Truth and Reconciliation
Responding to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Fostering truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples is a priority for the Federation. Our work is inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (“TRC”) of Canada’s Calls to Action, which call on governments, institutions and organizations across the country, including law societies, law schools and the justice sector broadly speaking, to build relationships with, and improve access to justice for, Indigenous peoples.
Of particular relevance to the Federation and the law societies is Call to Action 27, which calls upon the Federation to:
[…] ensure that lawyers receive appropriate cultural competency training, which includes the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
Individual law societies are directly responsible for the training required of incoming and practicing lawyers and Quebec notaries in Canada. However, the Federation agreed that a national response that complements the efforts of our member law societies, and promotes greater consistency across the country in areas falling within our mandate, was equally important.
The Federation’s journey is ongoing. We continue to be supportive of national efforts underway, and the efforts of our member law societies.
The Federation’s Commitment
The Federation’s Commitment
In December 2020, the Federation adopted a formal statement of commitment to reconciliation. This commitment reflects the advice of our former Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action Advisory Committee, that was mandated to deliver recommendations to the Federation on an appropriate response to the TRC. These recommendations were approved in June 2020 along with Guiding Principles that are intended to inform all aspects of the Federation’s work.
In support of our commitment, the Federation will:
- Ensure all aspects of our work are informed by our Guiding Principles and reflect our commitment to reconciliation.
- Become the National Information Hub for law societies and law schools to share resources and information about their initiatives in response to the TRC.
- Identify opportunities for relationship-building and collaboration including with national Indigenous organizations.
- Urge all law societies to adopt a broad interpretation of, and approach to, reconciliation when developing regulatory initiatives.
- Collaborate with, and support, law schools and the legal academy.
The Indigenous Advisory Council
The Indigenous Advisory Council
In 2022, the Federation established an Indigenous Advisory Council (IAC) to advise the Federation on all proposed and existing initiatives in furtherance of its commitment, and strategic engagement with Indigenous stakeholders. It may also propose recommendations to Federation Council where appropriate.
The IAC been instrumental in supporting the Federation’s commitment, and providing valuable perspectives, insights, and guidance into the Federation’s approach and national initiatives.Its work is ongoing.
Call to Action 28 and the National Requirement
Call to Action 28 and the National Requirement
In early 2024, the Federation completed a comprehensive review of the National Requirement, and undertook extensive consultations with a variety of legal experts, including the legal academy. These consultations led to a series of amendments, including new requirements to reflect the spirit and intent of Call to Action 28 (hyperlink) (among others areas). The amended National Requirement will come into effect on January 1, 2029 (with application to spring 2029 graduates of approved Canadian common law programs and to NCA applicants whose files are ready to be assessed on or after January 1, 2029). In 2025, the Canadian Common Law Program Approval Committee started monitoring the law schools’ progress toward implementing the new National Requirement.
The Federation’s (former) National Committee on Accreditation Assessment Modernization Committee approved revisions to its NCA Competency Profile at the end of 2024 to mirror the 2024 National Requirement. This profile informs the new assessment tools and processes for certifying internationally-trained law graduates who apply to the NCA before seeking to become licensed in a Canadian common law jurisdiction. Updates on the changes to the NCA assessment tools can be found at https://flsc.ca/what-we-do/nca/. In 2026, the NCA introduced a new online module as part of its implementation of the Competency Profile titled, Indigenous Peoples and the Law, which will be mandatory for all NCA applicants whose files are assessed or reviewed on or after March 1, 2026.
Call to Action 27 and the Model Code of Professional Conduct
Call to Action 27 and the Model Code of Professional Conduct
The Federation has engaged in consultations with a range of legal and Indigenous stakeholders on proposed amendments to the Model Code of Professional Conduct that are meant to address the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 27. The consultation on draft amendments to the Model Code closed on November 29, 2024, although feedback was accepted through July 2025. The Standing Committee responsible for this initiative has reviewed all the feedback, and is considering appropriate revisions to the draft amendments, in consultation with law societies and the Federation’s Indigenous Advisory Council.[hyperlink to Model Code page]
Collaboration with the Legal Academy
Collaboration with the Legal Academy
In March 2021, the Federation and the Council of Canadian Law Deans formed a joint working group to share best practices and information on the reconciliation initiatives of the law schools and the law societies. This collaboration has resulted in:
- Ongoing information sharing and dialogue about how law societies and law schools are responding to the Calls to Action. Law societies and law schools conducted surveys between 2022 and 2023 on their respective initiatives:
- 2024 Law Society Summary Report
- 2023 CCLD Report
- The Symposium on the Continuum of Legal Education in Truth and Reconciliation held in January 2025. The final report for this event is here.