March 14-20, 2022

By Bruce McIvor and Cody O'Neil

This week’s edition includes Aboriginal title, harvesting rights, Charter rights, child welfare, environmental racism, birth alerts and more.

 

IN THE NEWS


Harvesting rights returned to headlines on the east coast

 

 

Environmental racism was back in Ontario news 

 

 

Birth alerts were front and centre in Manitoba 

 

 

In Saskatchewan, land-based learning was in the spotlight 

 

 

BC news included Aboriginal title, Indigenous guardians and protected areas

 

 

Charter rights and child welfare were hot topics across the country

 

 

FROM THE COURTS


The Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Beaver Lake's advance costs appeal 

 

 

The Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal weighed in on Treaty interpretation and court jurisdiction

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS


I'll be joining a panel discussion on UNDRIP implementation in Canada at the Forward Summit on May 25 at 1:30pm mountain. You can check out the agenda and register here.

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK


“We’re small, but mighty."  

- Archie Little, Nuchatlaht House Speaker  

 

OFF THE BOOKSHELF


“...I’ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf / unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I’ll take it all.” 

- Ada Limón, “Instructions on Not Giving Up” (2017) 

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.