The 24 Faculties of Law in Canada have taken widely different approaches to implementing a mandatory Indigenous course in response to Call to Action # 28. What follows is an objective view of what each faculty is delivering based exclusively on how many mandatory Indigenous courses are offered over how many terms that address the specific requirements of Call to Action # 28.
What are the results?
- 10 Faculties offer multiple mandatory Indigenous courses over multiple terms
- 6 Faculties offer a single mandatory Indigenous course over one term
- 4 Faculties offer Indigenous content integrated into multiple mandatory courses
- 1 Faculty has a Mandatory Indigenous course under development
- 3 Faculties offer no mandatory course at all
The following table identifies the approaches taken towards addressing the 5 requirements identified in Call to Action # 28:
| We call upon law schools in Canada to require all law students to take a course in Aboriginal people and the law, which includes (1) the history and legacy of residential schools, (2) the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, (3) Treaties and Aboriginal rights, (4) Indigenous law, and (5) Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and antiracism. |
Faculty of Law Commitment
| Faculty of Law | Mandatory Course | # of topics covered | % of topics covered | Description |
| University of Victoria* | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 8 Indigenous courses in 1st yr; 2 in 2nd yr |
| Lakehead University | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 3 Indigenous courses / 2 yrs |
| Dalhousie University* | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 2 Indigenous courses / 1 yr |
| University of BC* | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 2 Indigenous courses / 1 yr |
| University of Saskatchewan | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 2 Indigenous courses / 2 yrs |
| McGill University | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 indigenous course + multiple integrated courses |
| University of Western Ontario | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 indigenous course + multiple integrated courses |
| University of Manitoba | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course + Law Clinic |
| York University | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course, 4 credits |
| University of Toronto | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course, 4 credits |
| Thompson Rivers | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course in 1 term |
| Université of Ottawa - Civil Law* | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course in 1 term |
| Université Laval | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course in 1 term |
| Université de Montréal | Yes | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course in 1 term |
| University of Windsor | Yes | 4/5 | 80% | 1 Indigenous course in 1 term |
| University of Ottawa: Common Law* | Pilot | 5/5 | 100% | 1 Indigenous course in 1 term |
| Toronto Metropolitan University | Yes | 4/5 | 80% | Indigenous content Integrated in multiple courses |
| University of Calgary | Yes | 4/5 | 80% | Indigenous content Integrated in multiple courses |
| University of Alberta | Yes | 3/5 | 60% | Indigenous content Integrated in multiple courses |
| University of New Brunswick | Yes | 2.5/5 | 50% | Indigenous content Integrated in multiple courses |
| Queen's University | No | 50% | 2.5/5 | Mandatory course under development |
| University of Moncton | No | 0/5 | 0% | No course offered |
| Université du Québec à Montréal | No | 0/5 | 0% | No course offered |
| Université de Sherbrooke | No | 0/5 | 0% | No course offered |
Note: * indicates that these faculties offer an elective Indigenous program as follows
- University of Victoria: LAW 343E ĆELÁṈENE: A Field Course in the Re-emergence of W̱SÁNEĆ Law
- Dalhousie University: Certificate in Aboriginal and Indigenous Law
- University of British Columbia: Indigenous Cultural Competency Certificate
- University of Ottawa – Common Law: Aboriginal Law and Indigenous Legal Traditions Option
- University of Ottawa – Civil Law: Aboriginal Law and Indigenous Legal Traditions Option
Click on Faculties of Law – English and Faculties of Law – French to read the complete details on what each Faculty is doing to advance Truth and Reconciliation. Each article follows the same organizational structure:
- Brief details on the Faculty of Law
- Faculty Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation
- Call to Action # 28: Description
- Mandatory Course(s): Course #, title and description
- Commitment to Call to Action # 28: How has the course(s) addressed the Call to Action
- Land Acknowledgement
Based on the above the 24 Faculties of Law are 87.5% on the way to being complete. Only 3 Faculties need to do what all the rest of them have done – develop and implement a mandatory course.