The Law of This Land
On May 15, 2025, co-valedictorian Cassandra Spade stepped up to the podium at Lakehead's Faculty of Law convocation ceremony.
Then she did something that had never been done at a Bora Laskin Faculty of Law graduation, and possibly any law school graduation in Canada.
She began speaking to her fellow students and their families in Anishinaabemowin—the language spoken by Indigenous Peoples in the Great Lakes area.
Cassandra, who is from Mishkeegogamang First Nation, was wearing an Anishinaabe strap dress, moccasins, and birchbark earrings made for her by her husband for this historic occasion.
"I spoke about how Anishinaabemowin takes care of us as a culture, and how law schools and other institutions need to offer teaching and services in Anishinaabemowin," Cassandra says.
The second half of her speech was in English. She talked about the experiences of Indigenous women—like her grandmother who was born in 1948—who were not able to pursue law school while they held Indian status.
"The speech was monumental and very emotional for me," Cassandra says. "It was a thank you to our families for changing the face of law in Canada."
There were many Anishinaabe guests in attendance at the ceremony, and Cassandra drew strength from their presence. "Some of the ladies in the back raised their fists in solidarity."
A Future Changemaker Finds Her Calling
In September 2025, Cassandra received a Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize from the Royal Society of Canada. This national award is presented to graduating law students considered most likely to positively influence equity and social justice in Canada.
Cassandra has known since childhood that she wanted to be a lawyer and an activist.
"When I was nine, my sister was bitten by a dog on the reserve I grew up on," she says.
"The attack made me want to protect both children and dogs, so that night my dad made up a petition for me. Together, we walked from house to house and successfully gathered enough signatures to require that all dogs be tagged and vaccinated."
This foray into community activism crystallized Cassandra's ambitions, for which she is thankful to have had her parents unwavering and enthusiastic support.
Cassandra is also incredibly grateful to her aunt, Arlene Ash.
"She stands up for the things she believes in and she encourages me to stand up for the things I believe in.
Her voice is one that I try to channel in my activism. A voice focused on community, love, and bringing about meaningful change."
In the North for the North
Cassandra chose the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law because of its unique specializations in Indigenous law and environmental law, and its focus on training graduates to practice in northern communities.
"Lakehead is the only law school that I wanted to go to," she says. "It celebrates northern perspectives and the lived reality of our region."
Lakehead, in turn, has been incredibly fortunate to have Cassandra as a student.
"She's brought programming and opportunities to the Faculty of Law that weren't possible in the past," Law professor Larissa Speak says.
"Cassandra, for instance, organized and hosted two winter storytelling events in Anishinaabemowin. Winter storytelling is a long-standing Indigenous governance tradition that helps revitalize and renew our language and our law," Professor Speak says.
"The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law does an excellent job of encouraging students to pursue what is important to them, whether it's research, law competitions, or legal clinics," Cassandra says. "Our grads are really passionate about social justice and working for communities. Many take on high-profile work such as clerking at the Federal Court of Appeal."
"I started learning Anishinaabemowin in my twenties," Cassandra says. "I was 25 before I was able to have a conversation with my grandmother, who only spoke Anishinaabemowin."
This spurred Cassandra to establish Gaa-minwaajindizowaaj in 2020—a grassroots organization that offers free Anishinaabemowin classes and workshops to help Anishinaabe youth reclaim their language.
She's now working for the law firm of Judson Howie LLP in Fort Frances, Ontario, where she practices Indigenous law, family law, and civil litigation.
Above, Cassandra in front of the Fort Frances Courthouse in the winter of 2024. At the time she was doing a placement with the Judson Howie law firm. She now works for Judson Howie, drawing upon her previous work with the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF) to advance gender equality in Canada.
"I'm so grateful to be working there because Judson Howie is committed to advancing social justice and equity.
I'm often the first Anishinaabe lawyer that my Anishinaabe clients have ever met, so it's not uncommon for us to have a little cry when we're introduced."
Listen to Cassandra being interviewed about receiving a 2025 Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize on CBC's Superior Morning radio show.
