Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) supports Aboriginal people (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and Northerners in their efforts to: improve social well-being and economic prosperity; develop healthier, more sustainable communities; and participate more fully in Canada’s political, social and economic development — to the benefit of all Canadians.
LawNow is a bi-monthly digital public legal education magazine which has been published by the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta for 40 years. Its articles and columns are written in plain language take a practical look at how the law relates to the every day lives of Canadians. In each issue, LawNow’s aboriginal law column takes a look at a specific topic in this area of law and explains it clearly and concisely.
The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society is an independent Aboriginal communications organization dedicated to providing objective, mature and balanced coverage of news, information and entertainment relevant to Aboriginal issues and peoples. Publications include: Alberta Sweetgrass, BC Raven’s Eye, Ontario Birchbark, Saskatchewan Sage and Windspeaker (national). Selected articles are featured on the website. They also operate the CWFE-FM radio station, available live online.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) administers many pieces of legislation, either in whole or in part. AANDC also develops and enforces regulations under authority delegated by the legislation that directly impacts First Nations, Inuit, Metis and Northerners.
The BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre (BearPaw Education) is a program offered by Native Counselling Services of Alberta and funded by the Alberta Law Foundation aimed at helping Aboriginal people navigate the legal system and gain awareness of their legal rights. The BearPaw Education’s mandate is to promote awareness of the legal rights and obligations of Aboriginal people living in Alberta and to enhance Aboriginal peoples’ connection and access to justice.
BearPaw Legal Education & Resource Centre (BLERC) provides free workshops on request. A workshop facilitator will travel to your community. Topics include: Going to Court, Kids and the Law, Aboriginal Fishing and Hunting Rights, the ABCs of the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act and more.
The Guide is meant to act as a resource for lawyers to learn about historical and cultural elements that provide context for the professional relationship between an Indigenous person and their lawyer. It also provides tools to help lawyers represent Indigenous clients as effectively as possible, and a number of resources to encourage lawyers to continue their education. The Advocates’ Society, in partnership with the Indigenous Bar Association and the Law Society of Ontario, developed the Guide for Lawyers Working with Indigenous Peoples.
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) has introduced a new concept in federal corrections for Aboriginal offenders. “Healing lodges” offer services and programs that reflect Aboriginal culture in a space that incorporates Aboriginal peoples’ tradition and beliefs. In the healing lodge, the needs of Aboriginal offenders serving federal sentences are addressed through Aboriginal teachings and ceremonies, contact with Elders and children, and interaction with nature.
The Hope for Wellness Helpline is available to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are reachable by telephone and online ‘chat’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Telephone support is available in English, French, Cree, Ojibway, and Inuktitut. Online Chat services are only available in English and French.
The Indigenous Bar Association (IBA) is a non-profit professional organization for Indian, Inuit and Métis persons trained in the field of law. Its membership consists of Indigenous lawyers (practicing and non-practicing), judges, law professors, legal consultants and law students. As the field of Indigenous law develops, the public is becoming more aware and interested in Indigenous legal issues. The IBA plays an active role in promoting the development of Indigenous law and supporting Indigenous legal practitioners.
This section of NativeWeb is dedicated to information about law and legal issues related to indigenous peoples of the world. NativeWeb is an international, nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to using the Internet to disseminate information from and about indigenous nations, peoples, and organizations around the world.
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) is the national Inuit organization in Canada, representing four Inuit regions – Nunatsiavut (Labrador), Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories.
This online source of the consolidated Acts and regulations of Canada is provided by the Department of Justice Canada. The consolidations are generally updated on a weekly basis.
The Law Society recognizes that First Nation, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) peoples may face unique access to justice challenges. The society has published the following 3 resources especially for indigenous peoples:
The Métis National Council is the national representative of the Métis Nation in Canada. Sections on the website include Métis Governments and Métis Rights.
The Native Law Centre at the University of Saskatchewan was founded in 1975 by Dr. Roger C. Carter whose commitment to Aboriginal and social justice issues convinced the University of the need for a Centre to facilitate access to legal education for Aboriginal peoples, to promote the development of the law and the legal system in Canada in ways which better accommodate the advancement of Aboriginal peoples and communities, and to disseminate information concerning Aboriginal peoples and the law.
The Nature’s Laws Project was developed in a partnership involving the Heritage Community Foundation and representatives of First Nations from Treaty 6, 7 and 8. The project is a study of the legal codes and traditional governance of Alberta’s First Nations in the areas covered by Treaties 6, 7 and 8. It was structured as having research and public education components and involved Elders, academics and legal historians. The material examined was evidence found in oral histories, as well as case law, and the scholarly literature relating to Aboriginal People.
The Fourth World Documentation Project was organized by the Center For World Indigenous Studies (CWIS) in 1992. Its mission is to document and make available important documents relating to the social, political, strategic, economic and human rights situations being faced by Fourth World nations and create a historical archive of the political struggles waged by Indigenous Peoples to assert their rights as sovereign nations. This section contains Canadian documents.
This online resource is from the Heritage Community Foundation and is part of the Virtual Museum of Canada. The Making of Treaty #8 in Canada’s Northwest, commemorates a historic event of enormous importance to Alberta’s northern First Nations.
The Treaty Making in Canada section of the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) website includes resources on over 70 historical treaties negotiated with First Nations between 1701 and 1923, including historical research reports, images, maps, and bibliographies.
