Steven Point

Steven Lewis Point, (Xwelíqwetel) (born July 28, 1951) is a Canadian academic administrator, criminal lawyer, and jurist. He was the chancellor of the University of British Columbia from 2020 to 2024. He also served as the chair of the advisory committee on the safety and security of vulnerable women, a committee that provides community-based guidance to the implementation of the recommendations from the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry.

From 1975 to 1999, Point served as Chief of the Skowkale First Nation. From 1994 to 1999 he served as Tribal Chair of the Stó:lō Nation. In December 2023 it was announced that he will be invested into the Order of Canada as an Officer of the Order, the Governor General of Canada Mary Simon making the announcement.

Education Point attended the University of British Columbia, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in May 1985, and was later a faculty member.

Career From 1986 to 1989 he practiced criminal law and native law as a partner in the law firm of Point and Shirley. He worked for Citizenship and Immigration Canada as an immigration adjudicator for several years, starting in about 1989, at its refugee backlog office in Vancouver. In 1999, he became a British Columbia Provincial Court judge. On February 28, 2005, he became Chief Commissioner of the British Columbia Treaty Commission.

His appointment as Lieutenant Governor was announced on September 4, 2007, by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He assumed his duties in a ceremony at the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia on October 1, 2007. As the Queen's viceroy in British Columbia, he was styled His Honour while in office and retains the style of The Honourable for life.

On December 17, 2012, Point was appointed chair of an Advisory Committee under a one-year contract that allowed him to bill up to $220,000 in that year. The position required him to assist the Minister of Justice to implement the recommendations dealing primarily with police reform and public safety made by Wally Oppal in his Inquiry Report released December 12, 2012. On May 17, 2013, Point resigned from his position as chair on the grounds that lawsuits commenced by the children of missing women prevented him from fulfilling his mandate. Members of the Advisory Committee and family members expressed doubt about this reason on the basis that Point had expressed his intention to resign before the children's lawsuits were filed, and on the basis that there is no logical or practical connection between his work as chair of the Advisory Committee and the lawsuits.

On February 20, 2014, Point was re-appointed as a provincial court judge, effective March 3, 2014. He retired from office on October 31, 2018.

On June 18, 2020, Point was introduced as the 19th Chancellor of the University of British Columbia, succeeding Lindsay Gordon from July 1, 2020.

In 2022, a residential street in Richmond, British Columbia, was renamed from Trutch Avenue to Point Avenue due to the racism associated with Joseph Trutch, the first lieutenant governor of British Columbia, and to honour Point.

Personal life Point's daughter, Á'a:líya Warbus, is an independent member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the riding of Chilliwack-Cultus Lake.

Awards Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002 Order of British Columbia, 2007 Knight of The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, 2008 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, 2012 Officer of the Order of Canada, 2023

Honorary degrees Point has received many honorary degrees in recognition of his service to British Columbia and to Canada. These include:

Honorary degrees Location Date School Degree 2000 University College of the Fraser Valley Doctor of Laws (LL.D) November 14, 2012 University of Victoria Doctor of Laws (LL.D) 2013 University of British Columbia Doctor of Laws (LL.D) 2017 Capilano University Doctor of Laws (LL.D) June 14, 2018 Justice Institute of British Columbia Doctor of Laws (LL.D)

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