John Borrows, a leading Canadian Indigenous legal scholar (shown being presented with a Creation Turtle Pendleton Blanket as he received an honorary degree from Queen’s University at the Fall 2019 Convocation), will present the keynote address at the Queen’s Conference on Indigenous Reconciliation on March 6.
John Borrows, a leading Canadian Indigenous legal scholar (shown being presented with a Creation Turtle Pendleton Blanket as he received an honorary degree from Queen’s University at the Fall 2019 Convocation), will present the keynote address at the Queen’s Conference on Indigenous Reconciliation on March 6.

On March 6, Indigenous leaders in law and business will be arming tomorrow’s professionals with the knowledge, insights, and resources necessary to promote economic reconciliation across all sectors in Canada. This will take place at the virtual, half-day Queen’s Conference on Indigenous Reconciliation (QCIR), organized by students from Queen’s Law and the Smith School of Business. 

“This event welcomes students, faculty, and community members from across Canada because everyone has a role to play in economic reconciliation,” says Shira Crawley, Law’21, QCIR co-director of communication and speakers. “By being informed, we can all become active allies to help ensure that all Canadians can be successful, no matter how that may be defined.”  

For law students in particular, she adds, “The conference will give us an amazing opportunity to learn about all of the different ways that we, as future members of the legal profession, can contribute as allies.” 

“We want to encourage students to see themselves as active participants in the national discussion on economic reconciliation,” says Kristen Robertson, Law’21, also a QCIR co-director of communication and speakers. “Our speakers and interactive workshops model positive partnerships among Indigenous communities, mainstream businesses, and Indigenous businesses. We’ll be discussing the obligations and opportunities that exist for these various partners.”

Crawley and Robertson have lined up an impressive array of speakers. Delivering the keynote address will be Professor John Borrows, the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law at the University of Victoria Law School. 

One workshop, on First Nations negotiations, will be presented by David Sharpe, Law'95, CEO of Bridging Finance Inc. and Chair of the Queen’s Law Dean’s Council who teaches a course on the subject at his alma mater. A second workshop will focus on developing capacity and building meaningful relationships.

Legal practitioners participating in a law panel include Sara Mainville, Law’04, a partner with Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend LLP and a former Chief of Couchiching; and John Rowinski, Law’00, CEO of Noozhoo Nokiiyan LP, in Scugog, Ontario; and a Bay Street lawyer. Among the business entrepreneurs on another panel is Jennifer Harper, the founder of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC. 

Conference attendees will have the opportunity to ask all panelists questions in Q&A sessions. They’ll also be able to network with some speakers near the end of the event. 

“We hope you can join us as we aim to understand existing barriers and to envision a better, more inclusive world for us all by seeing economic reconciliation as both a responsibility and an opportunity,” encourages Crawley.

The conference, which begins at 11:30 am on March 6, is free to attend. To register, please sign up by 11:59 pm on February 28 using QCIR’s Google web form or on QCIR’s LinkedIn page.