Going extramural to study Indigenous law positon they have in Canadian society and the country’s legal terrain. For Stephenson, connections to the community run deep since she spent her summer working with their Justice Department through a placement with the Ministry of the Attorney General. The Territory, founded in 1754, is close to Queen’s, having an Ontario entry near Cornwall, and its unique border, straddling modern-day New York, Ontario and Québec, adds to the complexities of its legal structures. It also stands out as Canada’s first and only Aboriginal community to have established a court “for Indigenous people and by Indigenous people.” It enforces 32 civil laws, while criminal matters remain the jurisdiction of either the province or the federal government. Understanding Indigenous legal principles is expected to become increasingly important to Canada’s legal landscape, so the Akwesasne workshop is one of several Queen’s Law initiatives to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into its curriculum. (Watch for updates in issues of QLR Online.) — With notes from Phillip Gaudreau and Michael Adams.
ANDREW VAN OVERBEKE
As one of several Queen’s Law outreach initiatives to Indigenous communities, a group of students, faculty and staff visited Akwesasne Mohawk Territory in November to learn more about Indigenous law and culture. Kayla Stephenson, Law’18, one of the event organizers, says, “It is important for people in the legal profession to understand there are functional legal systems in Canada outside of the mainstream Western paradigm. The Queen’s participants were humbled to see how intricate and longstanding the Akwesasne system is and blown away that it functions independent of any outside support.” Heather Cole, Law’96 (Artsci’91, MPA’00), event founder and Assistant Dean of Students, adds, “Our Queen’s Law community is committed to learning about Indigenous law and culture. Everyone involved found the day to be a transformative experience. We hope to continue working with our Mohawk partners to make this an annual event.” Akwesasne offers an excellent opportunity for students, staff and faculty to learn more about the diversity of Indigenous people and better understand the integral
Assistant Dean Heather Cole, Law’96 (far left), and Kayla Stephenson, Law’18 (2nd right), with the Queen’s workshop group on location in Akwesasne Mohawk Territory.
Champions again at Canada’s arbitration moot Queen’s Law mooters held onto their Canadian title after winning the Mathews Dinsdale National Labour Arbitration Competition for the second year in a row. Advocates Geoff Dunlop and Adriana Zichy, both Law’19, prevailed over the University of Toronto team in the January 28 finals. Professor Kevin Banks, faculty coach for the tenth year, was full of praise. “Geoff and Adriana were poised in the face of a barrage of questions, concise and articulate in their arguments-in-chief, and brief but brilliant in reply,” he says. Last year’s winners, Stephanie McLoughlin and Geoff Tadema, both Law’18, served as student coaches to Zichy and Dunlop. Larysa Workewych, Law’18, assisted with research. Judging the competition were Supreme Court Justice Malcolm Rowe, Ginette Brazeau, Chair of the Canada Industrial Relations Board, and Bernard Fishbein, Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board. The Queen’s team had the support of former Dean and Professor Emeritus Don Carter, Law’66, and Kingston labour lawyers Carol MacKillop, Law’94, and Vince Panetta, Law’95. The three have volunteered time and experience many
Mathews Dinsdale trophy winners Adriana Zichy, Geoff Tadema, Geoff Dunlop, Larysa Workewych, Professor Kevin Banks and Stephanie McLoughlin. times over the past decade, and Banks is “convinced that their efforts and insights have been key contributors to the success of Queen’s teams.” — ALEXANDER MCPHERSON QUEEN’S LAW REPORTS 7
