaking to a seated crowd

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) welcomed the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould on Wednesday, October 23, as its latest speaker in the post-secondary institution’s long-running Perspectives: Canada in the World series. 

Wilson-Raybould is a former Member of Parliament, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. As an accomplished author, she has published three books: From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada, ‘Indian’ in the Cabinet and True Reconciliation. Her fourth book Reconciling History: A Story of Canada will be released near the end of October 2024.   

Jody Wilson-Raybould sits in a yellow armchair across from a host. She is looking happily out into a crowd full of students
Wilson-Raybould addresses a large group of RDP students 

 

Speaking first to a group of more than 100 students enrolled in various programs at RDP, Wilson-Raybould shared her life experiences as a descendant of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk and Laich-Kwil-Tach peoples, who are part of the Kwakwaka’wakw, as well as speaking about her journey in Canadian politics. Among topics she shared in her presentation, she inspired the gathered students by sharing ways they can speak up and advocate for constructive change in our society. 

In the evening, Wilson-Raybould continued to share her insights with almost 400 people, including faculty, staff and students from RDP, as well as citizens from across Alberta. Through her topic “Being an Agent of Change and the Nature of Integrity,” Wilson-Raybould shared some of the lessons she’s learned about leadership through her lived experiences as an Indigenous person in Canada, as well as through transformative experiences she’s had as a leader in Indigenous politics and in mainstream Canadian politics. After speaking, Wilson-Raybould spent time answering questions posed by audience members. She also engaged with audience members after her presentation to sign copies of the books she has authored. 

Stuart Cullum thanks the Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould in front of a seated crowd

Wilson-Raybould is the 31st speaker of the Polytechnic’s long-running Perspectives: Canada in the World speakers’ series. This speakers’ series began in 2002 and is organized by RDP’s School of Arts and Education. Faculty and staff within the School have kept the vision of the series alive through featuring notable Canadians, sharing their insights about issues that are important to members of the Polytechnic community, as well as citizens in our region, across Alberta and around the world.    

Media Inquiries

Communications Team

Phone: 403.342.3389

Email Us

Related News

Chris Hadfield talking with attendee at Perspectives student session
RDP welcomes Chris Hadfield
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) proudly hosted Canadian icon Chris Hadfield as the 30th speaker of its prestigious Perspectives: Canada in the World speaker series. The sold-out event marked the first signature event celebrating RDP’s 60th Anniversary. “ Perspectives: Canada in the World provides us an opportunity to encourage dialogue within RDP and the community about current events and the world around us,” says Dr. Jeff Wigelsworth, History Instructor and Chair of RDP’s Perspectives: Canada in the World Organizing Committee. “Through Perspectives, Colonel Hadfield shared his unique experiences and expertise, sparking intellectual curiosity and complementing programming at Red Deer Polytechnic.” Hadfield drew from his experience as a pilot, astronaut and as the First Canadian Commander of the International Space Station to explain how to best prepare for the unexpected and manage through complexity and change. “Having the opportunity to listen to, and learn from, someone as highly regarded as Colonel Hadfield is inspiring,” says Jalynn Chilibeck Vice President External, Students’ Association of Red Deer Polytechnic. “It is not every day that we can meet someone who has gone to the most dangerous place that humans can reach, doing something that very few others have done. Colonel Hadfield is proof that following
RDP announces Timothy Caulfield as speaker for Perspectives series
Red Deer Polytechnic is set to host Perspectives series
Red Deer Polytechnic is excited to host Perspectives: Canada in the World, featuring Timothy Caulfield, author and Professor of Health Law & Science Policy at the University of Alberta, on January 26, 2023. Professor Caulfield, who is also Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the U of A, has published more than 350 articles and book chapters about a range of compelling health topics. These topics have included stem cells, research ethics, health policy issues, and myths and assumptions in health. “After a pandemic-enforced hiatus, we are thrilled to bring back Perspectives: Canada in the World, one of the premier public outreach events at Red Deer Polytechnic,” says Dr. Jeff Wigelsworth, History Instructor and Chair of the Perspectives Committee. “Perspectives is an opportunity for the Red Deer and central Alberta communities to hear world-renowned speakers address timely topics that are of interest to all Albertans. Past speakers at Perspectives have included Margaret Atwood, Murray Sinclair, Amanda Lindhout, Roméo Dallaire, and many other notable Canadians.” At Perspectives: Canada in the World, Caulfield will explore decisions that individuals are faced with daily. These decisions are influenced by beliefs, which can be misperceptions and cause unnecessary stress, lost time and money