New Law School in Thunder Bay Opening with Premier Wynne
THUNDER BAY – Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is focused on new beginnings today. The Premier will be at two openings in two communities today. “I want young people in every part of this province to be able to pursue their dreams, find great careers and give back to their communities,” stated the Premier. “These two exciting programs bring new opportunities to a wonderful part of our province”.
“I am so pleased that students will now have the opportunity to specialize in the areas that matter most to their home communities,” continued Premier Wynne. “Our young people want the right skills they need to succeed in their communities, and small business owners across the province are looking for people with the expertise that will help them grow and create more jobs”.
“These two new programs further establish Thunder Bay and Sudbury as destinations for specialized post-secondary education and training. Our government is so proud to be able to work with educational institutions in Northern Ontario to ensure we have the infrastructure needed to educate the workforce of tomorrow,” stated Thunder Bay Superior North MPP and Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle.
Thunder Bay a Destination
Speaking on the Law School, Minister Gravelle stated, “This new program further establishes Thunder Bay as a destination for specialized post-secondary education and training. Our government is so proud to be able to work with educational institutions in Northern Ontario to ensure we have the infrastructure needed to educate the workforce of tomorrow.”
Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy joined Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Lakehead University President Dr. Brian Stevenson and other dignitaries in celebrating the opening of its doors for the 2013 charter class.
First New Law School Will Follow Different Path
Regional Chief Beardy said, “As the first law school to be opened in Ontario in over 40 years, it will follow a different path of the typical law school in that it will be more responsive to issues related to First Nations and the needs of the north and rural/small centres. It has been developed to respond to the shortage of lawyers and articling spots in the north”.
Of the program, Beardy stated, “I am particularly pleased that the school has committed to addressing Aboriginal issues in all of its subjects—this is important not only for First Nations students, but Canadian students as well.”
In discussions with its founding Dean, Beardy has raised the issues of Indigenous peoples and the Euro-Canadian legal and justice systems and how the relationship manifests on a broader scale. “It is my hope through this new law school’s direct relationship with First Nations it will be an innovative opportunity to start considering the laws and governance systems of Indigenous peoples in the field of law.”
“Having been originally approached by Nishnawbe Aski Nation to develop it, the law school is a creation of First Nations and the community. I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the 8 years of strong leadership and commitment of First Nations and other parties that lead to the opening of this new law school,” added Beardy. As a continuation of this developmental work, the law school will be overseen by the Ogimaawin-Aboriginal Governance Council.
Lastly Beardy stated, “Today is a good day for First Nations to take up law as a career, I encourage any Indigenous person considering this opportunity to take it and in so doing, you will have my full support.”
Former Port Arthur Collegiate Now Lakehead Law School
Lakehead University’s new law school, located in the former campus of Port Arthur Collegiate Institute, (PACI) has a look and a feel like it has already a long history. That is because it does.
This afternoon, the Premier was at the opening of the Lakehead University Law School in Thunder Bay.
Premier Wynne Jets Off to Sudbury
From there the Premier will jet to Sudbury for the opening of Laurentien University’s School of Architecture in Sudbury down in the ‘southern part of Northern Ontario.
Premier Kathleen Wynne is attending the opening of two professional programs in Northern Ontario today, as part of her commitment to help young people in every part of the province prepare for promising careers.
Lakehead University’s Faculty of Law in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University’s School of Architecture in Sudbury are Northern Ontario’s first law and architecture schools, and the first of their kinds to open in the province in more than 40 years.
The schools will help Northern Ontario students enter the law and architecture professions, and study closer to their families and the communities where they grew up. There is currently a shortage of lawyers who specialize in Northern issues, and Lakehead’s new law school will help bridge that gap by focusing on issues such as access to justice in Northern and rural communities, as well as Aboriginal, natural resource and small- or single-practitioner law.
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