Jeannette Vivian Corbiere Lavell

Jeannette Corbiere Lavell (born June 21, 1942) is a Canadian and Anishinaabe community worker who focused on women's and children's rights. In 2018, she was honoured as a member of the Order of Canada.

Biography She was born Jeannette Vivian Corbiere in Wikwemikong, Ontario to Adam and Rita Corbiere. Her mother, a school teacher, was a co-founder of the Wikwemikong "Wiky" Powwow. Corbiere Lavell learned English from her mother and Ojibwe from her father.

Corbiere attended business college in North Bay.

Early activism After graduation, she worked for the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto as an executive secretary. She was associated with the Company of Young Canadians, which gave her an opportunity to travel around the country, and was named, in 1965, as "Indian Princess of Canada". of the Toronto Native Times in 1978, and a president of the Nishnawbe Institute (Institute for Indian Studies) in Toronto. With lawyer Clayton Ruby, she challenged the Act in 1971, first failing at the county level, then winning a unanimous verdict at the Ontario Court of Appeals in 1973, but when the federal government appealed to the Supreme Court, she (and her fellow appellate, Yvonne Bedard), a 5-4 decision sided against her case.

She served as president of the Native Women's Association of Canada (2009–2012)

Her son William Lavell was the first member of his community to directly work at the United Nations and carried on the legacy of commitment to humanitarian work through international relief support with the United Nations.

Honours The Ontario Native Women's Association organization established an award in honour of Corbiere Lavell in 1987.

In April 2018 The Feminist Alliance for International Action recognized Jeannette as a member of the Indigenous Famous Six. Other members are Yvonne Bedard, Senator Sandra Lovelace Nicholas, Sharon McIvor, Lynn Gehl, and Senator Lillian Dyck.

Awards Persons Award (2009) Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) Member of the Order of Canada (2017) Indspire Award, Lifetime Achievement (2020)