Law and advocacy studies useful: students

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A popular, comprehensive and rigorous field of study at Negahneewin College of Indigenous Studies in Thunder Bay is its Aboriginal Law and Advocacy program.

Graduates are finding the program prepares them not only to be court workers and legal advocates across the spectrum of social service-related jobs, but it gives them the solid grounding in Aboriginal history, politics, and the land and self-government issues that community leaders and rights and treaty negotiators need today.

Amik Gomm, 25, graduated two years ago. Subsequently he had a year-long mentorship experience with Windigo First Nations Council, which provides advisory and support services to seven First Nations north of Sioux Lookout.

"I was being mentored by the chairman and chief executive officer and I was working in the capacity of an executive assistant," said Gomm.

He said they showed him how a tribal organization functions and prepared him to take a leadership role in a tribal council or political territorial organization. "Pretty much leadership development" that built upon his college program.

Gomm got that leadership role right away. After graduation, he was elected co-chairman of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Decade Youth Council. The council was established after NAN chiefs decided in 2000 to commit 10 years to youth development. As the youth council's structure evolved, Gomm transitioned into the political chair, representing youth of the 50 NAN First Nations at chiefs' meetings.

The council's role is to empower youth in every NAN community and put the brakes on the epidemic of youth suicides. Youth comprise 70 per cent of the population of NAN territory, which has the highest rate of suicide in the world, Gomm said.

"So far we've generated about $80,000 to $100,000 that's put in trust for us. We're going to be transferring that trust fund into a charitable organization." He explained that charitable foundation would provide start-up grants to communities that want to establish youth councils.

When Birchbark spoke to Gomm recently, he was co-ordinating final preparations for the council's first symposium on youth self-governance the following day.

He said studying law and advocacy has helped him substantially with his current responsibilities.

"I learned a lot of things about the government of Canada, the history of how our relationship as First Nations people have developed over the years, and how agreements were made in terms of treaty negotiations and first contact with the Europeans in our country." Also the effects of colonialism and residential schools on Indigenous people "and how it has affected our lives and why we are where we are today."

"I learned pretty much all the law cases involving Aboriginal people in Canada," said Gomm.

In addition, the constitutions of Canada and the United States were compared as to how they affect the application of law to Indigenous peoples in the two countries.

The program covered the origins of law in Europe, and compared imported ideas about property and the family unit with North American Native values.

Gomm said he also studied business, social issues, administration, computer skills, and acquired organizational and time management skills.

Because of its breadth, Gomm said, "It's just a great program. I notice that a lot of the things I learned there I use in my everyday work now. It doesn't just limit you to law."

Gomm, a member of Sachigo Lake First Nation, knows he won't be a youth leader forever.

"I am looking ahead. One of my biggest goals is that I could become a chief some day. I do plan to work for First Nations people ... dedicate my life to this work."

Nicole Perrault, who graduated from Fort Frances High School in 1999, just completed the two-year Aboriginal Law and Advocacy program with a grade point average of 3.11. She also served as president of the Oshki-Anishnabeg Student Association at Negahneewin College.

She sees "the bigget pay-off" of studying law and advocacy as gaining the opportunity to "make a difference in a community."

Perrault, 23, is interested in the broad field of economic development, but is still considering her options.

Her interest in the law was piqued by seeing her stepmother work for a lawyer whose practice involved land claim agreements.

Perrault said that before college she had only a "very basic knowledge of the law and how it affects Aboriginal people."

When she learned the history of colonization and assimilation it was news to her. "I had no idea that those things ever had taken place. I took advanced history in high school ... I don't recall anything that had to do with the history of Aboriginal people.

"When I first started this program, I felt a little bit robbed of my education, because I didn't know those things."

Perrault has applied to attend Negahneewin College's Indigenous Leadership and Community Development degree program next semester, which she said builds on the skills she's already learned.

When Perrault began her post-secondary education as a mature student, she didn't think she was ready for university. The first year, she also found it hard to find affordable childcare in Thunder Bay for her now five-year-old son. But things did fall into place, and Perrault said, "I actually was surprised at how well I did do."

She added, "Being the president of Oshki-Anishnabeg Student Association has given me a lot of organizational skills and community development skills.

"I want to get as much experience as I can, in order to be successful."

"The faculty at Negahneewin are very supportive and go out of their way to help people understand the course and expectations. All staff help, not just the faculty."