A law professor from the University of Saskatchewan has received a Canada Research Chair to further his work on Indigenous rights.
Dwight Newman studies International Indigenous law, and Canada Indigenous law.
He will receive $100,000 a year for five-years.
Newman says it will allow him to focus more of his time on research, and involve other people in future projects.
“In order to have that person have more time to focus on research, to have funding for graduate students to work within the research program, to have funding for research assistants and to provide funding to travel to conferences and to disseminate the results of the research, so it represents a significant financial commitment by the federal government”.
Newman says his research has looked into issues like duty to consult and that will continue, but other areas will also be covered:
“A range of other topics related to Indigenous property rights, religious freedom issues, protection of sacred sites and just a range of Indigenous topics”.
Newman’s research has helped bolster numerous legal arguments and has been quoted in dozens of judgements, including three Supreme Court of Canada decisions.