Indigenous Law Centre - College of Law, USask

08/20/2026

We are proud to celebrate one of our law students, Kiauna Cote of Ochapowace First Nation, on her accomplishments at Miss Indigenous Canada 2026! 🎉

As one of the selected applicants, Kiauna competed alongside 19 other delegates and made an impressive showing, winning two categories: People’s Choice and Charitable Giving.

For the Charitable Giving category, Kiauna, with the support of her family, raised more than $10,000 for Sunshine House Charity, an incredible achievement and a wonderful example of community-minded leadership.

Kiauna is entering her final year of law school and will begin articling in the spring. Her future plans include returning to her home community to practice law. We look forward to welcoming her back to the College for the new school year in the coming weeks and seeing all that she continues to accomplish.

Congratulations, Kiauna! We are excited to celebrate this achievement with you and wish you continued success in your final year and beyond. 👏 👏 👏

🎙️ Read MBC Radio’s interview with Kiauna Cote: Check out article titled "Miss Indigenous Canada Delegate – Kiauna Cote – Wants to Give Back to Her Community"

🌐 Learn more about Miss Indigenous Canada: https://www.missindigenouscanada.ca/2026

08/20/2026

We are proud to celebrate one of our law students, Kiauna Cote of Ochapowace First Nation, on her accomplishments at Miss Indigenous Canada 2026! 🎉

As one of the selected applicants, Kiauna competed alongside 19 other delegates and made an impressive showing, winning two categories: People’s Choice and Charitable Giving.

For the Charitable Giving category, Kiauna, with the support of her family, raised more than $10,000 for Sunshine House Charity, an incredible achievement and a wonderful example of community-minded leadership.

Kiauna is entering her final year of law school and will begin articling in the spring. Her future plans include returning to her home community to practice law. We look forward to welcoming her back to the College for the new school year in the coming weeks and seeing all that she continues to accomplish.

Congratulations, Kiauna! We are excited to celebrate this achievement with you and wish you continued success in your final year and beyond. 👏👏👏

🎙️ Read MBC Radio’s interview with Kiauna Cote: https://www.mbcradio.com/2026/07/miss-indigenous-canada-delegate-kiauna-cote-wants-to-give-back-to-her-community

🌐 Learn more about Miss Indigenous Canada: https://www.missindigenouscanada.ca/2026

08/05/2026

🌿 Land -Based Workshop | August 27, 2026 🌿

We’re pleased to share an upcoming kihci-okāwīmāw askiy Knowledge Centre land-based learning opportunity workshop hosted by our USask colleagues, our Centre’s Elders, in partnership with Meewasin.

Join kēhtē-ayak (Elders) Julie Pitzel, Roland Duquette, and Joseph Naytowhow for a land-based workshop exploring the importance of Saskatchewan's grasslands. We're especially proud to see two of the Indigenous Law Centre's Elders helping lead this learning experience.

This workshop offers an opportunity to connect with the land and learn from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers.

📅 Date: Thursday, August 27, 2026
🕐 Time: 5pm – 8pm
📍Location: Northeast Swale, Saskatoon

Spaces are limited and expected to fill quickly, so be sure to register early!

🔗 Register here: https://agbio.usask.ca/community-outreach/iyrp2026.php

📧 Questions? Email: [email protected]

Join us for this land-based workshop led by kēhtē-ayak (elders) Julie Pitzel, Roland Duquette, and Joseph Naytowhow about the importance of grasslands. Register today to secure your spot. Spaces are limited and expected to fill quickly! This event is presented in partnership with Meewasin.

08/05/2026

📣 New Blog Post Announcement

Hello! We’re happy to announce that we've recently added a new post to our blog.

Our latest blog post, Chief Heidi Cook v The Government of Manitoba, was written by Jaylynn Stonechild, an upper-year law student who is working with us this summer.

Read it here: https://indigenouslaw.usask.ca/blog/index.php

Or visit our website, "Indigenouslaw.usask.ca", and select “Blog” from the drop-down menu.

It’s about the historic decision in Chief Heidi Cook et al. v. The Government of Manitoba et al., 2026 MBKB 65. Which breaks new constitutional ground in the evolving jurisprudence surrounding Indigenous self-government under Section 35. Check it out to learn more!

We also have a couple more blog posts in the works and will announce them as soon as they're added to the website.

07/29/2026

📣 Help Us Spread the Word!

Join us for an engaging discussion on the Poetics of Treaties project by Māori legal academic Carwyn Jones and Pākehā/settler-English professor Nikki Hessell, hosted by the Indigenous Law Centre, College of Law, USask.

📅 Aug 19, 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
📍 Indigenous Law Centre, College of Law, 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon
🎟️ Free to attend, but registration is appreciated

For centuries, Indigenous peoples have viewed treaty-making as an art form, one that weaves together politics, poetry, storytelling, and song. This perspective offers a deeper understanding of treaties beyond their recognition as solely legal agreements, highlighting the relationships, creativity, and lived experiences embedded within treaty-making.

Presenters:
Carwyn Jones
Māori legal academic from the Ngāti Kahungunu people who leads the Ahunga Tikanga (Māori Laws and Philosophy) programme at Te Wānanga o Raukawa, a Māori centre of higher learning in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Nikki Hessell
Pākehā/settler-scholar and a Professor of English at Victoria University of Wellington in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

🎟️ Register here & to find more: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/poetics-of-treaties-lunch-and-learn-tickets-1995788497120?aff=oddtdtcreator

📢 This event is free and open to the public, please share this post with your networks and invite anyone who may be interested in the Poetics of Treaties project.

07/29/2026

The latest issue of Of Note, the College of Law's magazine, is now available!

