Veda D. Weselake

Originally from northern Manitoba, Veda Weselake is of Cree and Métis heritage. She has extensive experience in policy development, research, negotiations, and program administration, as well as in certain areas of traditional teachings and practice. 

Ms. Weselake has had key roles in a number of initiatives important to the relationship between First Nations and the Crown.  She was departmental lead at the innovative Saskatchewan Exploratory Treaty Table which broke new ground in treaty interpretation.  At Northern Affairs, she was responsible for assuring satisfaction of Crown fiduciary obligations to Aboriginal peoples and for guiding natural resource legislation in fulfillment of comprehensive land claims agreements.  As Director of Policy and Research for the Specific Claims Program, she worked with historians, lawyers, and First Nations to better understand and assess First Nations’ grievances against the Crown and to develop new policy authorities. As Indian Registrar, she fulfilled statutory responsibilities respecting Indian registration and band membership.

In her early career, Ms. Weselake worked for the Province of Manitoba to launch a number of projects including a consumer education program for the inner-city, a strategy to develop Aboriginal teachers, and a women's counselling bureau. She worked for a federal regional office where she provided advice on services to the North and led an evaluation of social and cultural impacts of satellite communications on communities in the Mackenzie Delta.   She then taught university and, after moving to Ottawa, owned and operated a private sector company specializing in program evaluation, social research, and database development. 

Ms. Weselake has most recently been Executive Director, International Industrial Security and Special Projects at Public Works and Government Services Canada. 

Ms. Weselake has a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Master's Degree in Sociology.