Friday, September 12, 2014
Group shot outside of the 2014 Aboriginal Youth Summer Program participants

By Promise Holmes Skinner, AYSP Coordinator and Aboriginal Law Program Coordinator

They came from all over Canada, some from the far North and some from remote communities, to learn about the law. This year, the Aboriginal Youth Summer Program drew 23 First Nations, Inuit and Métis high school students eager to meet one another in a big city and immerse themselves in law and legal issues affecting their communities.

The AYSP at the Faculty of Law offers an unprecedented opportunity for Aboriginal youth to explore the fascinating worlds of Canadian and customary laws while learning how to think critically, communicate effectively and advocate respectively. 

“After this experience, I feel dedicated to pursuing a university undergraduate degree, as well as going beyond that and getting a degree in law,” says Liam Morris, 15, from Halifax, NS. “I have the grades to do it, but now, with the help of this program, I have the mental drive to do it…I now realize how important it is to give back to my culture and community when I become successful.”

Led by a recent graduate of the Faculty, Promise Holmes Skinner, and current law student, Deanna Roffey, the AYSP is also a great opportunity for the law schools’s Aboriginal students and alumni to connect with Aboriginal Canadian youth and pass on their own teachings about leadership and the law. Current students and recent alumni of the Aboriginal Law Students’ Association also taught youth about the law and held a question-and-answer period about law school and legal careers. 

Aboriginal law students, Elders, professors, and lawyers focus on constitutional law and Aboriginal rights; property law and intersections between Wampum and common law; and criminal law and Gladue sentencing principles. A trip to Gladue Court at Old City Hall allows students to observe culturally relevant legal proceedings and to hear directly from a judge, Crown and defence counsel.

“I personally loved Elder Wes Fine Day’s sessions of storytelling,” says Rosalie LaBillois, 17, from Eel River Bar, NB. “I grew up in a very traditional lifestyle, so many of the things he said were familiar yet different because of the different teachings he carried.”

Group shot of 2014 Aboriginal Youth Summer Program participants outside the courthouse

The classes consist of cultural and customary teachings and Canadian law, all relating to the students’ culminating exercise: a topically relevant, yet hypothetical Duty to Consult negotiation.  Students also enjoy the unique Toronto experience, attending the CN Tower, the Eaton Centre and a Toronto Blue Jays Game. 

“Coming from Mi’kmaq territory, I was surprised about how many students were from Mi’kmaq blood lines,” says LaBillois.  “I counted about 5-7 of us, I thought I would be there only one! It was also nice to see all those students who carried interest in some sort of law or political background. I really respected that we had a smudge almost every day. I thought it was very appropriate for the program, especially with the stuff we dealt with.”

The students thrived in the academic environment and their interpretation of the material was impressive and inspiring. At the final negotiation, students advocated to protect legal and cultural interests with perseverance, passion and patience. 

“If I could pick out one lesson that stands out greatly in my mind from this program, it would be to never underestimate the power of the spoken word,” says Morris. “During this program we had the time to sit and talk to an Aboriginal Elder, and the experiences and teachings he shared were absolutely amazing…every word he spoke is still stuck in my head and I’ll never forget everything I have learned about my culture and spirit from him.”

 

The AYSP extends its thanks and gratitude to these partners: the University of Saskatchewan and the Program of Legal Studies for Native People, the Walter and Mary Tuohy Foundation and the Law Foundation of Ontario.