On Nov. 25, 2025, the Indigenous Women’s Justice Team hosted a third progress update on the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan (IWJP).
The webinar titled Paddling Together: Centering Community Led Responses was a critical opportunity to hear about the ongoing progress in implementing the IWJP and, to learn directly from community leaders who are driving change on the ground.
In this webinar, the team provided an update on work done, 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
The Women’s Team was 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.
A message from the Women’s Team:
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us for our virtual gathering on November 25th, 2025. Your presence, your listening, and your willingness to witness this work made the space feel warm, grounded, and full of possibility.
We lift our hands in deep appreciation to:
- BC Native Women’s Association, Vice President, Glenda Louis, for opening us in a good way and reminding us of the strength that comes from culture, protocol, and connection.
- Christine Wilson, Gitxsan Nation Advocate, for generously sharing insights into her advocacy, and for speaking truth in a way that centers our women, girls, 2SLGBTQIA+ and our communities.
- Keepers of the Circle, Alex Bridges & Sherry Da, for offering powerful knowledge about GBA+ and resource extraction, helping us better understand how to protect our lands, waters, and communities while advancing justice.
As we move into the winter season, we hope you can find moments to rest, reflect, and recharge. Winter is a time for tending to our spirits, our families, and our inner fire. We encourage you to slow down where you can, to honour all that you carry, to honour that rest is part of the work, and that you are not alone
We look forward to reconnecting with everyone in the future, and to continuing to walk, learn, and paddle together.
Watch the webinar recording:
Learn more about the Indigenous Women’s Justice Plan, Strategy 11 of the Justice Strategy, and about the BCFNJC at the links below:
