Verdicts & Voices

Indigenous practice in Canadian courts (from the archives)

Episode Summary

Two provincial chief justices on how they’re making their courts more inclusive of Indigenous law, culture and people

Episode Notes

How should Canadian courts incorporate Indigenous cultural and legal practices? Why might some judges be reluctant to do so? And are we moving toward a tri-jural system in which Indigenous legal orders exist alongside civil and common law?

To mark National Indigenous Peoples Day, we’re replaying a discussion from June 2025 with two chief justices for whom these questions are front and centre: Leonard Marchand of the BC and Yukon Courts of Appeal and Glenn Joyal of the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench. 

Notes:

• Chief Justice Joyal’s Announcement of the Court of Queen’s Bench’s Trust, Reconciliation and Access to Justice Committee
• British Columbia Court of Appeal Reconciliation Framework
• CBA submission to the BC Supreme Court’s Reconciliation Working Group

Verdicts & Voices is a legal current affairs podcast presented by the Canadian Bar Association. With her retinue of expert guests, host Alison Crawford keeps listeners up to date on news, views, and stories about the law and the justice system in Canada.

Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the CBA.