TRU Law has recorded the experience from hosting the 2024 national Kawaskimhon Aboriginal Moot in a short documentary.
The Kawaskimhon Moot is unique in that it is a consensus-based, non-adversarial negotiation. It combines Indigenous legal traditions with federal, provincial and international law, emphasizing concepts of dispute resolution. The moot was first held at the University of Toronto in 1994.
Each year, a different university hosts the moot and welcomes law students from nearly every law faculty across Canada. Teams representing different parties (such as First Nations, band councils, chiefs’ organizations, government agencies and industry) engage in roundtable negotiations on Indigenous law topics.
The documentary film captures the essence of the event, featuring Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Michelle O’Bonsawin, Professor Murray Sholty (TRU Law), Chrystie Stewart (TRU Law), Dean Daleen Millard (TRU Law), Cassandra Spade (Bora Laskin – Faculty of Law, participant), Elder Viola Thomas (Tk ̓emlúps te Secwépemc), Andrew Moar (University of Ottawa – Law, participant), Alphonsine Lafond (University of Victoria – Law, participant), Leana Maria Ramirez De Hombre(Université de Montréal – Law, participant), Anisha Grewal (TRU Law, participant), Ben Turner (TRU Law alum), Kerry Young (University of Ottawa – Law, coach), Wayne D. Garnons-Williams (facilitator), Bryce Edwards (University of Toronto – Law, coach), and Chief Justice of British Columbia Leonard S. Marchand.
Watch the documentary, created by Mastermind Studios.
