We would like to congratulate our 2022 Race and the Law Essay Prize recipient, Michael Michel, for his paper, “Indigenous Self-Government and Criminal Law: The Path Towards Concurrent Jurisdiction in Canada.”
This award recognizes and encourages outstanding scholarship by law students in Nova Scotia on topics pertaining specifically to issues of race and law. The Society’s Racial Equity Committee presents the award and Stewart McKelvey sponsors the award.
“I am honoured to be this year’s recipient of the NSBS Race and the Law Essay Prize. For nearly 40 years, academics and politicians have sought to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the Canadian criminal justice system. Unfortunately, this is a crisis that shows no sign of improving. I am happy to contribute to the ongoing discussion on this issue, and hope this work can assist Indigenous communities, members of the legal community, and policy makers on our path towards reconciliation.”
– Michael Michel, 2022 Race and the Law Essay Prize Recipient
The Society’s Racial Equity Committee would also like to congratulate three other finalists on their submissions:
- Colin Smith: “A Little Privacy Please? How Privacy Legislation in Nova Scotia Negatively Affects ANS Students”
- Ashley Murty: “Members of the Jury Panel, Let me Instruct You: Don’t Be a Racist”
- Kiera Lewis: “The Role of the Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius in Environmental Racism in Indigenous Communities”
We would like to thank everyone who participated for their submissions this year.