Bringing Peace to Practice? The Need to Consider Journalism Practice When Reforming Aboriginal Media Coverage in Canada

In a non-binding decision concerning the Xeni Gwet’in First Nations’ aboriginal title to a large portion of their traditional territory, Justice David Vickers advised the Crown and the First Nations group to negotiate a settlement that explicitly avoided assigning blame on either of the two parties. He called for the need for both parties to avoid splitting themselves into “winners” and “losers,” a dichotomy that the judicial system tends to promote, but one that also hardens divisions and so undermines attempts at long-term reconciliation.