The LAB would like to honor Frances Guerin of Musqueam Indian Band posthumously.  Her dedication and strength made important contributions to the Musqueam Land Code and Land Governance under the Framework Agreement.

Frances Guerin – Biography

Frances ‘Fran’ Guerin (nee Point) was born to Francis Point of Musqueam and Minnie Point (nee Thomas) formerly of Tsleil-Waututh (Burrard Band) on October 7, 1941.

Fran often spoke of her sisters learning from her mother how to make blankets, feather pillows and mattresses, etc. However, from a very early age Fran took an interest in her father’s activity. She often spoke of the first time she asked her father if he’d allow her to go with him on his fishing boat. She said that he asked her “So, you want to come with me?” “Please Daddy.” She pleaded. “Hmmph, ok if you come with me you behave. I don’t have time to babysit.” “I will.” She promised.

Thus was the beginning of many years travelling with her Dad from prior to her fifth year to her late teenage years. Her father was employed by one of the canneries as a hiring agent for Indigenous fishermen. Each year he was responsible for hiring and firing fishermen. He hired local Indigenous people as well as Indigenous people from Vancouver Island.

He operated his gillnetter on the North and South Arms of the Fraser River as well as travelling north to Rivers Inlet every summer.

Due to his standing in the Indigenous community as well as his position with the cannery Francis Point commanded respect in both the Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Fran often spoke of accompanying her father when he went to acquire supplies for his fishing operation as well as his household. In those days it was difficult for most Indigenous people to acquire credit, but Francis Point made it look easy and Fran was always at his side to observe how he went about such activity. She said he’d be putting on his coat and hat and she would ask “Where are you going Daddy?” He’d always answer “I’m going to take care of business.” She’d always accompany him.

In her teen years Fran took a job working in a restaurant in Rivers Inlet. She’d work in the restaurant each summer while her Dad was fishing in the inlet.

Such experiences helped Fran develop the transferable skills she needed later when she took a job as band secretary for the Musqueam Administration in the 1960s.

In April 1960, Fran Married Delbert Guerin. She wished for them to move away from Musqueam and live in mainstream society, but Delbert wished to live at Musqueam. So, Fran said to herself “Alright, if we’re going to live here at Musqueam then I’m going to work to make it a better place to live.” And she did just that. At the time she began working for Musqueam the only programs that existed were those assigned by the Department of Indian Affairs (The Department): a Lands Program and a Membership Program.

Fran set out to change that; during her time working for Musqueam the band began taking control of many different programs that were previously administered by the Department beginning with starting an on-site pre-school. Fran proposed the idea of a community pre-school to the ladies in the village, but unfortunately the idea wasn’t well received. Realizing that a majority of the ladies in the community were married in from the Fraser Valley she came up with a strategy. She approached N. Rose Point who originated from the Seabird Island Band and asked her to propose the idea to the rest of the ladies. Once the ladies heard the proposition from one of their own they were more amenable to the idea. So, N. Rose Point was credited with the idea for starting a community pre-school at Musqueam and Fran was okay with that because she was always more interested in accomplishing the objective than in receiving credit for her efforts.

All of this activity working for Musqueam helped Fran to develop further skills related to band operations enabling her to successfully take on the position of Land Claims Coordinator for Musqueam in 1974.

From 1973 to 1980, Fran’s husband Delbert was elected Chief of the Musqueam Band and they worked very well together as a team. People across BC and Canada recognized Delbert as the leader of the Musqueam people. However, as is well known about leaders, much of Delbert’s success could be attributed to the administrative team working for him in the background under Fran’s tutelage. Delbert was the public face of the success that Musqueam enjoyed while Fran and her team worked in the background to ensure that he had everything he needed to present that face of success.

In 1979, an election was held at Musqueam and a new chief was elected whose political agenda didn’t agree with Fran and most of her team. A number of them resigned their positions and some of them, including Fran, enrolled at in a Real Estate Appraisal course at Langara College. The course was sponsored by Public Works Canada with the proviso that upon successful graduation they would work for Public Works. Fran worked at Public Works for a number of years and later moved over to work at the Department of Indian Affairs.

After leaving the Department in the early 1990s Fran went back to work at Musqueam. She worked part-time as an assistant in the Musqueam Language Program (a program she had started back in the 1970s) and when a new full-time position came available she took it and began work as manager of the Musqueam Lands Department. In that role she initiated the program that would embark on the development of the Musqueam Land Code.

She continued as manager of the Lands Department until her retirement in 2020.