WHAT WAS YOUR PATH INTO LAW AND ONTO THE BENCH?

From my earliest memories, being a lawyer was not something I considered as a profession for myself.  Graduating with a Grade 12 education was in and of itself something to be proud of in my family and community.  After my graduation, I obtained a diploma in hairdressing and worked in that career for two years.  After a short while, I discovered I was not enjoying my job as I thought I would, and I desired something more challenging.  I enrolled in business college and worked in various positions in administration for numerous years until I hit that dreaded glass ceiling.  While I enjoyed my employment positions, I felt there was something out there more suited to my skill set.  This is when I decided to attend university, to the disappointment of my parents for leaving such a good job.  However, their disappointment soon turned to delight upon my obtaining a law degree.

When in university, I initially pursued a path in psychology as I always loved helping people.  However, after a meeting with one of my instructors, I was encouraged to choose another career path where I could teach or advocate for people, such as education or law.  This same instructor observed my strong aptitude for justice and always providing advice during my practice counselling sessions.  After a series of interesting events, I applied to the U of S College of Law.  I was initially interested in Labour and Employment law and/or Family Law.  However, after taking a few classes in Evidence, I discovered I enjoyed Criminal Law.  Upon this revelation, it became apparent to me the reason I enjoyed Criminal Law was due to my concern and understanding of the plight Indigenous people are in.

After graduating from the College of Law with a focus on Criminal Law, I started my career as a Crown Prosecutor in Regina, SK.  After this position, I relocated to Prince Albert where I was employed with Legal Aid as a staff lawyer with my focus primarily in the Cree Court.  After working with Legal Aid for five years and noticing that Prince Albert had a lack of Indigenous Law firms, I opened McAuley Law Firm in 2012.   I articled two lawyers and had a total of four lawyers employed in my firm.  I continued expanding my practice until my appointment to the bench in 2018.

WHAT EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LEGAL CAREER BEST PREPARED YOU FOR WORK ON THE BENCH?

I am a fluent Cree speaking Metis of the community of Cumberland House, SK.  My hometown, which is an isolated island, has community members who struggle with the same Gladue factors prevalent in the criminal justice system.  Defending Indigenous clients in the Cree court and Prince Albert Court helped me to see how Indigenous people experience difficulty navigating the justice system.  I would represent Indigenous offenders through the court process only to see them return time and time again.  It was very discouraging to see them fall through the cracks and not receive the help they needed.  My Cree language helped me initiate personal conversations with my clients in Cree and this seemed to make the court process less intimidating for them.  As time passed, I represented more Indigenous offenders who felt comfortable with the outcome of their sentences or trials as they had a lawyer with the same background who could understand their journey.

This experience from my hometown upbringing and career at Legal Aid and private practice helped me understand more comprehensively the challenges Indigenous people face.  These challenges are not only limited to Indigenous offenders but also to non-Indigenous offenders caught in the criminal justice system.  For the most part, I discovered that where there is poverty, there will be a myriad of other social issues.

When sitting on the bench, these past experiences of representing a diverse range of clients has helped me see the bigger picture in terms of needs.  I have learned from my past legal experience that there is no such thing as “one sentence fits all.”