The Law Society of British Columbia’s Indigenous Intercultural Course is helping lawyers increase their understanding and awareness of Indigenous culture. The online course provides valuable information about the colonization of British Columbia and Canada, as well as the ongoing impacts of discriminatory laws and policies imposed on Indigenous peoples.
Since its launch in 2022, the course has received positive feedback from lawyers who have completed it. Okanagan lawyer and law firm owner Melody Martin, for example, was moved by the course’s information and shared it publicly. She noted that the first Indigenous lawyer in British Columbia qualified as recently as 1962, and the first Indigenous judge in BC was the same lawyer, Alfred Scow, in 1971.
Retired lawyer Cathy Morton also found the course very interesting, commenting that every resident of British Columbia should be educated about this troubling piece of history. The Law Society has received valuable feedback on how to improve the course, and staff regularly review and update its content to ensure it stays relevant.
The Law Society encourages lawyers to make time for the course in the coming months if they have not done so already. All lawyers who were practicing as of January 1, 2022 must complete the course by January 1, 2024. Lawyers who began, or returned, to practice after January 1, 2022, have two years to complete the course. Lawyers can claim up to six hours of CPD credit for completing the course, which can be accessed through the Member Portal. To learn more, read the FAQs.
