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December 16, 2003
Margaret Commodore
202-8980 Mary Street
Chilliwack, B.C.
V2P 4J3
RE: JOHN GRAHAM
I am writing a letter of support for the bail hearing for John Graham set
for December 17, 2003. I lived in the Yukon Territory for 32 years and I
have known John Graham for approximately 25 of those years. I moved to the
Yukon in 1965 where I began work as a residential supervisor at Yukon Hall,
which is a dormitory for First Nations students who were required to live in
Whitehorse for their schooling. After this I worked as a Practical Nurse and
then moved on to politics. I was a founding member for the Yukon Association
of Non-Status Indians and then later served as the vice-president for seven
years. I also sat on several boards which included, the Yukon Indian Women’s
Association and the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. In 1980, I was appointed
as a Justice of the Peace and served as the Executive Secretary to the Yukon
Justice of the Peace Council.
In 1982, I decided to get involved in territorial politics. I won the
constituency riding of Whitehorse North Centre in 1982 and I served as the
New Democrat Party Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1982 to 1996. For
the first three years of this career, the NDP were in the opposition. In
1985, when the N.D.P. won the election, I was appointed the Minster of
Health and Human Resources and Minister responsible for Juvenile Justice.
While I was the Minister, the Women’s Directorate, which was formerly under
the Labour Branch of the Department of Justice was created.
When the N.D.P. were re-elected in 1989, I was appointed the Minister of
Justice, Women’s Directorate, Public Service Commission, Yukon Liquor
Corporation and the Worker’s Compensation Board. During my term as Minister,
the Aboriginal Justice in the Yukon Program was implemented, as well as
various programs In 1990, I lobbied with then federal Justice Minister to
hold an Aboriginal Justice Conference in the Yukon. In 1996, I decided to
not run in the riding of Whitehorse North Centre and moved on to another
stage of my life. Since then I have returned to the Fraser Valley where I
have gotten involved in contract work for the British Columbia Government,
Sto:lo Nation, as well I currently sit on the Indian Residential School
Survivors Society.
In the 32 years that I lived in the Yukon, I have known John on a personal
and professional level. John is from the traditional territory of the
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations which is located in the South-western
Yukon. He has a large immediate and extended family which reside in the
Yukon. This family includes eight children, his mother, brothers, sisters
and many relatives, therefore he has strong family ties and support in the
Yukon. Culture is an important aspect of John’s life and he has passed this
knowledge on to his children.
John has been living in Vancouver since 1999 where he has been actively
working and attending technical school. In 1999, he had to rely on social
assistance for two months but since then, he has been self-sufficient and
able to support himself through part-time work at his trade of underground
pipe laying. While in technical school he has obtained four certificates
which are related to his trade. Since his move to Vancouver, John has
maintained his own identity and not tried to conceal his name or identity in
any way. He has not tried to go into hiding nor has he tried to flee the
country. I firmly believe that John is not a flight risk and that granting
bail until the extradition hearing is in the best interest as the cost of
keeping a person in custody is extremely high. With the exception of a minor
offence in 1977, John has never been in trouble with the law and the
likelihood of him committing an offence while out on bail is unlikely.
I have known John for 25 years and I know that he is a good citizen and a
kind person with a generous heart. His family and his culture are extremely
important to him and I believe that he would never sever those ties by
fleeing or committing an offence if he is granted bail. If there is anyway
that I can be of assistance to John Graham, I will offer my support to him
in any way.
Respectfully,
Margaret Commodore