(Picture by Pam Palmater, Rally for Justice for Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls in Winnipeg) This article was originally published in The Lawyer’s Daily on May, 28, 2019. “Her life mattered. She was valued. She was important. She was loved.” R. v. Barton [2019] S.C.J. No. 33. Cindy Gladue was an Indigenous woman…
Continue reading…about Justice system still not protecting Indigenous women and girls
Bill C-92 An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Metis children, youth and families has been heralded as a “historic turning point”, an “important first step”, a “major milestone” and other similarly over-used and under-impressive political phrases to describe yet another top-down initiative from the federal government. While the Assembly of First Nations National Chief…
The Daniels decision hasn’t been out for 24 hours yet and already there is mass confusion about what it does and does not say. Despite the buzz in mainstream and social media, it does NOT make Metis and non-status Indians “Indians” under the Indian Act. The case also does NOT give Metis and non-status Indians any…
Continue reading…about Daniels v. Canada – We are all “aborigines”
What is a Non-Status Indian? People ask me this question nearly everyday. Some people think Non-Status Indians are really just Métis people – those with mixed Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal ancestry. Others think that a Non-Status Indian is any person who is not registered under the Indian Act as an “Indian” – i.e. they are not…