Supreme Court Upholds Indigenous Jurisdiction Over Child and Family Services
In a landmark decision released on Friday February 9, 2024, the Supreme Court of Canada unequivocally affirmed the inherent Indigenous right of self-government, including jurisdiction over child and family services. This marks a significant step forward i...
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Black History Month – Celebrating the Achievements and Advocating for Future Change
With the start of February, we enter into a celebration of Black History Month. Falconers LLP recognizes the vast contributions to Canadian culture and society made by Black Canadians and reflects on the historic work of legal trailblazers. Some of these ...
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Yatim Inquest Jury Recommendations Focus on Monitoring of Police to Ensure Community Safety
Today, the jury delivered their verdict in the Inquest into the Death of Sammy Yatim. The Inquest sat from January 12 to January 30, 2024, and heard evidence from 12 witnesses including: Sahar Bahadi- Sammy’s mother; Lisa Crooker – the Toronto Police ...
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Nishnawbe Aski Nation Holds Child Welfare Conference in Winnipeg
Between January 30 to February 1, 2024, Nishnawbe Aski Nation (‘NAN’) held a Band Representative Conference in Winnipeg. The Band Representative Program creates a vital link between a First Nation and the child and family services system. Band Reps ...
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Yatim Inquest Closing Submissions, Jury Begins Deliberations
On January 30, 2024, on the 11th day of the Inquest into the Death of Sammy Yatim, the jury heard closing submissions from the parties before beginning their deliberations. The jury was provided with a joint list of more than 50 recommendations for their ...
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Inquest into the Death of Sammy Yatim Continues Today, Next Week
The Inquest into the Death of Sammy Yatim continues today and will resume next week as the jury continues to hear evidence about improving police decision making and training. Link to the live stream of the inquest has been included here. Dusan Pravica (t...
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Independent Special Interlocutor and Mohawk Mothers appear at Quebec Court of Appeal
On January 16, 2024, the Quebec Court of Appeal heard arguments from McGill University and Quebec’s public infrastructure society (the SQI) asking for Leave to Appeal the Quebec Superior Court’s November 20, 2023 decision that ordered them to follow t...
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Sammy Yatim Inquest to Begin Tomorrow, Following Last Minute Motion in 2022
Following the decision of Dr. David Cameron to dismiss the motion brought by James Forcillo seeking to put speculative evidence before the jury on the theory of ‘suicide by cop’ ahead of the inquest’s anticipated commencement in November 2022, the i...
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Court Holds One Officer Accountable, Acquits Other, As Both Faced Charges of Assaulting Mohawk Man
December 20, 2023 Today, Justice Patrick Hurley of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice released his decision in the assault case against Constables Paul Fyke and Jeffrey Smith of the Belleville Police Service. Constables Fyke and Smith were both charg...
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Mohawk Mothers and Special Interlocutor Back in Court to Press McGill and Royal Victoria Hospital for Historical Records on Indigenous Children
The Indigenous Group known as the Mohawk Mothers will be back in Quebec Superior Court tomorrow Friday December 1, 2023 to make a motion before Justice Gregory Moore for the production of records relating to research around the potential of unmarked grave...
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McGill/SQI found in breach of Court ordered Settlement for Firing Expert Panel at Royal Vic Redevelopment
On November 20, 2023, the Quebec Superior Court found that McGill University and Quebec’s public infrastructure society (the SQI) had breached the court ordered Settlement signed with Indigenous representatives the Mohawk Mothers. The Settlement Agreeme...
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Mohawk Man Allegedly Assaulted Over Energy Drink Theft
On Thursday November 9, 2023, CBC News published an article by reporter Jorge Barrera on the story of Mario Baptiste Jr, a Mohawk man from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, who was allegedly assaulted by members of the Belleville Police Service (“BPS”) on ...
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