Jan 17-23, 2022

By Bruce McIvor and Cody O'Neil

This week’s edition includes Treaty rights, trespass laws, logging, land defence, consent, calls to action, place names and more.

 

IN THE NEWS


Land rights, place names and parks topped east coast news 

 

 

Mining and flooding were front and centre in Ontario 

 

 

Treaty rights and trespassing laws were back in the spotlight in Saskatchewan 

 

 

West coast headlines included logging, land defence and systemic racism 

 

 

Human rights, calls to action and residential school records returned to national news

 

 

FROM THE COURTS


The Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench weighed in on Métis Settlements’ tax policy

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS


I'll be joining a panel discussion on UNDRIP implementation in Canada at the Forward Summit on February 2nd at 1:30pm mountain. The full agenda is available here.

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK


“Our rights are not for sale.”

- Chief Bob Gloade, Millbrook First Nation

 

OFF THE BOOKSHELF


“Not being in control of the process of naming, that is, defining who you are, serves as one of the most express examples of silencing that I can think of.”

- Patricia Monture-Angus, Thunder in My Soul: A Mohawk Woman Speaks (1995)

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 new podcast episode featuring a conversation between First Peoples Law's Indigenous Law Student Scholarship winners!
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, and is a Fulbright Scholar. He is a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation.