May 9-15, 2022

By Bruce McIvor and Cody O'Neil

This week’s edition includes land defence, policing, Treaty rights, language rights, harvesting rights, the duty to consult and more.

 

IN THE NEWS


Harvesting rights were front and centre in Nunavut 

 

 

Land defence and colonial surveillance topped BC headlines 

 

 

Land theft and flooding were in the spotlight in Saskatchewan and Manitoba 

 

 

Language rights were back in Quebec news 

 

 

East coast news included Treaty rights and the duty to consult 

 

 

FROM THE COURTS


The Alberta Court of Appeal weighed in on the Impact Assessment Act 

 

 

APPLY NOW: INTRODUCTION TO THE DEFENCE OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS


First Peoples Law is offering an introductory course on the defence of Indigenous rights for leadership and staff of Indigenous governments and organizations. This in-person course is a practical, how-to course that provides participants with useful tools and strategies to defend their community’s Indigenous rights.  

Dates: June 10 (evening only) - June 12, 2022 

Location: Vancouver, BC 

Cost: $1,200/person  

Fee includes welcome dinner, refreshments and snacks. It does not include accommodation, travel or lunch.

Course capacity: 10 participants. Participation will be limited to 2 people per community/organization. 

To learn more and apply, click here. Applications close May 15, 2022.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS


I’m looking forward to speaking at the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association Annual Conference and Awards next week. Learn more here.

I'm honoured that my book, Standoff, is the central text for Osgoode Hall Law School's "In Search of Reconciliation Through Dispute Resolution." I'm looking forward to speaking to the class on July 19th. Learn more here.

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK


“That’s how you protect treaty rights, you get out there and you do it and you practice it."  

- Chief Bernard, Lennox Island First Nation 

 

OFF THE BOOKSHELF


“Decolonization is not an “and”. It is an elsewhere.” 

- Eve Tuck and K. Wayne Yang, “Decolonization is Not a Metaphor” (2012) 

Faced with a constant stream of news reports of standoffs and confrontations, Canada’s “reconciliation project” has obviously gone off the rails. In this series of concise and thoughtful essays, lawyer and historian Bruce McIvor explains why reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is failing and what needs to be done to fix it.
First Peoples Law is the author of Annotated Aboriginal Law, previously authored by legendary law professor Shin Imai for over two decades. The book includes hundreds of annotations of significant court decisions and federal legislation regarding Indigenous rights in Canada. We hope it continues to be a useful resource for Indigenous Peoples defending and advancing their rights across the country.
Check out our podcast featuring conversations on the defence of Indigenous rights.
We are providing a list of resources for anyone looking to get informed about the truth of Residential Schools shared by Survivors across the country. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list. We would welcome any feedback or recommendations.
Your weekly news update on Indigenous rights from First Peoples Law.
First Peoples Law LLP is a law firm dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We work closely with First Nations to defend their Aboriginal title, rights and Treaty rights, uphold their Indigenous laws and governance and ensure economic prosperity for their members.
Bruce McIvor, lawyer and historian, is partner at First Peoples Law LLP. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law where he teaches the constitutional law of Aboriginal and Treaty rights. A member of the bar in British Columbia and Ontario, Bruce is recognized nationally and internationally as a leading practitioner of Aboriginal law in Canada. Bruce's ancestors took Métis scrip at Red River in Manitoba. He holds a law degree, a Ph.D. in Aboriginal and environmental history, is a Fulbright Scholar and author of Standoff: Why Reconciliation Fails Indigenous People and How to Fix It. He is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation.