OTTAWA – There is a tremendous amount of goodwill in the legal profession toward reconciliation. So why has there been so little change? Sometimes, it turns out that the biggest obstacle to doing things differently is knowing where to start. Fortunately, the CBA has a tool for that.
Coinciding with National Indigenous Peoples Day, the CBA is launching its Truth and Reconciliation Toolkit, a resource to help law firms big and small take the first steps in their reconciliation journey – or progress further along it.
Law firms can use the toolkit to learn to be better allies to Indigenous clients, engage with Indigenous advisors, consider ways to recruit and retain Indigenous talent, and much, much more.
Quotes
“When we know better, we can do better. Knowing we need to do better, however, is one thing; figuring out how to do it – or even where to start – is quite another. We need to have the uncomfortable conversations and need to address our past in order to move forward.”
“As the first Indigenous president of the CBA, I am proud of the work that the organization has done to further reconciliation efforts on behalf of the profession. Programs like The Path, aimed at increasing cultural awareness, have truly made a difference to the many thousands of lawyers across the country who have taken our training. That said, there is still much work to be done.”
- CBA President Brad Regehr
The toolkit’s information, templates and practical guides will help law firms do everything from develop corporate messaging to set up a reconciliation website. It even contains a glossary to clear up confusion over which words are respectful and which are harmful.
Quick facts
- The CBA worked with NVision Insight Group to create the Truth and Reconciliation Toolkit. We would also like to acknowledge McCarthy Tétrault for its significant contributions and to thank our other major sponsor, Lawyers Financial.
- The CBA’s Truth and Reconciliation task force recommended creating educational materials and opportunities for the legal profession as part of the cultural competency training called for in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.
Related links
Truth and Reconciliation Toolkit
The Path
CBA Truth and Reconciliation Initiative
The Canadian Bar Association
About the CBA
The CBA is dedicated to support for the rule of law and improvement in the law and the administration of justice. Some 37,000 lawyers, notaries in Quebec, law teachers and law students from across Canada are members.