ReconciliACTION Recap

tansi ninôtemik,

As the school term comes to a close, so too does the ReconciliACTION YEG blog. We feel like we’ve done some immense learning on this journey and hope you have too! In our final post for the semester, we want to highlight some of the major moments from this past academic year. 

We took a look at Environment and Conservation

We had a chat about environmental justice and reminded everyone that Indigenous Justice is Climate Justice! We also took a look at different environmental protection and conservation efforts including a group of First Nations’ attempt to protect woodland caribou and the acknowledgement of Indigenous wildfire management at the Alberta Forest Products Association conference.  

There were Celebrations of Resilience and Days of Memorial

In this trip around the sun we honoured Indigenous Veterans, preserved Indigenous culture on the moon, celebrated National Ribbon Skirt Day and Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day, and saw the signing of the Inuvialuit Coordination Agreement on TRC Day. We also found moments to honour our lost Indigenous family with the Moosehide Campaign and Sisters in Spirit. 

The Government & their Officials were Busy

Good news, the Indigenous Justice Strategy was finally released! 

In not so good news, we are seeing a trend of various far-right actions. We were reminded, once again, that extreme racism and historical misinformation about Indigenous peoples continues to exist in our world when Marina Sapozhnikov stated that Indigenous peoples were savages pre-contact. The University of Alberta caved to the UCP’s attacks on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. We saw EDI change to ACB – Access, Community and Belonging. 

Important legislation is making its way toward enactment. Brooks Arcand-Paul introduced the Reconciliation Implementation Act to the Alberta Legislative Assembly in a move to push reconciliation efforts forward and encourage the government to do right by Indigenous peoples. Senator Yvonne Boyer has stated her intention to reintroduce Bill S-250 once Parliament has been resumed. This much needed bill will make forced and coerced sterilization, an issue that primarily affects Indigenous and other women of colour, a crime under the Criminal Code. 

Maybe most importantly, a federal election was called. We once again implore you to consider reconciliation and the rights of Indigenous peoples when voting. 

We All had a Good Laugh When A Group of First Nations Offered to Purchase Hudson’s Bay Company for a Blanket and Some Tobacco

But we also remembered the seriously harmful colonial legacy of the Hudson’s Bay Company and pondered the use of that history for legal education. 

Revitalization was a Key Theme

We looked at the concept of Land Back and how the Constitution can be interpreted in terms of Indigenous sovereignty. 

In a blog post reflecting on Marilyn Dumont’s poem “The Devil’s Language”, we offered resources for Cree language revitalization. 

In a partnership between Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle and the University of Victoria’s Indigenous Law Research Unit, the Anishinaabeg recorded their legal principles. These principles highlight the importance of gender fluidity in Anishinaabeg family law. 

We discussed place names and the importance of using the original Indigenous names for environmental landmarks. 

There were Big Moments in the Courts

We talked about the implications of the Southern Chiefs' Organization’s Charter challenge to recognize Lake Winnipeg as a living entity. This is not the first time a body of water has been recognized as being living, but it may be the first time a body of water is given legal personhood. 

In a class-action lawsuit trial, the Government of Canada maintained that it had no legal duty to provide clean drinking water to First Nations. We hope to see Bill C-61 passed in order to ensure the right to clean water in Canada. 

We talked about the horrific case of R v Skibicki and how “attainable justice” is simply not enough when it comes to our Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples. 

The Superior Court of Quebec ruled that the Government of Quebec failed in their duty to consult and accommodate Mitchikanibikok Inik First Nation. Breaches of the duty to consult extend as far back as August 22, 1991. 

Justice Blackhawk gave UNDRIP’s standard of free, prior and informed consent teeth in Kebaowek First Nation v Canada and we discussed the possibility of revisiting old decisions based on Blackhawk J’s decision. 

We saw some International Action and Interaction

We expressed our support for Australian Senator Lidia Thorpe, who boldly proclaimed “You are not our king” in the presence of King Charles III. 

While the Inter-American Court of Human Rights cannot issue binding decisions to Canada, it can make recommendations. The Arctic Athabaskan Council filed a petition with the Inter-American Court in an effort to combat climate change. 

We discussed the Trump Administration’s sneaky removal of the Not Invisible Act Commission’s final report and the impacts this may have on the upcoming Canadian election. 

The Lives of Legal Legends were Honoured

We lost the Honourable Murray Sinclair on November 4, 2024. This trailblazer was the first Indigenous judge in Manitoba, was Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and did immense work to facilitate the amendments to the Criminal Code now known as Gladue Principles. We honour his spirit. 

We lost Kwagiulth Hereditary Chief Hemas Kla-Lee-Lee-Kla (Bill Wilson) on January 24, 2025. This legal legend fought for traditional land and treaty rights to be enshrined in the Constitution. We honour his spirit. 

Our Series on the Indian Act Delved into some Major Issues

We discussed same sex parents and registration of their children, the impact of Bill C-16 (which amended the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and expression as a protected ground), how gender identity and status operate together (or don’t), the issues related to unknown parentage, identity concerns relating to the second generation cut-off, the basics of Bill C-31 (an amendment to the Indian Act meant to remove gender discrimination), and the United Nations recommendations to Canada with regards to the Indian Act. . 

We Cried Watching the Powerful Call to Action that is the YINTAH Movie

Seriously, go watch it. The Wet’suwet’en peoples need our support in their fight for sovereignty.

In the eb and flow of colonial politics, Indigenous legal revitalization, and the land we live on, we implore you to continue on the path of reconciliation and support Indigenous peoples in any way you can. Whether this blog was the beginning of your learning or a part of your continuing path, we hope this moment in time stays with you. We can make change, we can grow, and we can fight the good fight. Thank you for taking this journey with us.

ekosi.

The ReconciliACTION Team.