Law Society of Ontario requires all lawyers to take 6-hour course on Indigenous teachings

Ontario lawyers will now be required to take a six-hour "Indigenous cultural training course" that covers concepts such as the "impacts of colonization in Ontario" and "common misconceptions."

The Law Society of Ontario announced on Thursday that a "majority of benchers approved the implementation of a new Indigenous cultural training course for licensees." The group said that the training brings its competency requirements in line with those of other provinces. Licensees will have two years to do the mandatory course. The group said it will be available in both English and French beginning on the spring.

The law group said that the course "will equip licensees with a foundational understanding of the histories, cultures and rights of Indigenous peoples. In addition to enhancing competence, the course will help remove barriers and build trust – key steps towards improving access to justice for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities."

Ryan O’Connor, an attorney at a Greater Toronto Area law firm, posted the contents of the course to social media. Failure to take the course, he said, would result in suspension. "Under penalty of suspension, the Law Society of Ontario just imposed on 61,000+ lawyers an obligation to take a 6 hour Indigenous course (based on the Seven Grandfather Teachings) which will teach us about land acknowledgments and colonisation while attacking federal legislation," he wrote.

The course includes seven modules: "Humility — Land, Laws and Origins;" "Bravery — What’s in a Name?;" "Truth — Peace, Friendship and Historical Treaties to Denial of Rights;" "Respect — Denial of Rights, Colonization and Assimilation;" "Honesty — Contemporary Realities;" "Love — Increasing Engagement and Strengthening Relationships;" and "Wisdom — Towards Truth and Reconciliation."

Per the Ontario Legislative Assembly, the "Seven Grandfather Teachings are a "set of Anishinaabe guiding principles that give people the tools for how to live a good life. They have been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years." The module titles in the Law Society of Ontario’s course line up with the seven teachings.

Among the lessons laid out in the seven modules are ones on land acknowledgements, one titled "In the Beginning Before the Beginning," various treaties and acts related to Indigenous people in Canada, the "Impacts of Colonization in Ontario," and other lessons.