National Indigenous History Month
In June, Canada commemorates National Indigenous History Month and also celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day on the summer solstice, June 21.
Throughout this month there are many opportunities to participate in events (visit the Government of Canada’s interactive map or Government of Alberta’s event listing) and engage in learning about rich and diverse Indigenous cultures, important contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, as well as history and experiences.
Taking the time to learn more about Indigenous Peoples is an important step every Canadian can take in their own reconciliation journeys.
Embark on The Path (Law Society of Alberta)
Alberta lawyers who have not yet completed the Indigenous Cultural Competency Education called The Path (Law Society of Alberta) – Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada are encouraged to set aside some time during the month of June to meet this requirement.
The Path (Law Society of Alberta) is a five-hour series of online modules with videos and quizzes. The course can be completed all at once or in stages. Providing Alberta lawyers with shared Indigenous Cultural Competency Education is part of our responsibility to educate ourselves on issues relevant to the communities where we live and practise law.
The Law Society launched The Path (Law Society of Alberta) – Your Journey Through Indigenous Canada for all Alberta lawyers on April 21, 2021. Alberta lawyers who were active when the requirement was introduced have until Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022 to complete the course or certify eligibility for an exemption. For those lawyers who became active or changed to active status following the launch date, the deadline to complete the course depends on the date the lawyer became active. Lawyers can find their due date for completing the mandatory education requirement in their Lawyer Portal. As per the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta (see Rules 67.4), lawyers who do not compete the Indigenous education by the deadline will be administratively suspended.
To date, approximately 2,700 lawyers have completed The Path (Law Society of Alberta) with about another 1,500 currently enrolled. Of those lawyers who have taken the course so far, 92 per cent have given it an overall rating of good, very good or excellent. Also, 90 per cent strongly agreed or agreed that they gained more of their own Indigenous cultural awareness.
Other Resources
If you are seeking other resources, the Law Society has curated a website listing of academic papers and articles, books, movies, podcasts, poetry and more. Our Education department has also compiled some additional resources, events and activities that may be timely to explore this month and beyond. Wherever you are in your own reconciliation journey, learning more about Indigenous Peoples helps us all contribute to building a more inclusive profession and society.