DALSA Officers

200-10 DALSA Officers

2008-09 DALSA Officers

Jillian Allen - President

Dave Curry - Aboriginal IB&M Rep & Vice President

Stephen Wheeler - Secretary

Brigid Wilkinson - Treasurer

Michelle Black - LSS Rep

Ben Fulton - DALSA/Native Counseling Unit Liaison

Jessica Upshaw - DALSA/DBLSA Liaison

The Secretary shall record minutes at every DALSA meeting and provide each DALSA member with a copy of those minutes at least 42 hours before the next upcoming meeting. An additional hard-copy of the minutes is to be kept in the DALSA filing box. The Secretary shall keep in his or her possession the DALSA filing box and he or she must maintain all of the Society’s records in an open and organized manner. On the last day of the current academic year, the Secretary shall pass on the filing box to the new President for the following academic year.”

The Treasurer shall be in charge of all the Society’s financial affairs. He or she shall have sole access to the DALSA bank account (which includes the bank card and cheque book). He or she will keep record of all DALSA deposits and withdrawals and will maintain the ledger to reflect changes in the DALSA account. The Treasurer will pick-up the bank statements from the student mailboxes. The Treasurer shall be one of the three signers, along with the President and Vice President.”

The LSS (Law Student Society) Aboriginal Representative shall bring the perspectives of Aboriginal students to the LSS.”

The Aboriginal Representative's role on The LSS is one of conduit to the needs and concerns of the aboriginal students at Dalhousie Law and The LSS. Bringing issues important to aboriginal students before the LSS and likewise communicating the activities of the LSS as they relate to aboriginal students is the main function of the aboriginal representative.

In (2005-2006) the aboriginal rep functioned as a buffer for funding questions from the LSS to DALSA as well as facilitating the DALSA and aboriginal student access to funding through the LSS and DSU. Questions regarding the method and policy of financing society conferences and basic yearly funding were discussed and negotiated. Policy concerns were addressed solutions were arrived at via co-operation and input.

The aboriginal representative is not limited to just the concerns of Aboriginals, but also sensitive to the needs of all students. As such the aboriginal rep is encouraged to fully participate in committees and functions of the LSS. Tuition increases were addressed generally and specifically for aboriginal students. The rise in tuition is particularly important to native students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Attending the Faculty Council meetings is also an important function in effort to promote the concerns of Aboriginal students to faculty and encourage consideration of their needs.

These concerns and needs are important to promote not just in the LSS but also in the larger student population. Establishing closer ties for Aboriginal students and the greater population of the school is essential outside the LSS.”

IB&M (Indigenous Black and Mi’kmaq) Representative sits on the IB&M standing committee. He or she shall present the concerns of Aboriginal students and acts as a liaison between DALSA and the IB&M Program Director.”

The DALSA/Native Counseling Unit liaison's role is one of conduit to the needs and concerns of both DALSA and Aboriginal students at the Native Counseling Unit. The main function of the liaison is to share information about the activities of each Aboriginal student organization, DALSA with the Native Counseling Unit, and other important issues that may arise relevant to both groups. Establishing closer ties with the Native Counseling Unit is essential to the role of the DALSA/Native Counseling Unit liaison.

The DALSA/DBLSA liaison's role is one of conduit to the needs and concerns of both DALSA and DBLSA. Bringing issues important to DALSA before DBLSA and likewise communicating the activities of DBLSA as they relate to members of DALSA is the main function of the liaison. Establishing closer ties with DBLSA is the essential to the role of DALSA/DBLSA liaison.

DALSA Members

DALSA General Members

DALSA Alumni Members

Jillian Allen (DALSA President 2008-09). In her undergrad, she majored in Sociology with two minors in Psychology and Fine Arts at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Jillian is a member of the Confederacy of Nova Scotia Métis. She served as the Aboriginal rep for the LSS in 2007 and as secretary for DALSA in 2006/2007. Jillian is interested in intellectual property and entertainment law.

Joan Stevens, B.S.C., is a past DALSA President. Joan’s main interests in law are Aboriginal Law and Environmental Law. Joan also hopes to combine her other interests Tax, Business and Corporate Law, with these two vast areas.

Joan’s main aspiration is to work towards making positive changes for the Mi’kmaq community by becoming a strong legal advocate for the Mi’kmaq and a protector of various Mi’kmaq rights.

Dave Curry (DALSA V.P. 2008-09). He is a proud Mi'kmaq from the Bear River First Nation. Dave's interests in law include Poverty Law, Aboriginal Law and Race and the Law. He aspires to be an advocate for Black & Aboriginal communities and individuals. He believes that until First Nation Treaties are honoured, and Blacks are treated as equals in this country, there will be no justice nor peace.

Andrew Kirk graduated in 2008 and articled with Cox & Palmer in Halifax. He is Haudenosaunee from Six Nations. Before entering law school, Andrew spent almost 20 years as a professional violin maker. Andrew aspires to eventually complete a masters in law, practice aboriginal law and teach.

Jarvis Googoo graduated in 2008 and is now finished articling in Halifax. He completed his undergraduate degree at Saint Mary's University and began at Dalhousie Law School in 2005. He is an executive member of the Domus Legis Society, the Dalhousie Law Hour Selection Committee, and co-editor of the 2007-2008 Dalhousie Law School Yearbook. He also served as the LSS Aboriginal Rep from 2006 to 2007. His interests in law are very broad and he keeps an open mind as to what he would like to do once done with law school.

Jarvis has travelled to various First Nations communities across Nova Scotia, talking to Mi'kmaw youth about the importance of education and the need for more Aboriginal representation in the legal profession.

Tanya Bath graduated in 2007 and is finished articling at McInnes Cooper in Saint John. She is a Micmac student from Gander Bay, Newfoundland. Tanya is the current IB&M Rep for DALSA and also the IBA Student Rep for Dal Law. Tanya will graduate from law school in May of 2007 and will be articling at McInnes Cooper in Saint John, NB. Her interests are in Aboriginal and Corporate Law. She represented Dal Law at the Kawhiskamon Moot in Edmonton, Alberta in March 2008. Prior to law school she worked with the Irving Group of Companies for 7 years.