Gavin Cazon-Wilkes, a 2023 law school graduate who grew up in Fort Simpson, is a success story who could embody the saying, ‘Don’t believe everything you think.’
As a youth, Cazon-Wilkes said he found school studies “quite difficult.”
“I wasn’t good at science. I wasn’t good at math. And with how school was taught, at least where I went, if you weren’t good at math or you weren’t good at science, you weren’t really succeeding to pursue other things,” Cazon-Wilkes said.
“I didn’t think I was smart enough to even pass high school, and I wanted to drop out, but that’s because I didn’t feel smart enough.”
This was an instance, however, where Cazon-Wilkes was mistaken. While he subsequently went to work as a manual labourer in the construction industry, he soon realized how physically demanding the job was, even at his young age.
Forging a new path
It was during that time, however, that he recalled receiving a pamphlet from the University of Alberta when he was in high school.
“I didn’t know you could enter fine arts and humanities at the time, and I didn’t know they offered theatre,” he said.
After doing a bit of research into the university’s programs, Cazon-Wilkes discovered that he could enroll in a fine arts and drama program on a small campus — ideal and less intimidating for someone who grew up in the small community of Fort Simpson, he said.
While earning his degree, Cazon-Wilkes, who is of Dene descent, found a niche for his passion of creating opportunities for Indigenous youth on the stage.
“I was really passionate about uplifting the next generation of Indigenous leaders, and theatre was a great platform. The stage is a wonderful medium for Indigenous advocacy.
“So that’s exactly what I did. I wrote plays on Indigenous identity struggles.
“But after my undergrad degree, I thought OK, what next? What do I want to do next?
“And then I discovered philosophy.”
Having two professors who deeply instilled in him thoughts on fairness, the meaning of justice and numerous other classical philosophical questions led him to consider law as a profession.
While that career path might have appeared to be somewhat ironic for someone who, as a youth, had struggles with the law, Cazon-Wilkes instead sees that chapter in his life as the result of being an Indigenous youth not knowing where he fit into society and therefore not living up to his full potential.
That desire to help others also could have been a deeper calling — one from his ancestral roots.
“My great-grandfather was Baptiste Cazon, and he was the longest serving chief in Fort Simpson, from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s,” he said.
Another persuading factor in his decision to attend law school was his knowledge of the Saskatchewan trial that took place after Colten Boushie, an Indigenous man, was fatally shot by farm owner Gerald Stanley during an attempted theft of property.
That case and subsequent acquittal of Stanley impressed upon Cazon-Wilkes the need for justice for Indigenous peoples.
“I thought, wow. In this day and age, Indigenous people are being treated like this by the justice system. And even today, you know, I refuse to call it the justice system, because justice means equality and equity and fair treatment. That still doesn’t happen. I call it the legal system.”
“So I thought, OK, I think I want to go down this route,” he said of his decision to enter law school.
Onward, forward
Cazon-Wilkes, a proud Treaty 11 status band member of the Liidlii Kue First Nation, is now an articling student with the Wahkohtowin Law and Governance Lodge in Edmonton.
During his years in law school, he led numerous initiatives and programs with a goal of inspiring others and working towards equality in the justice system.
Notably, he was awarded the 2023 Hon. Cecilia Johnstone Equality Award — one which is presented to a graduating student who has made an outstanding contribution to social equality in the community or at law school.
Presented by University of Alberta Law School dean Barbara Billingsley during his graduating class banquet, she praised Cazon-Wilkes’ dedication.
“As a law student and as chair of the Indigenous Law Students Association, Gavin has devoted huge amounts of time and effort to building a strong sense of community among his fellow students. His passion for equality principles and his compassion for everyone around him is clearly evident in everything he does. He is most deserving of this recognition,” Billingsley said in her presenting speech.
Different definitions of success
Cazon-Wilkes said while at first, he did not have confidence in his own abilities to know he could succeed, he wants to inspire others to believe in themselves.
“Within any program, if you are true to yourself, and you work hard to apply your unique perspective and remain honest with who you are — and are proud of who you are — when you enter the classroom and when you enter these institutions, you can do great and amazing things,” he said.
“I believe every Northerner and every Dene is capable of achieving success without a doubt.
“But success looks different for everybody, so just realize success doesn’t just mean getting a degree or becoming a lawyer like myself… that success can also be learning the (Dene) language. Success can be knowing how to hunt, fish and trap on your traditional home. Success can be one day becoming involved with chief and council,” he added. “Attaining degrees of success is capable and achievable by anyone. It just might look different and that’s OK.”
—By Jill Westerman
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