“Our Way” – OKT and Northern Ontario Students Participate in Conference on Indigenous Law

How will Canadian law and indigenous law co-exist in the future? One of the most exciting developing areas in Aboriginal law today is the emergence of more scholarship on indigenous legal traditions, along with more First Nations integrating indigenous and traditional laws into every day community governance and decision-making.

On March 23^rd and 24^th, the University of Saskatchewan hosted the Our Way conference in Saskatoon. The conference brought together indigenous and non-indigenous lawyers, scholars, elders, youth, leaders, advocates and community builders. The participants focussed on practical and legal strategies for revitalizing and implementing indigenous legal traditions, and practical strategies for implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Partner Lorraine Land comments, “A remarkable achievement of this conference was active participation of Aboriginal youth from across the country. About one third of the participants were under 25. It is so exciting to see the emerging generation of Aboriginal scholars and future leaders, and to watch their passionate quest to make their communities’ traditions and laws flourish and grow.”

A particular highlight for Land was OKT’s participation in helping to get youth to the event. OKT sponsored and presented an award to five First Nations students from Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School, who travelled from Thunder Bay to Saskatoon to take part in the conference.

Senwung Luk reports, “The speakers and the discussion were both excellent – the experience was very enriching.  Most of the conference was videorecorded and is available online – though there are no guarantees on how long it will stay up there!  Particular highlights for me were the following presentations:

•             Cindy Blackstock – http://www.livestream.com/trc_cvr/video?clipId=pla_46ae49b5-db17-49e1-b399-085d44f9bd08

•             Aaron Mills – http://www.livestream.com/trc_cvr/video?clipId=pla_9d5e77e7-2964-4223-9c25-950578ff7e5e

•             Madeleine Redfern – http://www.livestream.com/trc_cvr/video?clipId=pla_3471f3f2-3b69-4844-a883-fd51cee07bb1

•             Sylvia McAdam – http://www.livestream.com/trc_cvr/video?clipId=pla_50184d88-4bf1-4221-8d7b-1b7ac6acdae4 (at around 54:00)

Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School Students receiving OKT Award at Our Way Conference, to sponsor their travel and attendance: (from L to R): Brandon Wright and Tara Lynne Vesa (teachers, DFCHS), Luke Aysanabee (Deer Lake First Nation), Davery Bottle (Mishkeegogamang First Nation), Lorraine Land, Gilbert Fiddler (Sandy Lake First Nation), Tyrell Fiddler (Sandy Lake First Nation) and John Anderson (Thunder Bay) at Awards Banquet at Our Way Conference.

By Lorraine Land