Faces of Elmwood – Margaret Wilson

Biography
Margaret R.Wilson, known to most people as Meg was born in Kelowna British Columba
and grew up in Penticton BC with a Foster Family. When Margaret was 16 she moved to Prince George BC for a year after which she moved back to Penticton and lived with another Foster family until she moved to Calgary. In Calgary she worked for Gienow’s
Limited on and off again for four years as a welder. After being a welder she moved to Winnipeg and became an exotic dancer.
In Winnipeg Meg enjoyed was busy with dancing, acting, and enjoying Winnipeg’s Indigenous Cultures. When Margaret was 20 years old she met her birth/real family with her mother and stepfather and 10 siblings. Once Meg became a mother herself years later she moved to her Reserve of West Kelowna where her birth/real family lived to raise her daughter. After her daughter was raised Meg moved back to Winnipeg to focus on her health and has lived in Elmwood ever since. Meg has survived six car accidents which have left her
with health issues.

1. Is there a world or local issue that you are passionate about?
Indigenous people and Indigenous businesses are not being recognized here in
Winnipeg. Winnipeg needs more Urban Reserves so Aboriginal people can be
recognized, earn money for themselves, and have their Treaty Cards recognized
in stores. In Kelowna, there are many businesses that are part of an Urban
Reserve that recognize Treaty Cards and encourage Indigenous business.
Reserves within Manitoba also need more self-government so they can decide on
matters themselves opposed to letting other people decide for them.

2. Was there an important moment in your life?
25 years ago I was in Winnipeg on a visit from Los Angles where I was about to
work in the movie industry when my life changed for ever when my car was hit by
a drunk driver.
My health was never the same again with a knee injury, short term memory loss,
and a great deal of pain. It took 9 years to get a settlement from the drunk driver.
After the accident, I moved back to British Columbia with my daughter and
raised her as a single Mom. I moved to my Band in West Kelowna where I started
my own business call “Meg on the Go” cleaning houses, transportation, yard
work, and small dog sitting.
I went from an active life style of acting and dancing to a single mom raising my
daughter with my family in BC.

3. What is one job or project you have worked on or are working on that you are                     proud of and why?
Focusing on me instead of always concentrating on everybody else has been the
work that has made me the proudest. After six car accidents throughout my life, I
have had to deal with health issues including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Asthma, and
pain. To Give myself space and time to heal I moved back to Winnipeg from BC to
focus on my health and be a part of the Indigenous culture that is strong in
Winnipeg.