The Peter A. Allard School of Law is pleased to share the news that Professor Gordon Christie has been awarded the Jim Taylor, QC Faculty Scholar Award.
The award recognizes faculty members who consistently go above and beyond, contributing far more than their fair share to the law school and their colleagues. Professor Christie, who is Inupiat/Inuvialuit, is recognized as a leader who has played a critical role in helping the law school respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and as a mentor to other faculty.
His nominators describe him as “a quiet but mighty member of the faculty, over decades.”
Professor Christie first joined the law school in 2004. Since then, together with Professor Emerita Darlene Johnstone, Professor Christie has been instrumental in shaping, developing and supporting Indigenous Legal Studies, and has served as the academic director for much of his time at Allard Law. He was also instrumental in the creation of the law school’s specialization in Aboriginal Law and helped lay the groundwork for Allard Law’s Indigenous Settler Legal Relations course.
Professor Christie’s nominators note that he has also been a “longtime, loyal mentor to junior Indigenous faculty,” in addition to being a strong and effective advocate for Indigenous faculty hiring, tenure and promotion.
Within the university more broadly, Professor Christie has given generously of his time, serving as an advisor on numerous issues. His nominators also point to the impact he has had “as a calm, yet powerful voice for antiracism and justice.”
In addition to his work behind the scenes, Professor Christie is an internationally recognized scholar. His research areas of focus include Aboriginal rights, Aboriginal title, Indigenous self-determination, and the Crown’s duty to consult and accommodate Indigenous groups.
The law school is deeply grateful to Professor Christie for his many exceptional contributions over the years and for his dedicated service.
About the Jim Taylor, QC Faculty Scholar Award
The Jim Taylor, QC Faculty Scholar Award is currently supported by Harris & Co. in memory of Jim Taylor, QC. Jim played an instrumental role in establishing this award, which provides a deserving Allard Law faculty member with a $5,000 research grant each year. Jim, who passed away in 2016, had close ties to the law school and was a beloved member of the UBC and local law communities. You can learn more about Jim on the Allard Law History Project website.
