24 Noreen Demeria, Executive Director Indigenous Justice Centre of Alberta M Many law firms and legal organizations are showing that commitment to rec- onciliation with Indigenous people is more than just a land acknowledge- ment. In Calgary, the recently launched Indigenous Justice Centre of Alberta promotes a holistic, restorative and cul- turally relevant justice system for Indigenous people. Those who are facing criminal charges can access pro bono services that include everything from legal counsel and court navigation services to assis- tance with finding housing and rehabil- itation resources. Executive director Noreen Demeria says it’s critical for law firms and other legal organizations to take their lead from Indigenous people and communi- ties. “It’s important to make space to hear those voices,” she says. While Indigenous people make up approximately five per cent of Canadian adults, more than 30 per cent of people serving federal criminal sentences are Indigenous, according to 2023 statistics published by Public Safety Canada. The same report found that Indigenous women make up half of all incarcerated women federally. Addressing this overrepresentation in the criminal justice system is one of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Demeria, who is Anishinaabe originally from Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation in Manitoba, says that it’s important to consider history and culture in this context. “Look at how colonialism and the tools of colonialism, like residential schools, have impacted our communities and families,” she says. Being there for the long haul Charlene Theodore, chief inclusion officer at McCarthy Tétrault in Toronto, says her firm is committed to address- ing the calls to action put forward by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. “Like everyone else, we started out with land acknowledgments. But there was always a bigger plan,” she says. “The firm has had a long commitment to diversity and inclusion. We always carved out a place for cultural aware- ness regarding Indigenous issues and truth and reconciliation.” Theodore says that McCarthy Tétrault focuses on cultural competency, educa- tion and community involvement. “One of the key objectives of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report is creating and maintaining mutually respectful relationships with Indigenous communities around us. And that can’t happen if all you have is a land acknowledgement,” she says. “That can only happen if you’re in there for the long haul, which means cultural competency and engaging, and authentically working with them to develop that relationship.” John P. Brown was a litigation partner at McCarthy Tétrault for many years before retiring to become the legal and strategic advisor of Indigenous initia- tives. “The purpose of doing that, from my perspective, was to help the firm engage in a meaningful and authentic way with the Indigenous communities in the cities in which our law firm operates,” says Brown, who is based in Toronto. His family on his father’s side is Sto:lo, whose traditional territory is in British Columbia. Brown says his goals in his new posi- tion were to increase cultural compe- tency within the firm and, once that was sufficiently developed, to help the law firm work with Indigenous com- munities, mostly on a pro bono basis. “The first step was land acknowledg- ments. But that is meaningless unless you have cultural competency and unless you take steps after that to engage with the Indigenous communi- ty in a meaningful way,” he says. Among other initiatives, McCarthy Tétrault assisted with the creation of the Canadian Bar Association’s Truth and Reconciliation Toolkit, an online resource to help law firms create recon- ciliation action plans. The firm also serves as a partner in the Concrete Steps Towards Reconciliation COMMITMENT
