IBA 22nd Annual Conference

To Be Opened By Clarence T. Jules, First Nation Tax Commission

    
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                                         "Indigenous Land Reform in Canada":
                           Vancouver, British Columbia - October 21-22, 2010
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VANCOUVER, Oct. 1 /CNW/ - The Indigenous Bar Association in Canada (IBA) is pleased to announce its 22nd Annual IBA Fall Conference - "Indigenous Land Reform in Canada", which will take place on October 21 & 22, 2010 in Vancouver, BC at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. This conference will bring together Indigenous (First Nation, Métis and Inuit) and non-Indigenous lawyers, scholars, judges, leadership and policy makers, and law students to discuss Indigenous land issues in Canada.

The IBA Fall Conference will feature high-level plenary sessions on Indigenous land issues in Canada including resource management, treaties, private property and collective ownership of lands, land codes and land claims including five workshops on Indian Residential School, Human Rights and Bill C-21, Using the UN Declaration and other International Law Mechanisms, Indigenous Legal Ethics and Treaties.

We have partnered with the Native Law Centre of Canada and the First Nation Tax Commission (FNTC) in organizing this fall conference, and the FNTC is offering a sister conference on October 20, 2010 in Vancouver entitled "First Nation Property Ownership - It's Time".

Our IBA Gala Banquet & Awards Ceremony will be held on October 22, 2010 and will honour leaders in the Indigenous legal community, including the presentation of the Indigenous Peoples' Counsel (IPC) designation, which is presented annually to an Indigenous lawyer in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the practice of law and the manner in which they have advanced the goals and objectives of the IBA and served their community and the Creator with honour and integrity.

New this year, the IBA will also present Justice Alfred Scow of the Qui'Qwa'Sot'Enox Nation on Gilford Island near Port Hardy our new IBA President's Award. This award recognizes an individual who has represented not only the highest values of the IBA but has also made a significant contribution to Canadian society. "Justice Scow is a trail-blazer. He is widely recognized for many firsts, including becoming the first BC Aboriginal lawyer to be called to the Bar and the first to ascend to the bench. Justice Scow's career and contribution to law, Aboriginal people and Canada is so considerable the IBA is honoured to recognize him with the first President's Award". Justice Scow is a hereditary chief who helped establish the First Nations House of Learning at UBC and continues to serve on the Management Council. He received an Honourary Doctor of Law degree from UBC in 1997 and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2000.

For further information: www.indigenousbar.ca; For information and registration contact: Anne Chalmers, IBA Administrator, Phone: [phone], Fax: [phone], Email: [email protected]