Truth and Reconciliation toolkit for small firms
Size doesn’t matter when responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action.
When the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report in 2015, it included calls to action specific to law schools and members of the legal profession. But how can small firms and sole practitioners with a limited budget do their part?
When we know better, we can do better, which is why the Canadian Bar Association put together a Truth and Reconciliation toolkit to give members of the legal profession actionable guidance and resources on what they need to do to become better allies to Indigenous people, at every stage of their professional journey.
The first step can be as simple as a statement declaring that your law firm is committed to truth and reconciliation. The toolkit includes templates and examples of statements and media releases to help you frame your statement the right way.
Firms of any size can make a commitment to learn more about the history and continuing legacy of residential schools, for instance by following The Path and by taking the time to include appropriate and meaningful land acknowledgments in presentations.
Of particular interest to lawyers practicing in small firms or as sole practitioners is the toolkit section on learning, celebrating and supporting Indigenous communities. Everyone within a firm can learn more about allyship, about the ways they should engage with Indigenous Elders, the cultural protocols to keep in mind and why Indigenous-specific training on anti-racism and unconscious bias is so important.
The toolkit will also help lawyers find the Indigenous Friendship Centre closest to them, discover Indigenous artists and increase their Indigenous Quotient.
Indigenous law and legal tradition
Finally, the toolkit includes a reference hub for comprehensive glossaries, terminology guides, and many other resources to understand everything from the Indian Act to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and how they apply to the Canadian context.
The toolkit is designed to help every law firm, regardless of size, on its reconciliation journey. As CBA President Bradley Regehr says, reconciliation is difficult work. We hope this toolkit serves as inspiration for lawyers as they move forward on this path of reconciliation.
