The Native Law Centre at the University of Saskatchewan was founded in 1975 by Dr. Roger C. Carter whose commitment to social justice issues convinced the University of the need for a Centre to facilitate access to legal education for Indigenous peoples. This was to promote the development of the law and the legal system in Canada in ways which better accommodate the advancement of Indigenous peoples and communities, and to disseminate information concerning Indigenous peoples and the law. Structured initially as an independent special project within the University of Saskatchewan, the Centre became a department of the College of Law in 1984.
From the beginning, the Centre has nurtured innovation in its program areas of teaching, research, and publication. Today, the ILC continues to build upon that history and remains attentive to the contributions made as well as the challenges confronted by Indigenous peoples in Canada and internationally. The ILC continues to provide programs, strategies, and solutions that are not only sound in scholarship but practical and visionary in their application, which will ensure the inclusion and recognition of Indigenous laws.
The ILC is currently in an exciting restructuring phase. Please stay tuned for notices of our growth and relationship building.