Abstract

In the years 1999 and 2000, three reports, Addressing Discriminatory Barriers Facing Aboriginal Law Students and Lawyers. The Challenge of Racial Equality: Putting Principles into Practice, and Virtual Justice: Systemic Racism and the Canadian Legal Profession were created for legal associations in order to address the barriers Aboriginal peoples face in the legal profession and make recommendations for overcoming the barriers. This thesis explores the issues and recommendations made within the reports, and evaluates their potential effectiveness in addressing racial discrimination. In conducting my analysis of the reports, two conceptual frameworks, critical race theory and Aboriginal perspectives, were used; in most ways the two conceptual approaches support the reports. While the reports are supported by the approaches (and therefore have the potential for having a positive impact in addressing racism), I argue that the reports are only one step and not a final solution for addressing the barriers Aboriginal peoples face in the legal profession. Racial discrimination in the profession has existed for many decades and will continue for years to come. Therefore, in continuing to address and fight racial discrimination, the profession must continue to develop effective measures to fight this discrimination.