Interview – Quebec decision on Mohawk tobacco trade a ‘game-changing advancement’ in Aboriginal law, says lawyer

In an interview with Aidan Macnab of Canadian Lawyer Magazine, our colleague and Partner Caroline Briand discusses the significance of R. c. White et Montour.

Excerpt:

Court proposes new test to determine existence of Aboriginal right based on Indigenous legal system.

The decision in R. c. White et Montour is “judicial pioneering,” says James O’Reilly, who represented White and Montour, along with co-counsel Nathan Richard, Gordon Campbell, and Vincent Carney. “In many respects, it’s a game-changing advancement of the law of Aboriginal peoples,” he says.

Caroline Briand, partner in the litigation group at Langlois Lawyers, says that the case is not merely about criminal law or the Indigenous right to trade tobacco. “It’s a case that deals with essential issues in Aboriginal law in 2023, including Indigenous people’s rights to self-determination.” 

Read the full article on the Canadian Lawyer Magazine website