Spring Advocacy Updates and New Ways to Get Involved

  • May 21, 2020

As we all adjust to our new circumstances and continue to serve our clients, our Section is working to support the Aboriginal law bar in these times. Some highlights of our recent work include the following.

Letter to Indigenous Services Canada Regarding COVID-19 Response

On April 7, 2020, the Section sent a letter to the Deputy Minister of Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) about immediate issues relating to First Nations elections, self-isolation and self-governance arising from the pandemic. It also offered to give feedback to ISC on proposals to address these and other COVID-19-related issues, while not replacing the direct engagement with Indigenous communities that is essential to the success of any proposals. Please contact us if you have ideas for how we can support Aboriginal law practitioners and advocate for appropriate measures in response to COVID-19.

If you have COVID-19-related resources that would be of interest to our members, please contact us. Don’t forget to check out the CBA’s COVID-19 Resource Hub for legal and justice system updates, well-being resources, professional development opportunities and more.

Meeting with the Department of Justice

The Section’s annual in-person meeting with the federal Department of Justice has been postponed until the Fall of 2020. We will reassess the situation closer to that time.

Section representatives will meet virtually with the Department of Justice in late spring with a shortened agenda. Our proposed agenda items include:

If you have ideas for COVID-19 related issues that should be discussed at this meeting, please let us know.

CBA Aboriginal Law Conference

The Section’s annual conference has been postponed due to COVID-19, but we are hopeful it can proceed in 2021. Please stay tuned for updates as the situation evolves.

Call for Webinar Proposals

As in-person professional development is postponed or cancelled, there is a need for online content for CBA members to meet their professional development obligations this year. We are seeking proposals from Section members for webinar topics you would be interested in presenting or organizing. If interested, please contact us.

UNDRIP Working Group

At this year’s CBA Annual General Meeting, the Section put forward a Resolution on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Section Executive Members Jameela Jeeroburkhan and Brian Hebert made a compelling case for the passing of the resolution, and it passed without amendment. A working group has been struck by the Section to develop an action plan for implementing the resolution. If you are interested in being involved, please contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you and your families stay safe and well.

Cindy Kieu
Chair, CBA Aboriginal Law Section