Preventing and Resolving Disputes

Oral traditions are the foundation of Indigenous legal systems, acting as an unwritten archive of norms, precedents, and governance. While federal and provincial courts are increasingly adapting to admit this type of evidence, integrating oral traditions with formal legal proceedings remains a complex challenge requiring ongoing reconciliation.

Conciliation

Communtiy-Based Conciliation is a process for helping disputing parties work through their issues by way of an informal, voluntary, confidential and non-adjudicative process that typically results in a settlement agreement which is binding on the parties. The conciliator is a neutral third-party, who is impartial and independent. The conciliator’s role is to provide disputing parties with a fair and equitable process in which to prevent the escalation of their matter, manage variances and reach a fair and reasonable settlement. The Community-Based Conciliation service is appropriate for dealing with a broad-range of issues involving private, corporate or commercial matters.

Mediation Service

Mediation is a voluntary, confidential, and informal process in which a neutral third party, the mediator assists disputing parties in reaching a mutually acceptable settlement of their issues. The core purpose of mediation is to facilitate communication and help the parties generate their own solutions, rather than having a decision imposed upon them by a judge or arbitrator.

Faciliation

The community is full of complex and delicate questions. Facilitation sessions are perfect for working through or debriefing some of the ugliest battles that communities may face in their daily endeavors. This service is open to community representatives and executives, and their personnel or members, conducting business under federal or provincial jurisdictions in Canada. Topics of discussion may include, but are not limited to; human rights issues, matters of consultation and accommodation, jurisdictional issues, funding frameworks and policies, public and private service contracts, employment contracts, and a wide range of issues in the workplace.

Neutral Investigation

Neutral investigation is a confidential and non-binding administrative process, designed to meet the operational needs and requirements of an organization, in terms of assessing and mitigating risk related to cases of misconduct, including psychological and sexual violence or harassment in the workplace.

Arbitration Service

Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution where a neutral third party hears evidence from all sides and renders a final and binding decision. This process is typically private, less formal, and often faster and less expensive than traditional court litigation.