Day One: Indigenous Legal Orders in Action
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:10)
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle + Co., Vancouver
Dr. Sarah Morales — Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, Victoria
Coast Salish Legal Protocol: Witnessing Ceremony (9:10 – 9:25)
Speaker George Harris — Stz'uminus First Nation
Witnesses:
Halie Kwanxwa'loga Bruce — Cedar and Sage Law Corporation, Cultus Lake
Robert B. Morales — Negotiator/Lawyer, Cowichan Tribes, Duncan
Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond/Akikwe — Senior Associate Counsel, Woodward & Company Lawyers LLP, Victoria
Douglas S. White, QC Kwulasultun — Chair, BC First Nations Justice Council, Nanaimo
Introduction: Human Rights and Institutional Reform (9:25 – 9:45)
- creating space for Indigenous legal orders and processes
- examples of work being done to create this space in health, child welfare, criminal justice, and land and water resources
- practical tools and strategies for facilitating change
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle + Co., Vancouver
Dr. Sarah Morales — Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, Victoria
Keynote: Sprucing Up the Law and Cleaning Out the Underbrush (9:45 – 10:30)
Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond/Akikwe — Senior Associate Counsel, Woodward & Company Lawyers LLP, Victoria
BREAK (10:30 – 10:45)
Child and Family Wellness (10:45 – 11:45)
On Jan 1, 2020, An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families came into force and effect with two main purposes:
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- setting national minimum standards in relation to Indigenous Child and Family Services
- recognition of inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples to be self-determining over children and families
- How this act changes the legal landscape with regard to children and families
Dawn Johnson — Children and Families Senior Policy Analyst, First Nations Leadership Council, Union of BC Indian Chiefs, Vancouver
- Wet'suwet'en case study: Wet’suwet’en jurisdiction regarding child and family wellness
Chief Na'Moks (John Ridsdale) — Office of the Wet'suwet'en, Smithers
Gretchen Woodman, BA, BSE, MA — Senior Advisor: Wellness Jurisdiction, Office of the Wet'suwet'en, Smithers
- Cowichan Tribes case study
Robert B. Morales — Negotiator/Lawyer, Cowichan Tribes, Duncan
Questions and Discussion (11:45 – 12:00)
LUNCH (12:00 – 12:45)
Criminal Justice (12:45 – 1:45)
- Human Rights and the criminal justice system
- First Nations Justice Council
- Indigenous Justice Centers and how they will help remedy systemic racism in BC
Douglas S. White, QC Kwulasultun — Chair, BC First Nations Justice Council, Nanaimo
Rosalie C.N. Yazzie — BC First Nations Justice Council, Nesika Law Corporation, Westbank
BREAK (1:45 – 2:00)
Land and Water: Natual Resources and the Environment (2:00 – 2:45)
- Indigenous Leadership Initiative: the national program and the incorporation of Indigenous legal traditions
Frank Brown — Indigenous Leadership Initiative, Ottawa
- Ge'mawiagnutmatinej Jagejewei: advancing Mi'gmaq law into 'commercial fisheries'
- background of 'Ge'mawiagnutmatinej Jagejewe' project
- lobster law-making process
- key aspects of the Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation Law on the lobster fishery and lobster fishing
- lobster law: challenges and concerns
Dr. Fred Metallic — Director of Natural Resources and Lead Fisheries Negotiator, Listuguj Mi'gmaq First Nation, Listuguj, Quebec
BREAK (2:45 – 3:00)
Land and Water: Natural Resources and the Environment, continued (3:00 – 3:45)
- Indigenous assessment processes: Tsleil-Waututh Nation case study
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle + Co., Vancouver
- Site C: extractive industry implications for Indigenous laws
Caleb Z. Behn — Director, Rights and Legal Systems, Justice and Rights Sector, Assembly of First Nations, Ottawa
The Way Forward: Reflections by Witnesses (3:45 – 4:45)
Speaker George Harris — Stz'uminus First Nation
Witnesses:
Halie Kwanxwa'loga Bruce — Cedar and Sage Law Corporation, Cultus Lake
Robert B. Morales — Negotiator/Lawyer, Cowichan Tribes, Duncan
Dr. Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond/Akikwe — Senior Associate Counsel, Woodward & Company Lawyers LLP, Victoria
Douglas S. White, QC Kwulasultun — Chair, BC First Nations Justice Council, Nanaimo
Closing Comments
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle + Co., Vancouver
Dr. Sarah Morales — Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, Victoria
Day Two: Indigenous Laws Methods and Practice Workshop (NO rebroadcast available)
Welcome and Land Acknowledgement (9:00 – 9:15)
Chief Leah Sisi-ya-ama George-Wilson — Miller Titerle + Co., Vancouver
Dr. Sarah Morales — Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria, Victoria
Dr. Hadley Friedland — Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta, Edmonton
Dr. Val Napoleon — Director, JD/JID Program, Associate Professor, Law Foundation Chair of Indigenous Justice and Governance, Director, Indigenous Law Research Unit, University of Victoria, Victoria
Indigenous Laws Methods and Practice Workshop: Introductory Ideas (9:15 – 10:15)
- what are Indigenous Laws?
- Roots to Renaissance—Four Eras of Indigenous Laws
- the TRC Calls to Action and Canada's Principles
- sources of law in Canada
BREAK (10:15 – 10:45)
Accessing and Understanding Indigenous Laws (10:45 – 11:45)
LUNCH (11:45 – 12:45)
Narrative Analysis Method (12:45 – 1:45)
- Introduction to Narrative Analysis (ILRU) Method(s)
- case briefing exercise
BREAK (1:45 –2:15)
Engaging with Substantive Indigenous Laws (2:15– 3:15)
- case examples
- application exercise
Closing: Touchstones and Q&A (3:15 – 3:45)