Authentic Allyship Project

Indigenous Strategic Plans and Legal Pluralism in the Wake of the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in Restoule In the wake of the pivotal Supreme Court of Canada decision Restoule v. Canada (2024), a glaring beacon shines on the necessity for meaningful adherence to Indigenous laws—not merely in the form of policies but as integral fibers within organizational structures. This recent judgment mandates the government to remunerate First Nations for historical Treaty breaches, sending an unequivocal message about the significance of upholding treaty obligations (Supreme Court of Canada, 2024). The existence of Indigenous Strategic Plans, while suggestive of inclusivity, falls significantly short in compelling organizations to truly abide by Indigenous laws—a fact mirrored in the nonadherence to Treaties throughout history. But why the disconnect? Social dominance theory (Sidanius & Pratto, 1999) offers a lens: societal hierarchies and institutionalized superiority manifest in perfunctory acknowledgments that perpetuate dominance rather than driving substantive change. Embracing legal pluralism means more than drafting plans. It requires the dissolution of tokenistic documents and the forging of new ones that are rooted in genuine Indigenous legal traditions. Organizations must seize the imperative to change now, lest they find themselves retreading the government's costly footsteps before the courts. It's a call to action for transformative integration of Indigenous laws, which not only upholds moral and legal imperatives but also enriches institutional integrity and social justice, benefiting all members of society. Let Restoule v. Canada serve as a sobering reminder: To honor treaties and Indigenous laws is not just a legal duty but a beacon for a harmonious future underpinned by respect, understanding, and legal pluralism.

Congratulations Vanessa Slater Q.Med, LL.M. We are always happy to support brilliant allies with our Authentic Allyship Journal!

Navigating Power Hierarchies: Social Dominance Theory in Indigenous Professionals’ Workplace Experiences New Blog Post:

New on CanLII: "Moving Towards Reconciliation Through Culturally Informed Policing" by Vanessa Slater Q.Med, LL.M. ; featured in Authentic Allyship Project Journal vol 1 (2023/24) #truthandreconciliation #indigenousissues #justiceissues #legalcommentary https://zurl.co/FhGU

Snotty Nose Rez Kids in the class! Marc Bhalla and I had a blast welcoming Indigenous hip hop to our law class. Reconciliation is a creative process. And it can be fun.

What an amazing opportunity to speak to Andrea Menard and Marc Ballah's LLM class this morning class about restorative approaches and trauma informed practices across multiple professional disciplines. Their course "In Search of Reconciliation through Dispute Resolution" was full of fascinating students from across Canada who were curious, generous and passionate. People are ready for changes to our systems!

The Right to Comfort and Decolonization: The Role of Privileged Individuals in Decolonization:

Thank you ADR Institute of Ontario for hosting today's workshop with our academic partners Andrea Menard, Métis Auntie, Anti-Colonial Scholar & Marc Bhalla presenting insights from their book, Reflections on Allyship We appreciate the support raising funds for Moose Hide Campaign and raising awareness in the spirit of #allyship and #reconciliation

How to frame a land acknowledgement as an ally:

Our Academic Partners - Andrea Menard, Métis Auntie, Anti-Colonial Scholar & Marc Bhalla - in Edmonton, Alberta for ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC)/ Institut d'arbitrage et de médiation du Canada (IAMC) meetings taking place this week. #ADR #Allyship #Reconciliation