Broken Trust: Finding Our Way Out of the Damaged Relationship Through the Rebuilding of Indigenous Legal Institutions

• Author: Aimée Craft
• Pages: 379-393



BrokenTrust

FI ND IN GOUR WAYOUT OFTHE

DAMAGEDRELATIONSHIPTHROUGHTHE

REBUILDINGOFINDIGENOUS

LEGALINSTITUTIONS

Aimée Craft*

“Aboriginal peoples need to become the law’s architects

and interpreters where it applies to their collective rights and interests.”

A. INTRODUCTION

TherightsofIndigenouspeopleinCa nadaareenshrinedintheConst i

tution andsupported byimperativesof reconcili ationandthe honourof

theCrownInternationallytherightsofIndigenouspeopleareconrmed

indec larationsa ndconvention sthatackn owledgethesover eigntyofI n

digenous peoplei n their home territories Howeverin Canada thes e

rightsar ecastunder theshadowof alonghi storyofcolonization and

colonialismraci smandprejudicea ssimilationand culturalgenocide

Reectionson thisdarkhistory andbrokentrust betweenCanadaa nd

IndigenouspeoplewererevisitedbysomewhileCanadacelebrated

yearsofConfederationManylamented thebrokentrustthatcont inues

toshapetherelationship

 FacultyofLawUniversityofOawa

 TruthandReconciliat ionCommissionofCanadaTRCThe Final Re port of the Truth

and Reconciliation Commissio n of CanadavolWinnipegTheCom missionat

TruthandReconcili ation