June 28 - July 4, 2021

By Bruce McIvor and Cody O'Neil

This week's edition includes treaty rights, tax sharing, jurisdiction, justice services, surveillance, statues, UNDRIP and more.

 

IN THE NEWS


Indigenous law and UNDRIP were front and centre in BC

 

 

Coal mining and environmental assessment returned to Alberta news

 

 

Jurisdiction and justice services were back in the Manitoba spotlight

 

 

Treaty rights, injunctions and colonial surveillance were hot topics in Ontario

 

 

Tax sharing topped headlines on the east coast

 

 

Colonizer statues continue to topple

 

 

FROM THE COURTS


Thank you to Jody Woods for sharing the BC Supreme Court’s long-awaited judgment in Blueberry River First Nations’ Treaty rights action

 

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK


“A national day of mourning and collective reflection in honour of these children is far more fitting than the usual fireworks and parades which celebrate a country founded on genocide—a genocide that continues unabated.”

- Pam Palmater

 

OFF THE RECORD


“I pity the country / I pity the state / And the mind of a man / Who thrives on hate.”

- Willie Dunn, “I Pity the Country” (1978)

In light of recent news, 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.
As part of our commitment to supporting the development of Indigenous lawyers, First Peoples Law offers an annual $5,000 scholarship to an Indigenous law student with a demonstrated commitment to serving and advancing the interests of Indigenous Peoples. Deadline: July 31, 2021.
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.
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.
Check out our podcast featuring conversations on the defence of Indigenous rights!
Check out our free e-book Reconciliation on Trial: Wet'suwet'en, Aboriginal Title and the Rule of Law.
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, and is a Fulbright Scholar. He is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation.