Indigenous law is a complex area that encompasses issues concerning First Nations, Metis and Inuit people and their relationship with governments, rights to land, rights to tradition and rights to self-government. In this guide, you will find resources available in our library, as well as links to external resources that are key to understanding this area of law.
Texts
- Aboriginal & treaty rights practice (available online) by Mary Locke Macaulay.
- Aboriginal law, 6th ed. by Thomas Isaac.
- Aboriginal law handbook, 5th ed. by Olthuis Kleer Townshend.
- Aboriginal law in Canada (available online) by Jack Woodward.
- Aboriginal legal issues : cases, materials and commentary, 5th ed. by John Borrows.
- Aboriginal peoples and the law : a critical introduction by Jim Reynolds. .
- Duty to consult with indigenous peoples in Canada, where are we today? (available online) by the Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre
- Elements of Indigenous style : a guide for writing by and about Indigenous peoples, 2nd ed. by Gregory Younging.
- Indigenous peoples and the law in Canada: cases and commentary.
- Constitutional law of Canada, (available online) 5th ed. by Peter W. Hogg.
- Criminal law : Canadian law, indigenous laws & critical perspectives, 2nd ed. (available online) by Benjamin Perrin et al.
- Indigenous peoples atlas of Canada. (available online)
- Indigenous people and the criminal justice system: a practitioner’s handbook, (available online) 2nd ed. by Jonathan Rudin.
- Law of indigenous ownership and projects by Thomas Isaac & Jeremy Barretto.
- Metis – Crown relations : rights, identity, jurisdiction and governance (available online) by Frederica Wilson & Melanie Mallet.
- Key developments in Aboriginal law by Thomas Isaac.
Last revised September 2026
Truth and Reconciliation
This page highlights some resources available to provide you with a better understanding of truth and reconciliation and the history of the Indian Act.
Textbooks
- 21 things you may not know about the Indian Act : helping Canadian’s make reconciliation with indigenous peoples a reality by Bob Joseph.
- A reconciliation without recollection? : an investigation of the foundations of Aboriginal law in Canada by Joshua Ben David Nichols.
- Bead by bead : constitutional rights and Metis community edited by Yvonne Boyer and Larry Chartrand.
- A knock on the door : the essential history of residential schools from the Truth and reconciliation Commission of Canada forward by Phil Fontaine.
- From where I stand : rebuilding indigenous nations for a stronger Canada by Jody Wilson-Raybould.
- Honouring the truth, reconciling for the future : summary of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. (available online)
- Indigenous relations : insights, tips & suggestions to make reconciliation a reality by Bob Joseph.
- Indigenous peoples atlas of Canada (available online)
- Pathways of reconciliation : indigenous and settler approaches to implementing the TRC’s calls to action edited by Aimee Craft & Paulette Regan.
- Protecting Indigenous knowledge and heritage : a Canadian obligation by Marie Battiste and James (Sa’ke’j) Youngblood Henderson.
- Reconciling history : a story of Canada by Jody Wilson-Raybould & Roshan Danesh.
- Reconciling truths : reimagining public inquiries in Canada by Kim Stanton.
- True reconciliation : how to be a force for change by Jody Wilson-Raybould.
- Troubling truth and reconciliation in Canadian education : critical perspectives edited by Sandra D. Styres and Arlo Kempf.
Websites and Resources
- Reconciliation in Alberta – Government of Alberta
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission report
- Reconciliation journey – Government of Canada
- Indian Act : a summary – video
- Indigenous peoples atlas of Canada – section on truth and reconciliation
- United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples
- Principles respecting the Government of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples
- National inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls
- Indigenous Canada – free course offered by the University of Alberta
- Uncovered truths about Indian residential schools – video by the University of Alberta
- How to talk about Indigenous peoples
Last revised September 2026
Alberta Courts
Resources:
Last revised May 22, 2024
Case Law
For more information on finding case see our research guide: Finding and Researching Cases.
The Canadian abridgment available on: Westlaw Edge
All Canadian summaries, Canadian case summaries and Canada digest are available on: Lexis+™ Canada
Legislation
For a complete list of Federal acts and regulations that directly impact First Nations, Inuit, and Métis see:
- Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
- First Nations Gazette First Nation laws, by-laws, land codes, and other First Nation legislation
All Federal Acts and Regulations can be found electronically at:
- Treaties, Laws and Regulations
- Treaties and Agreements – Historic and modern Canadian Treaties
- Treaty Texts
Websites
- Aboriginal Justice Implementation Commission
- Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
- Guide to aboriginal organizations in Alberta
- Ministry of Indigenous Relations
- Department of Justice – Reports on Indigenous Peoples
- Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples
Last revised Jan. 8, 2026
- BearPaw Legal Education and Resource Centre
- Centre for First Nations Governance
- Delagamuukw Aboriginal Land Title Case Research Guide
- First Nations – Library and Archives
- Gladue Rights Research Database
- Gladue Primer
- Indigenous Justice Center of Alberta
- Indigenous Law Centre – University of Saskatchewan
- Indigenous Studies Research Portal – University of Saskatchewan
- Indigenous Law Portal
- Indigenous Services Canada
- Legal information for Indigenous people : national edition
- Metis Settlement Appeal Tribunal
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
- Native Counselling Services of Alberta
- Native Law Centre – Legal Pleadings
- Royal Commission on Aboriginal People
- Specific Claims Tribunal Canada
- Treaties with Indigenous Peoples in Canada – Canadian Encyclopedia
Last revised Jan. 8, 2026
Encyclopedias
Canadian encyclopedic digest (C.E.D.) (Western), (available online) 4th ed.
Sections relevent to aboriginal law include:
- Aboriginal law
- Constitutional law
This multi-volume set which includes coverage of Federal, Provincial & Territorial legislation. It explains the legislation and cases which govern Indigenous law issues in every jurisdiction in Canada.
Titles related to Indigenous law include:
Additional information may be found under other topical headings.
Also available online through: Lexis+™ Canada
Journals
- Constitutional forum (available online)
- Indigenous law journal (available online)
- Justice as healing : a newsletter on aboriginal concepts of justice (available online)
- Review of constitutional studies (available online)
- Index to Canadian legal literature (ICLL) (available online)
- Current index to legal periodicals (available online)
Additional full-text articles are available online through:
- vLex Justis
- Lexis+™ Canada
- Westlaw Edge – contains a collection of Canadian journals and law reviews, as well as all articles and case comments appearing in Carswell law reports.
- HeinOnline – provides full-text access to Canadian and international law reviews and legal journals.
For more information on looking for journal articles see our research guide Finding journal articles, conference materials & theses
Disclaimer: As law librarians, we are pleased to provide you this resource for information and research purposes only – It is not a substitute for professional legal advice. We strive to bring you quality and current information in this resource, but we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, accessibility, adequacy, or completeness of the information presented here. The sources featured are selected based on professional assessment and opinion, and do not constitute an endorsement, editorial, review, or guarantee.