Aboriginal & Indigenous Law
Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law is one the first law schools in Canada to include stand alone mandatory courses on Indigenous legal issues in its curriculum. We believe that it is vital that our students are aware of not only the law generally, but how that law impacts on Aboriginal peoples. To that end we believe that it is important for our students to better understand Aboriginal peoples and their perspectives on the law. Therefore, Aboriginal law is a cornerstone of our curriculum. In first year, we have a mandatory semester course, Indigenous Legal Traditions. In second year, we have a mandatory full year course, Aboriginal Law.
We also incorporate Indigenous legal issues – such as Gladue principles in the context of criminal sentencing or the laws pertaining to the wills of status Indians – throughout our other courses.
Finally, we bring alive Aboriginal culture and history through experiential learning in our first year course, Aboriginal Perspectives, and through our speaker series and other events.
We work closely with local Aboriginal community leaders and have signed an Aboriginal Protcol Agreement to "establish a strong, meaningful and respectful working relationship regarding the Faculty of Law".
View more information at these links:
- Read our response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Findings.
- Indigenous Relations Guide
- Aboriginal Law Student Conference - Aboriginal Law landscape - What's on the horizon?
Read a summary of the conference.
- Events and Speakers
- Indigenous Course Offerings
- Lakehead Law Journal
- Indigenous Law Students Association
- Aboriginal applicants
- Careers in Aboriginal law
- 3 of our students (Tanya and Misbah in 1L and Adam in 2L) and Professor Karen Drake are interviewed on Spirit Canoe online tv station - Episode 11. View it to learn more about our program and our Aboriginal law focus.
- Hear a radio interview on CBC Thunder Bay with Adam Fiddler, one of our new graduates: Adam Fiddler: Radio host, First Nation chief - and now a law graduate
A big thank you to the Law Foundation of Ontario for their support of many of our Aboriginal Education Initiatives including sponsoring our annual classroom trip to the Fort William First Nation Sugar Bush, sponsoring summer law student positions in the Debwewin Summer Law Program, and many Access to Justice events coordinated by our Law Student Organizations!
