Deputy Minister, Indigenous Services Canada
Gina Wilson is a grandmother, a proud Algonquin and is the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services Canada.
Gina began her career in her First Nation community of Kitigan-Zibi as Director of Health and Social Services. She was also Child Welfare Advisor, Director of Health & Social Services and then Chief Executive Officer when she is with the Assembly of First Nations.
She joined the Federal Government in 1996 and held several senior executive positions at various departments, including the Privy Council Office, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Correctional Service of Canada.
One of her career highlights was as Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Indian Residential Schools Resolution Canada where she oversaw the implementation of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and the Prime Minister’s Apology to Survivors of Residential schools in 2010.
She then became Senior ADM of Regional Operations at the then Indian & Northern Affairs Canada, until she moved to Public Safety Canada as ADM, Emergency Management.
Gina was ADM of Treaties and Aboriginal Government at INAC before joining the Deputy ranks in 2014 as Associate Deputy Minister (DM) at ESDC, Associate DM at Public Safety, then Deputy Minister of Women & Gender Equality in 2017. She was appointed DM of Public Safety Canada in 2019.
Gina was in the role of DM, Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, Canadian Heritage, and rejoined Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) as DM on September 1, 2021. She previously served at WAGE from 2017 to 2019, where she led the establishment of the new department.
Gina is the recipient of the 2020 Indspire Award for her leadership and her lifelong work on Indigenous issues and support for Indigenous employees. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Ottawa.
Participating in: Day 2 – Opening plenary