Speaking notes for Indigenous Bar Association presentation: A career in the federal public service as an Aboriginal lawyer

Student Day – October 20, 2005

Boozhoo, ahneen, Good morning. I am Ralph Keesickquayash, an Ojibwe-Cree from the Mishkeegogamang First Nation in the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation. I would like to acknowledge and thank the Mjikaning First Nation for hosting this conference on their land.

I went to law school at the University of Toronto from 1991 until 1994. I was very fortunate to have articled for Kevin Bell, my colleague on this panel in 1995. If I look and sound learned, Kevin had a hand with it.

I then worked as legal counsel at the Indian Claims Commission and joined the Department of Justice in 2000.

At the Department of Justice, I worked in the Indian Affairs legal services unit assigned to specific claims, an Executive Assistant to the Assistant Deputy Attorney General, Aboriginal Affairs Portfolio, Aboriginal Justice, and, my current assignment, in Aboriginal Law & Strategic Policy.

My original intention was to gain experience in the practice of law by working in government and then working in private practice.

In working in a variety of issues related to aboriginal legal issues, whether aboriginal rights or title or aboriginal justice, within government, I noted that government has a big impact on our everyday life.

Government decision-makers make policy and law that impacts on people and especially aboriginal peoples.

In my practice, I learned that it is a person who is making these decisions and that a perspective matters.

Clearly, there is a need for an aboriginal perspective in the decision-making that shapes law and policy.

I decided to stay in government to help build, along with my colleagues both aboriginal and non-aboriginal, the aboriginal perspective in the federal public service.

I joined the Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Persons (ACAP) in 2000 as a member and served as a co-chair of this committee from 2002.

ACAP is a national committee of the Department of Justice employees who are interested in the employment equity issues faced by aboriginal employees. ACAP works to promote the goals of recruitment, retention and advancement for aboriginal employees at the Department of Justice.

ACAP’s work is to develop and promote policies and practices that ensure the Department of Justice is an employer of choice and a relevant career option for Aboriginal peoples.

ACAP works with the Deputy Minister and senior management as well as the Employment Equity Steering Committee on: policies that will enhance employment opportunities and the career advancement of Aboriginal peoples; measures for reducing and eliminating attitudinal barriers against the representation of Aboriginal peoples at all levels of all occupational groups; means to promote employment and to remove systemic barriers to the employment and career development of Aboriginal peoples within all occupational groups and levels; the review and editing of documents being prepared on request for Treasury Board Secretariat with respect to Aboriginal peoples; and the availability and inventories of qualified and available Aboriginal lawyers and Aboriginal peoples in other professional groups interested in employment.

Recently, ACAP concluded, with Prof. John Borrows (who I understand will be speaking at this conference tomorrow), a cultural audit of the aboriginal employees. We are currently working with the Department of Justice management to act on the recommendations made by Prof. Borrows.

The Department of Justice currently employs 165 aboriginal employees who include assistants, lawyers, Human Resource professionals, paralegals and policy analysts. There are 11 middle and senior managers who are aboriginal.

There is a variety of legal work that is done such as tax law, civil litigation, international law as well as aboriginal law, to name a few areas. There is the opportunity to work throughout Canada in the different regions as well as in Ottawa. One can certainly gain a broad experience without having to change employers.

I have come with colleagues from the Department of Justice. Rod Carleton from our Communications Branch is here with information about the Aboriginal Justice Strategy. They have a booth here at the conference and you should drop by to say hello.

Thank you for your attention. I am available to answer questions either here or throughout the duration of the conference.

Chi-meegweetch.

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