2.1 Cultural Awareness

Cultural Awareness Training

For Canadian lawyers, taking cultural awareness training is an important step in strengthening one’s professional practice.

By developing cultural competence, lawyers are better equipped to build trust with Indigenous clients and communities, navigate systemic barriers in the justice system, and meet their ethical and professional responsibilities. Engaging in this learning also reflects a commitment to reconciliation and positions lawyers to practice with greater respect, inclusivity, and effectiveness in a diverse Canada.

Consider taking The Path: Your Journey through Indigenous Canada. The course provides essential context on the history and lived experiences of Indigenous peoples, including how colonial laws and policies continue to shape today’s realities.

Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day at Your Office or Firm

National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) is a time to recognize and celebrate the diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada. Held on the summer solstice—the longest day of the year and one of great spiritual significance for many Indigenous communities—the day offers an opportunity to learn, reflect, and participate in events that honour Indigenous heritage and achievements. It’s a chance for all Canadians to deepen understanding and strengthen relationships rooted in respect and reconciliation. Here are some celebratory ideas:

1. Check with your local Friendship Centre to see what it is planning. Then your law firm could sponsor, volunteer and/or encourage staff to attend.
2. Check with your provincial law society. Many of them plan events around June 21^st to celebrate the day.
3. If you are in a major city, there’s a good chance that the city/municipality is planning an event. Consider creating a list of local or online initiatives that your employees may be interested in taking part in after hours.
4. Attend a pow wow. In many regions, June 21, as the summer solstice, is a time for gatherings and celebrations like pow wows. Many, like the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival in Ottawa, and the NIPD at Trout Lake outside Vancouver, offer activities, food, Indigenous artisans selling their wares, and opportunities to not only watch but participate in dances.
5. Research the territory on which your office/s sit. On June 21, send a memo explaining land acknowledgements and the specific land acknowledgement for your location. Or record an Elder talking about land acknowledgement and post it on your law firm’s website.
6. Tune in or attend one of many Indigenous Day Live concerts hosted by the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (they also celebrate the Winter Solstice on December 21^st each year).
7. June is Indigenous History month, and Canada also designated June as Indigenous Literature Month, so consider ways to celebrate, commemorate, honour Indigenous history and literature at your law firm.
8. Host a lunch and learn by bringing in a local Elder, knowledge keeper to talk about the territory and the Indigenous history of your region
9. Host a book club and read and discuss a book by an Indigenous author (maybe even invite the author to join your discussion/s)
10. Host a film series on various Indigenous topics by Indigenous filmmakers (maybe even invite the filmmaker to join your discussion/s)
11. Consider celebrations, in collaboration with Inuit colleagues or associates, for International Inuit Day (November 7) or Nunavut Day (July 9).

Observing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at your Office or Firm

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) is also known as Orange Shirt Day because it grew out of a grassroots movement that began with the story of Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, a residential school survivor.

When Phyllis was six years old, she was excited to wear a brand-new orange shirt her grandmother had bought for her on her first day at residential school. But when she arrived, the shirt was taken away, and she was forced to wear a uniform instead. That experience left her with a lasting sense of loss and dehumanization, representing the broader impact of residential schools on Indigenous children, families, and communities.

Wearing orange on September 30 has since become a way to honour survivors, remember the children who never came home, and raise awareness of the ongoing legacy of residential schools. When the federal government created the statutory holiday in 2021, it chose the same date as Orange Shirt Day to recognize and amplify the grassroots movement.

Observing September 30 Outside of the Office

Law firms may wish to consider closing on September 30, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as a gesture of respect and recognition of the legacy of residential schools and the resilience of Indigenous Peoples. Beyond closing, the day can be used as an opportunity for firm members to engage in learning, reflection, and community-based activities that deepen understanding of reconciliation. This could include encouraging staff to attend local events, participate in educational programming, or dedicate time to personal reflection. By formally recognizing the day, firms demonstrate their commitment to reconciliation and help foster a culture of awareness and respect within the legal profession.

Observing September 30 in the Office

Here are some ideas to help commemorate National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a group:

1. Wear Orange - see the Orange Shirt Society website for more information.
2. Illuminating Parliament Hill - buildings across Canada will be illuminated in orange from September 30 at 7:00 pm to sunrise October 1, including the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill.
3. Schedule a Virtual Tour of the Mohawk Institute Residential School with Woodland Cultural Centre.
4. Watch the Orange Shirt Day Presentation video by Phyllis Webstad, the inspiration for the day.
5. Arrange presentations from Residential School survivors (contact The Orange Shirt Society)
6. Host a panel discussion with academics, residential school survivors and others knowledgeable about residential schools (contact the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation or Orange Shirt Day for recommendations of individuals in your region).
7. Host a mobile residential school exhibition at your law firm. Contact the Legacy of Hope Foundation to inquire about their 19 stand-alone exhibitions.
8. Create a bursary/scholarship for an inter-generational survivor of residential school who is a law school or articling student at your law firm.
9. Create a Legacy Space at your law firm. Legacy Spaces are “safe, welcoming places dedicated to providing education and spreading awareness about Indigenous history and our journey of reconciliation.” Contact the Chanie Wenjack Foundation.
10. Provide backpacks of supplies for Indigenous children. A number of Friendship Centres coordinate a backpack program. There may be other charities that can help coordinate this (True North Aid, Chanie Wenjack Foundation, Canadian Red Cross, for example).

See this map of all Friendship Centres in Canada.