b'COVER STORYthey prepare with communities includescontexts in terms of what are the issues processes for determining legal responses,today they have to be dealt with. Every the legal responses themselves, rights,generation has legal problems that they obligations and principles, drawn fromhave to manage. Some people will locate oral traditions and history. Case laws arethe authority for acting on those laws attached to the reports. today through the IA. Others will locate that authority through constitutional The ILRU focuses on the research, and itarrangements; others will find other is up to the First Nations to implementspaces within which to act in their legal the laws. Napoleon explains that theauthority. There is no one way people are processing for articulating laws using oralfiguring out what to do.history and tradition is still new. WhenWhile the ILRU only has four staff, you are rebuilding legal orders whichthey arent looking to get any bigger. were devastated by colonization, thatThe intention of the ILRU is to help takes time. If you look at how Canadiancommunities build their own capacity. laws operate in this world, there areFriedland, who was a part of the local all of these institutions that enable itestablishment for the ILRU, co-leads to operate, that are heavily supportedthe Wahkohtowin Indigenous Law and and resourced. Indigenous societies areGovernance Lodge at the University rebuilding that from where there are gapsof Alberta. in their distortions. There is no intact Indigenous legal order anywhere that isLanguage: The Buildingready to spring to life with recognition.Block of NationsIt has to be rebuilt and that takes time,In its 2017 report, Characteristics of Napoleon says. There are no quick fixesa Nation-to-Nation Relationship, the with Indigenous law. Institute on Governance noted that Napoleon adds, Their laws derivecommunity members felt the most from their own oral histories. The lawsimportant component of nationhood is Val Napoleon, Law Foundation Chair, Aboriginal Justice and Governance at the U of Vs Facultypredate the Indian Act. And their lawsidentity. While Indigenous culture and of Law; and Director of the ILRU. that are brought forward into theseteaching can be taught in non-Indigenous Building Ontarios future together.As the provinces largest clean power generator, were dedicated to making Ontario the best place to live and work. Were also committed to building and growing long-term, mutually beneficial working relationships with Indigenous communities, and ensuring employment opportunities for Indigenous people across our operations.opg.comRESIZE_20000152_Assembly_of_First_Nations_7x4.583.indd 1 2019-08-08 11:21 AMwww.afn.ca 75'