Oct 11-17, 2021

By Bruce McIvor and Cody O'Neil

This week's edition includes land rights, Charter rights, consultation, consent, the rule of law, new court cases and more.

 

IN THE NEWS


Land defence, hunting and fishing were back in BC headlines

 

 

Protected areas were in the spotlight in Saskatchewan

 

 

Environmental assessment and consent were hot topics in Ontario

 

 

Sovereignty and child welfare returned to Quebec news

 

 

Land rights and consultation topped headlines on the east coast

 

 

Charter rights, drinking water and COVID-19 were front and centre in Nunavut and the NWT 

 

 

FROM THE COURTS


The Federal Court considered sources of Indigenous law in an election appeal

 

 

The BC Supreme Court ordered further consultation regarding an amended mining permit

 

 

FIRST PEOPLES LAW IN THE NEWS


Our colleague Kate Gunn was interviewed by the Star on land acknowledgments, Indigenous law and Canadian courts.

 

 

UPCOMING EVENTS


Bruce is hosting a webinar on October 19th at 12pm pacific to discuss his new book Standoff: Why Reconciliation Fails Indigenous People and How to Fix it. Register here!

He'll also be speaking on the Southwind decision and UNDRIP at the CLEBC's upcoming Aboriginal Law Conference on November 4th.

 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK


“I think that Canada is socializing its citizenry into thinking that we’re in an era of reconciliation and nation to nation but at the level of practice that is not true.”

- Dr. Lynn Gehl

 

OFF THE BOOKSHELF


"The rule of law seems to me to be a shaky foundation upon which to build armed confrontation."

- 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.
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.
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!
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.