Best Practices for Writing About Indigenous Peoples in the Canadian Legal Context: An Evolving Style Guide for the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University

The written word constitutes one of the most powerful tools we have as legal professionals; what we write matters and how we write about it matters. This is especially true when we are writing about people. Legal professionals must therefore take particular care when writing about people whose lives and voices have been historically marginalized. As Aboriginal and Indigenous law are gaining more attention within the legal profession, it is important to be informed about best practices when writing about these topics. These practices are evolving every day as Indigenous Peoples in what we now call Canada increasingly assert their right to self-determination and rightfully gain a louder voice in social, political, and legal spheres.

Although in recent years there has been some effort to establish some stylistic conventions when writing for and about Indigenous Peoples, these guidelines have often been oriented toward specific professions (e.g., journalism) or are otherwise about writing more broadly. Because legal writing often engages with topics and terminology that may not be discussed at length in other areas, this resource seeks to assemble guidelines that are helpful to those in the legal profession. Various existing resources were consulted in the preparation of this guide, including books, government websites, cultural sensitivity courses used in corporate settings, and existing legal scholarship, in addition to consultations with subject matter experts at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law. These resources were synthesized to create a more cohesive set of guidelines relevant specifically to the Canadian legal context. As the guide was authored in Mi’kma’ki primarily for the use of law students at Dalhousie, particular attention is paid to terminology regarding the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqewiyik Peoples who have inhabited the Atlantic region since time immemorial. This guide will be updated periodically as emerging trends in the field become established conventions.

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