CLE Online

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:

1. 1. setting national minimum standards in relation to Indigenous Child and Family Services
   2. 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)

• resources
• methods

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)