Dare to Dream, Siksika Storefront School on Siksika Nation, Gleichen, Alberta
I have had the opportunity to lead CLA’s Dare to Dream Program (D2D), in conjunction with Pro Bono Students Canada volunteers, on Siksika Nation in Alberta. For those of you who are not familiar with it, Siksika is Canada’s second largest reserve by landmass, after the Kainai Nation in South-eastern Alberta. It’s home to two high schools. The Storefront School, where CLA delivered D2D, accepts at-risk youth in a program aimed at fostering a lifelong appreciation for learning. Students range in age from 13 to 18 years old. The school has recently initiated a young parents program, where its students are encouraged to bring their kids to class and integrate them into their daily life. The D2D pilot combined all students from the school.
From L-R: Dana Martin, Program Coordinator; Vera and Mardi - Witness "Julie Pelletier; Marlon, Crown prosecutor; Robin McIntyre, 3L, Judge; Joel and Mark, Crown prosecutors
The night before our first D2D session, I stayed awake wondering what I was going to say as the Program Coordinator. The nervous feeling persisted until I stood in front of the students the next morning. “As lawyers,” I said, “we are here because we think that knowledge of the law is important and worth sharing.” Chris Abtosway, a fellow 2L, joined in and led a lively game of ‘Two Truths and a Lie”. The success of that first session had everything to do with the students’ willingness to engage in the icebreaker. D2D, like any teaching situation, is a collaborative effort between students and teachers. A good sense of humour did wonders for any measure of success we achieved.
Vera and Mardi, our witness, Julie Pelletier. They prepared very carefully for this role.
We started with the basic foundations of the Criminal Justice System and over five weeks, worked together towards holding a mock trial (R v Desmoulin developed by OJEN). Each two hour session began with an icebreaker and ended with a lunch prepared by the students in the school’s kitchen, which gave the volunteers the opportunity to bond with and get to know the students.
The mock trial, on March 11th, 2014, was held at Siksika’s Courthouse. Each of the roles were delivered with a lot of heart, and the school elder, Spike, commented on how glad he was to see the kids' courage in speaking up in front of each other. Highlights included the defence counsel, who absolutely smoked the cross-examination, and the Crown, who hastily adjusted their approach as new information was revealed on the stand. All our witnesses had obviously put a lot of work into memorizing their stories, and the students who filled speaking roles at the last minute performed admirably. I had a lot of fun watching them present their cases, and left the final session wishing it was not the last.
Alden, our court clerk, swears in witness, Dylan Desmoulin, played by Andrew.
D2D was a dream to run because of a great volunteer roster. Erin Ryskamp, a 2L at the University of Calgary, drew on experience with PBSC’s Elementary Mock Trial to furnish additional worksheets for our students. Isaac Couto, 2L, summered at Legal Aid on the reserve in 2013, and was able to recruit volunteers from the local justice community, whose presence was invaluable. McCarthy Tetrault’s young lawyers were incredibly generous with their time, and often stayed late at work to make up time after sessions at Siksika. Bruce, Gladys, Denise and the classroom aides at the school were a pleasure to work with, quick to reply to queries and always available to help if needed. Finally, our students were excited about the material and worked really hard to prepare for the trial.
The court clerk swears in witness, Luke Warmwater, played by Tyrrell.
Feedback on the program has been very positive. Storefront School teachers were thrilled with the level of engagement the students demonstrated in response to the material. McCarthy’s lawyers appreciated the chance to apply their legal knowledge to something entirely different than labour, employment and contract law, and as U of C students, we began to appreciate just how much we’ve learned since starting law school. Storefront students are looking forward to participating again next year, and feel equipped to perform even better, to my great delight.
The Crown confers before the verdict. Marlon, Joel and Mark for the Crown, Alden as our Court Clerk.
Since our first session at Siksika, I have a number of ideas for continuation and expansion of D2D:
- Bring in more speakers from the community. I’d like for the students to hear from experts on Gladue Reports and sentencing circles. I’d like for them to be exposed to a variety of professionals, from Crown prosecutors to members of the Aboriginal community already working in justice, local offices of the peacemaker, RCMP and reserve police.
- Hold a session on the distinction between civil and criminal law.
- Present an in-depth Constitutional class, covering the British North America Act, Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s. 35 and development of case law around Aboriginal rights in Canada.
- Cultivating new leaders to ensure continuity. I will be documenting organization of this project so that the 1Ls I recruit next fall are prepared to take on leadership roles in CLA. I will be leaving them with their hands full of the contacts and information they need to make this project a success for years to come. Our relationship with the students is of primary importance, and relationships benefit from a long-lasting commitment.
Thanks so much to CLA for initiating this valuable program and sharing their learning with us in Alberta. I think it is a tremendous opportunity for volunteers and student participants alike. It has been the source of much of my own recent personal and professional development. I am very proud to be part of this.