590 Indigenous Peoples and the Law (Macias Gimenez)

LAW590 

Indigenous Peoples and the Law

(Macias Gimenez)

Prerequisite courses: 

Prerequisite for:

Instructor(s): Rebeca Macias Gimenez

Course credit: 3

Method of presentation: Lecture

METHOD OF EVALUATION

Mid-term paper/project – 30%

Final examination – 70% 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course situates how Canadian state law affects Indigenous peoples in a legal and political context. It is designed to focus on issues that will be useful to lawyers who practice in a variety of areas. Although current issues and attempts at their resolution are focused on throughout the semester, the materials will emphasize historical patterns of settler colonialism. A survey of the law of Aboriginal rights and title, including issues surrounding Crown and Indigenous sovereignty will be considered as we navigate historical and modern treaties, Crown-Indigenous nations relationships, treaty processes and interpretation. Other relevant subject matter, such as constitutional recognition of Aboriginal hunting and fishing rights, Indigenous self-governance, and First Nations, Métis and Inuit identity and citizenship, and the Indian Act(s), are a few of the important topics that will be covered.  

SPECIAL COMMENTS

Description updated 2022-23. Please contact the instructor for any specific questions you may have related to this particular course section.

REQUIRED TEXTS (IF ANY):

John Borrows and Leonard Rotman, Aboriginal Legal Issues: Cases, Materials and Commentary, 5th Edition (Toronto: LexisNexis Canada Inc., 2018).