Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Relations,

Some of the most meaningful journeys begin not in boardrooms or formal chambers, but in honest conversation between people who share a common purpose. For us, that conversation began in September 2023 in Arizona, over an exchange with Justice Joe Williams, a moment that planted the seed for what has now grown into the World Assembly of Indigenous Judges (WAIJ).

I am deeply honoured to serve as President of the Canadian Chapter of WAIJ (CCWAIJ), and I am filled with gratitude for every person who has walked this path with us from the very beginning.

Indigenous judges across Canada occupy a unique and profound space, we carry the weight of our communities, the wisdom of our ancestors, and the responsibilities of our office. Too often, we have carried these things in isolation. The CCWAIJ exists to change that. It exists so that no Indigenous judge need walk alone.

Our work will be rooted in two commitments that I hold close to my heart.

The first is education and the ongoing development of our members. We believe that a well-supported judge is a better judge, and that learning never ends. We will create spaces for meaningful dialogue, shared experience, and growth, drawing on both the richness of Indigenous legal traditions and the tools of contemporary judicial practice.

The second is community. The CCWAIJ is not simply a professional organization, it is a family. We will build relationships grounded in trust, respect, and a genuine care for one another. We will celebrate each other’s successes, support each other through challenges, and remind each other why this work matters.

As we take these first steps together, I think often of that conversation in Arizona, of the vision that was shared, the hope that was kindled, and the responsibility we now carry to honour it. I am proud of what we have already built, and I am excited for everything still ahead.

To our members across Canada, and to those in the global WAIJ: we are here. We are growing. And we are ready.

With respect and gratitude,

Justice Michelle O’Bonsawin
President of the Canadian Chapter of the World Assembly of Indigenous Judges