This issue features stories from across the USask Law community, including alumni achievements, student successes, faculty highlights, and more.

Explore stories featuring the Indigenous Law Centre, including interviews with Centre staff, updates, and community highlights throughout the magazine:
📖 Page 27 – An article featuring the Indigenous Law Centre.
📖 Pages 36–38 – Together We Made a Difference! includes information about gifts supporting our new Upper-Year Land-Based Learning Course (see page 38).
📖 Pages 41, 45, and 46 – Read about the accomplishments of several of our Indigenous Law Centre students.

Download and read the latest issue here: https://law.usask.ca/alumni/of-NOTE-magazine.php

We hope you enjoy reading these stories and celebrating the achievements of our students, alumni, faculty, and supporters.

Thank you for helping us make the university website better. Your comment will be forwarded to the editor of this page. Please note that this form is not intended to provide customer service. If you need assistance, please contact us directly.

07/28/2026

We were grateful to welcome the SENS Eco Camp children to the Indigenous Law Centre (ILC) for part of their day of learning, yesterday.

During their visit, the children spent time with our Centre's Elders (Julie Pitzel & Joseph Naytowhow), where they learned an Indigenous hand game, traditional songs, and the importance of learning from Elders. They also toured our garden (ILC Medicine / The Wakeling Garden), discovering the names of different plants and how they have been used for medicine, food, and other traditional purposes. Their curiosity, enthusiasm, and respect made them a joy to host.

Before heading out with seeds from our garden, the children again showed their appreciation to our Elders and Centre staff by thanking them for sharing their knowledge. It's heartwarming to see the next generation learning about the land, plants, animals, elders, and the connection between us all.

A special thank you to the SENS Eco Camp staff for arranging this wonderful opportunity for us to share knowledge with the children. We look forward to welcoming their future young campers!

Link to SENS Eco Camp (for ages 8 to 12): https://sens.usask.ca/sens-summer-camps.php

Names of some of the plants pictured: Fire W**d, Goldenrod, Yarrow, Great Mullein, and False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides).

06/11/2026

National Indigenous History Month

June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, which recognizes and celebrates the history and diverse cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Canada. People can learn about Indigenization, decolonization, and the history of Indigenous Peoples and cultures through the USask Office of the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement's website spotlight.usask.ca.

A list of some of National Indigenous History Month local events:

Rock Your Roots Walk for Reconciliation
Day: June 19, 2026
Location: Victoria Park, Saskatoon
Time: Walk begins at 10:30 AM

Métis Nation - Saskatchewan: Free Community BBQ
Day: June 19, 2026
Location: Victoria Park, Saskatoon
Time: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

Community Screening: Powwow People (with Sky Hopinka)
Day: June 19, 2026
Location: SaskTel Theatre, Remai Modern
Time: 7 pm
Métis Market
Day: June 20, 2026

Location: Remai Modern
Time: 10 am to 4 pm

Wanuskewin National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations
Day: June 21, 2026
Location: Wanuskewin
Time: 10 am to 4 pm

06/05/2026

📣 Reminder: Registration Closes June 8!

There’s still time to register for Let’s Talk Indigenous Repatriation, a free, in-person event taking place on June 16, 2026 at the USask College of Law.

Join us for a day of discussion and learning about Indigenous repatriation and related conversations in this area. Additional information about speakers and sessions will be shared closer to the event.

📅 June 16, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 USask College of Law, 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon
🎟️ Free to attend, but registration is required

Registration closes June 8, 2026.
Register here: https://RepatriationJune16.eventbrite.ca

Hosted by:
• Professor Jaime Lavallee, COL

Event Partners:
• Office of the Treaty Commissioner (OTC)
• Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre (SICC)
• Indigenous Law Centre (ILC)
• Carlton College

Whether you are a student, community member, professional, or simply interested in learning more, all are welcome to attend.
We hope you'll join us for this important conversation.

Join us for Let’s Talk Indigenous Repatriation, a free, in-person discussion exploring the repatriation of objects to Indigenous Peoples and communities.

This one-day event will bring together those interested in learning more about Indigenous repatriation and related discussions in this area. Additional information about speakers and sessions will be shared closer to the event.

📅 Date: June 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: USask College of Law, 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon
🎟️ Free to attend, but registration is required
📌 Registration deadline: June 8, 2026

Link to Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1990343195075?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hosted by:
• Professor Jaime Lavallee, COL USask
• Dion Tootoosis, SICC

Whether you are a student, community member, professional, or simply interested in learning more, all are welcome to attend.
Parking information: Visitor and daily parking is available through USask Parking and Transportation Services.

For those travelling to Saskatoon, hotel accommodations are available through the USASK Faculty Rate at participating hotels.

We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation.

05/29/2026

Join us for Let’s Talk Indigenous Repatriation, a free, in-person discussion exploring the repatriation of objects to Indigenous Peoples and communities.

This one-day event will bring together those interested in learning more about Indigenous repatriation and related discussions in this area. Additional information about speakers and sessions will be shared closer to the event.

📅 Date: June 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: USask College of Law, 15 Campus Drive, Saskatoon
🎟️ Free to attend, but registration is required
📌 Registration deadline: June 8, 2026

Link to Register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/1990343195075?aff=oddtdtcreator

Hosted by:
• Professor Jaime Lavallee, COL USask
• Dion Tootoosis, SICC

Whether you are a student, community member, professional, or simply interested in learning more, all are welcome to attend.
Parking information: Visitor and daily parking is available through USask Parking and Transportation Services.

For those travelling to Saskatoon, hotel accommodations are available through the USASK Faculty Rate at participating hotels.

We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation.