The federal government released Budget 2021: A Recovery Plan for Jobs, Growth, and Resilience on April 19, 2021 (Budget 2021). It is a long document (over 700 pages). We were encouraged to see numerous measures included that address issues specific to Indigenous peoples. Most of these commitments are found in Chapter 8, entitled “Strong [...]
Yesterday, December 3, 2020, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada introduced in Parliament Bill C-15, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. The purpose of this Bill is to affirm the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (Declaration) as a universal, international, human [...]
My heart overflows with love for the beauty of this world. The mystery of this planet and this universe is too vast and too powerful to even begin to understand. All I know is that all life, even the rocks, need to be treated with respect. - Christi Belcourt Christi Belcourt working in [...]
Westaway Law Group provides diverse legal services in the critical area of environmental law. Our lawyers are experienced advocates who understand Indigenous perspectives on stewardship of land, waters, culture, language, and traditional knowledge. We have produced numerous written environmental law submissions and critiques and have made oral submissions on behalf of our clients before [...]
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR TEST CASES ON HUMAN RIGHTS The recently reinstated Court Challenges Program will offer funding for test cases related to the equality provisions of the Charter, among others. The program objectives are to provide financial support to help Canadians gain access to the courts for the litigation of test cases of national [...]
Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, protects the existing Aboriginal rights of the “aboriginal peoples of Canada”, which includes the Métis. Aboriginal rights are modern-day practices, customs or traditions that are integral to Indigenous communities today and have their roots in the community’s practices, customs and traditions prior to contact with explorers and [...]
Aboriginal rights are modern-day practices, customs or traditions that are integral to Indigenous communities today and have their roots in the community’s practices, customs and traditions prior to contact with explorers and traders arriving from Europe. Although traceable to pre-contact practices, the practice protected today will not be frozen in its historical form, and [...]
Westaway Law Group is proud to represent our First Nation, Métis and Inuit clients as Appellants, Respondents and Interveners before the Supreme Court of Canada. Located just minutes from the Supreme Court, we are also poised to act as Ottawa Agents for the service and filing of documents as required by the Court. Representation [...]
This week's headlines... Indigenous leaders at UN headquarters to discuss landmark rights declaration Province appeals Sinixt hunting case Manitoba Metis Federation Congratulates Clément Chartier on being re-elected President of the Métis National Council
This week's headlines... Woman wins 32-year fight for Indian status; argued rules were discriminatory How Ottawa is using a snow crab boom to move quota to First Nations A new production of Louis Riel opera challenges Canadians to look more deeply into history
