Thoughts about Dare to Dream from an Aboriginal woman working in law

Imagine my surprise and excitement on the morning of February 26th when I opened the Report of the Independent Review Conducted by The Honourable Frank Iacobucci into First Nations Representation on Ontario Juries to find that recommendations were made to i) provide comprehensive justice education programs for First Nations individuals; ii) engage Ontario law school students to participate in legal education programs for First Nations representatives; and iii) host a conference whereby First Nations youth would attend to learn about the juries and the justice system as a whole, and their roles within these.

My very first thought? “Canadian Lawyers Abroad already does this!!!”

My second thought? “I help CLA do this!!!”

CLA and its internship and Dare to Dream programs, in place long before the release of the Iacobucci Report, connect Aboriginal communities with law students to promote the rule of law, provide legal education to Aboriginal youth to improve understanding and promote inclusion and participation, and engage both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal lawyers and law students to deliver their programs in a respectful and culturally competent way.

How great is it that CLA was ahead of the game, really!

You’ll have to excuse my enthusiasm. I fully admit to being one of “those” people who went to law school hoping to someday “make a difference”. Ok, ok, you can stop laughing anytime now... Seriously, I did! As an Ojibway woman from Dokis First Nation, in the northeastern region of Ontario, I felt that somehow I would be able to use my law degree to build a Canada that is inclusive and respects all of its citizens.

Before law school, I worked for the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services as a Consultant in Aboriginal Issues, and before that, as a Probation Officer. Much like the dark and dreary visual that just popped in your head - it was a total downer. Over the course of three years, I worked with adults (both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) who were caught up in the justice system – some “first-time offenders” and others who had a rap sheet longer than a roll of Costco toilet paper. Don’t get me wrong, it was a relatively enjoyable job. However it definitely presented some rather unique challenges. One of those biggest challenges was the negative perception of the justice system felt by the clients as well as the staff. Client after client I heard story after story – all negative. I listened patiently and (admittedly) sometimes not so patiently. I came to quickly realize that most of the adult clients that came before me had experienced the justice system as a subject of the system at a very young age. I thought to myself, there has to be a way to change this.

And so I went to law school.

Fast forward to 2012, Catherine McKenna (ie. CLA’s Big Cheese) approached me about Dare to Dream. To be clear, it was more of a mention in passing that she would have me “get involved” - I would later learn that would mean running the pilot project in Toronto – no pressure or anything! I had worked on projects with Catherine before and quickly learned that Catherine is a woman that gets things done. Having worked in bureaucratic environments, the idea of working with someone like her excited me - finally an organization with a leader that likes to move forward at a decent pace and deliver results. And, of course, the idea of working to improve knowledge and understanding of our legal system amongst Aboriginal youth excited me even more! Here was my opportunity to “make a difference”!

Pulling from my experience in provincial corrections, I suspected the youth we would be working with would have already been exposed to the criminal justice system through members of their families and/or would have been subject to the child welfare system and family courts. I knew that Dare to Dream would provide them the opportunity to learn about the positive and constructive elements of the justice system. Also, the program would go further than merely learning about the substance and procedure of the justice system, but would also show them that the system is available for their protection as well.

Moreover, I recognized that introducing the youth to “real” lawyers and law students, and further having these volunteers provide legal education to the youth, would deconstruct the very prevalent stereotype of the “inaccessible and arrogant” lawyer. Dare to Dream would “humanize” lawyers and law students, allowing the youth to see themselves in those roles.

You can read more about the program's success in this Globe and Mail article here, see photos here, and listen to this CBC audio clip here.

Looking forward, I hope to see the program expand and reach other Aboriginal youth across Ontario (ie. Thunder Bay, Fort William First Nation, Ottawa, Golden Lake First Nation, etc.) and in other parts of Canada (ie. Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, etc.). We are working hard to secure funding to allow for the expansion, but much like other non-profits we rely heavily on the generosity of our volunteers for their time and efforts, and on the financial donations of our sponsors, for the success of our program.

Want to support Dare to Dream? Please contact us.

As a young Aboriginal woman working as a player of the justice system, I can’t think of a better way to “make a difference” than by moving towards reconciliation by reducing the gap between Aboriginal Peoples and Ontario’s justice system. To use CLA’s motto: I’m using law to improve lives!

See a great profile of Karen Restoule in the Canadian Bar Association’s National Magazine here