published 09/28/2023
Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS) is inviting all our lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants and staff to participate in Truth and Reconciliation 2023. This is a collective effort to help further everyone's knowledge and understanding of the generational impacts of residential schools, and to honour and remember the children who never returned home, the survivors, their families and communities.
Over the coming weeks, all TDS lawyers will be participating in the Indigenous Intercultural Awareness and Competency Training called The Path - this online educational course provided by the Law Society of Manitoba is designed to help us increase our understanding of Indigenous cultures, the impacts of colonization and residential schools and to learn from stories of social and economic success, reconciliation and resilience. Our profession’s participation in this course is in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) Calls to Action. In particular, #27 calls upon Canadian law societies to ensure all lawyers receive appropriate cultural competency training, which includes learning about "the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal – Crown relations."
As a symbol of our support for the goals of reconciliation and as a means of increasing our community’s awareness, TDS will be providing orange t-shirts to all employees that were purchased from Dreamcatcher Promotions, an Indigenous-owned company that donates $2.00 from every shirt sold to an Indigenous organization that supports residential school survivors. We also encourage everyone to participate in virtual and in-person events happening around the city, province and nation, including events and programming held by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Manitoba Museum's programs and exhibits on the history and effects of residential schools and the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq's special programming.
You can find more information on Truth and Reconciliation, as well as educational programs and other events happening throughout Manitoba and Canada below:
DISCLAIMER: This article is presented for informational purposes only. The content does not constitute legal advice or solicitation and does not create a solicitor client relationship. The views expressed are solely the authors’ and should not be attributed to any other party, including Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP (TDS), its affiliate companies or its clients. The authors make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or adequacy of the information contained herein or linked to via this article. The authors are not able to provide free legal advice. If you are seeking advice on specific matters, please contact Keith LaBossiere, CEO & Managing Partner at kdl@tdslaw.com, or 204.934.2587. Please be aware that any unsolicited information sent to the author(s) cannot be considered to be solicitor-client privileged.
While care is taken to ensure the accuracy for the purposes stated, before relying upon these articles, you should seek and be guided by legal advice based on your specific circumstances. We would be pleased to provide you with our assistance on any of the issues raised in these articles.