Chief Rhonda Larrabee was recognized for her outstanding leadership and commitment to justice and Indigenous rights.
She was in her twenties before learning her mother was Indigenous and a survivor of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. Out of respect for her mother’s painful memories, Larrabee did not begin exploring her heritage until after her mother’s passing in 1985.
Since then, she has led the reinstatement of the Qayqayt First Nation from the “inactive” list with the federal government. The Nation is recognized as the New Westminster Indian Band by all levels of government. It is one of the smallest First Nations in Canada and the only one without its own land base as senior governments shut down their formal Reserves in 1916. As chief since 1994, Larrabee has raised the Nation’s profile, including inspiring the naming of École Qayqayt Elementary School in New Westminster.
A dedicated advocate for Indigenous rights, cultural preservation, and Reconciliation, she has collaborated with the New Westminster Police Department, unions, and education leaders to build relationships, raise awareness, and integrate Indigenous perspectives into schools.
A familiar presence at JIBC, she offers traditional greetings at convocations and Police Academy graduations, and supports the Institute’s Indigenization efforts, underscoring the importance of Indigenous leadership in justice and public safety.
Larrabee is a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal and is an Honorary Fellow of Douglas College. “A Tribe of One,” an award-winning National Film Board of Canada (NFB) documentary, tells her story and is shown annually to New Westminster high school students.