Judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond will deliver the second annual Law Foundation of Saskatchewan Chair in Police Studies Lecture, titled “Policing the Future: The Changing Demographics of Saskatchewan” on Thurs., Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 112, Classroom Building, University of Regina. Admission to the lecture is free and open to the public, and parking is available at no charge in Lot 15 in the “M” designated areas.

Turpel-Lafond will focus on the future of policing in Saskatchewan in light of the province’s changing demographics. She believes Aboriginal Peoples will serve shoulder to shoulder with other citizens of Saskatchewan in all aspects of the justice system. The area of greatest impact will be in the policing workforce, where Aboriginal Peoples' participation will rise dramatically in the years ahead. Turpel-Lafond will explore the distinct challenges and opportunities this presents, including the importance of the choices we make today on the future direction of the justice system in Saskatchewan.

Turpel-Lafond is a Provincial Court judge in Saskatoon. She was appointed to the Saskatchewan bench in March 1998. She was a practicing lawyer in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan and a tenured professor at Dalhousie University Faculty of Law, also teaching law at the University of Toronto and the University of Notre Dame. In her law practice, she appeared at all levels of courts, largely on behalf of First Nations and aboriginal clients from all regions of Canada. She has published in the areas of constitutional, criminal and international law. Her recent book, 100 Years for a Saskatchewan First Nation, about the history of her First Nation, the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, has been short-listed for a Saskatchewan Book Award.

The Law Foundation of Saskatchewan Chair in Police Studies in the Faculty of Arts was established with the support of the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan. The foundation is dedicated to enhancing legal education and research in order to respond to challenges facing the administration of justice.

For more information, contact Milagros Charriez at 585-4226.