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4 Indigenous L.J. 1 (2005)

handle is hein.journals/ilj4 and id is 1 raw text is: The Justice System in Canada: Does it Work for Aboriginal People?' JUSTICE HARRY S. LAFORME Editors' Note: On November 19, 2004, Canada witnessed a landmark event in its judicial landscape, the Honourable Mr. Justice Harry S. LaForme was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal. For the first time in Canadian history, an Aboriginal person had been appointed to an appellant level bench. A Mississauga Indian and a member of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation, Justice LaForme was born and raised on his community's reserve in southern Ontario. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977 and was subsequently called to the Bar of Ontario in 1979. Justice LaForme has enjoyed a diverse and exhaustive legal career. He practiced commercial law as an associate with the firm of Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt before starting his own Aboriginal law practice focusing on Constitutional and Charter litigation. In 1989, he was appointed Commissioner of the Indian Commission of Ontario and, in 1991, he chaired the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Land Claims. He was appointed to the Ontario Court of Justice in 1994 where he served until his 2004 appointment to the Court of Appeal. Justice LaForme is the proud recipient of 1997 National Aboriginal Achievement Awardfor the field oJ Law and Justice and has been honoured to receive Eagle Feathers from Aboriginal elders on three separate occasions. He has published numerous academic articles on Aboriginal law and has been privileged to teach a course on Aboriginal rights at Osgoode Hall Law School. To honour Justice LaForme and his achievements, the Indigenous Law Journal is pleased to publish the first speech Justice LaForme gave as an Appellate Judge. On February 7, 2005, the Native Law Students' Association at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, invited Justice LaForme to the Faculty of Law to speak as part of Aboriginal Awareness Week. He spoke powerfully to the current state of the criminal justice system 1 1 recently presented a version of this topic and discussion on 8 March 2004 to an Ontario Crown Attorney's conferencc that examined violence against women. As one reads through this paper, one will note that a recent amendment occurred due to events on 19 November 2004. Indigenous Law Journal/Volume 4/Fall 2005

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