Jacko recognized for her legal work with national Indspire Award
By Sam Laskaris
WIIKWEMKOONG UNCEDED TERRITORY – Marian Jacko is well-known for the tireless work she does for the hockey community.
Jacko, a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, is currently the president of the Little Native Hockey League tournament. The event, which is held annually at a site in Ontario, is celebrating its 49th year in 2020.
The event, which is frequently called simply the Little NHL, is expected to feature 228 clubs when it is held in Mississauga next month. It has become the largest Indigenous youth hockey tournament in the province.
Jacko is also a veteran coach. This season she’s on the bench assisting the two teams that her daughters play for in the North York Storm organization.
Earlier this month, it was announced Jacko, who now lives in Mississauga, will receive a prestigious national award. But not for her hockey efforts.
Instead, she’s one of this year’s recipients for the Indspire Awards, presented annually to Indigenous high achievers across the country. Jacko, who is also a lawyer, is being honoured through the Law and Justice category.
All award winners will be recognized at a ceremony, scheduled for Mar. 6 at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
“I used to watch them on TV,” Jacko said of National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, which were renamed in 2012. “Never once did it cross my mind [I’d win an award some day].”
Jacko, who was called to the Ontario Bar in 1998, has four university degrees.
For the past four years, she has been working as the Children’s Lawyer for Ontario, after joining the Indigenous Justice Division of the Ministry of Attorney General. Her office works to deliver programs for those under the age of 18.
Before taking on her current job Jacko spent 17 years as counsel with the Office of the Children’s Lawyer.
Though she has been working in Toronto the past few decades, Jacko eventually plans to return home and live in Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory. But she does not plan to stop working when she does come home.
“My dream is to build a sports camp – hockey and basketball – and to do land-based healing with children,” said Jacko, who is also the president of the board for the Anishnawbe Health Toronto.
Through her hockey involvement, Jacko has discovered how vital a role sports can play in young lives.
“Sports is really important for youth,” she said. “It’s teaches them valuable life lessons. There’s a lot of kids in this province that are hurting. It could actually be a good outlet for kids to do some healing.”
Jacko’s spouse, James, and their three children, Brandon, 29, Waskoness, 16, and Thuraya, 14, are also expected to attend the Indspire Awards ceremony in the nation’s capital.
Jacko is one of three women from Manitoulin Island that are being recognized with Indspire Awards this year.
Jeannette Corbiere Lavell, who, like Jacko, is a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, and has been selected to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“It is a great honour and privilege to know that these Anishinaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong will be receiving two very prestigious awards at the national level. They join Daphne Odjig for the Arts Award (1998) and Dr. Cecil King for his Education Award (2009) in receiving recognition for their outstanding achievements. Wiikwemkoong congratulates Jeannette and Marian and celebrate them on their successes,” stated Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory Ogimaa Duke Peltier.
Dawn Madahbee Leach, a member of the Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, is being honoured through the Business and Commerce category.