Cindy Blackstock had at least one good reason to be at the UNBC convocation ceremonies Friday at the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre.
She wanted to see her sister Sheila walk across the stage to pick up her degree as a master of nursing.
So it was doubly sweet for Blackstock when she was also given a front row seat on that same UNBC stage as one of two recipients of an honourary doctor of laws degree. She had a close-up view as Sheila accepted her degree from UNBC chancellor John MacDonald.
One of the first-ever graduates of UNBC was Blackstock's brother Michael, who earned a masters degree in First Nations studies degree in 1997. Now that set is complete.
"There's only three kids in the family and I was feeling left out, so now they're welcoming me in and I'm able to ride in on their coattails and I feel totally honoured," laughed Blackstock.
"It's a wonderful family experience being at UNBC and it's so special to me that my sister's in my same graduating class."
Blackstock, 47, a member of the Gitksan Nation, has 20 years of experience as a social worker, researcher and policy maker, specializing in topics related to Aboriginal child welfare. She's an associate professor at the University of Alberta and also serves as executive director for the Ottawa-based First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada.
She spent 10 years as front-line social worker in family welfare in Vancouver and North Vancouver and draws on that grassroots experience for her policy-making decisions that address the concerns of First Nations children.
"What's been so uplifting for me is these inequalities on reserves and children services have been longstanding, but what is changing are the number of caring Canadians who are joining with us to be able to say the time for the end of those inequalities is right now," Blackstock said.
"Every child deserves an equitable education, an opportunity to grow up safely in their families, and to be healthy and proud of who they are, especially in a wealthy country like ours, we can do much better for the kids."
Blackstock is not long out of school herself. She completed her doctorate in social work in 2009 at the University of Toronto. She also studied at McGill and UBC, where she earned her first degree in the mid 1980s, long before UNBC opened in 1994. She says her school days are probably not complete.
"UNBC opened up after I left, I kind of felt ripped off," she said.
"I've really been a person committed to lifelong learning. The more you get out there and you have the absolute pressure of doing what you believe in, you understand you have more to learn. At this point I wouldn't rule out going back and getting another degree, if that's what I felt I needed."
Born in Burns Lake, Blackstock attended secondary school in Prince George and graduated from Kelly Road, then attended the university transfer program for two years at the College of New Caledonia. Her father worked as a forest ranger and the family lived in Hazelton, Burns Lake, Topley, Terrace and Kitikashan. Blackstock alluded to her northern B.C. upbringing in her convocation address.
"Being from the North gives you a set of skills and experience that is in many ways is unique from other people," she said. "If you can build on that and really make a unique contribution to create a stronger Canada. Never feel like being from the North is a handicap, it's a real gift and strength you can take to the world.
"We have a strong connection to the environment and a sense of neighbourliness and knowing we do have to depend on each other to build communities. I think back to the tragic mill explosions, when Prince George and Burns Lake came together and in these types of communities that sense of neighbourliness is still there and is valued as essential not only to our survival and well-being, but to the country's as well."
Sheila Blackstock already has a job in Kelowna working as an occupational health nurse with WorkSafeBC, while brother Michael works in Kamloops.
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