This week, we mark Indigenous People’s Day, celebrating the rich history, vibrant cultures and foundational contributions of indigenous communities to the country we live in today.
Beyond the commemoration offered by a national holiday, we strive for a longer-term, substantive engagement with the struggles faced by indigenous communities in asserting their civil and economic rights for fullest attainment of education, healthcare, employment, land and environmental protections. Particularly in light of the pain and trauma historically suffered by indigenous communities, we are reminded of the signal importance of these protections and of the role that the law can and must play to ensure their realization today.