| Community Futures
Visions North
Northern Neighbours: Harold Johnson and Visions
North
Having friends and supporters in the neighbourhood
has really helped Harold Johnson launch his law office In La Ronge.
Johnson established his office in the picturesque northern town
two-and-a-half years ago, with start-up financing provided by
the Visions North Community Futures Development Corporation.
"Right from the start Visions North
believed that La Ronge needed a law office that provided a wide
range of services, and put their resources into ensuring we
were successful," Johnson says.
Visions North also provided the fledgling law
office with space on the other side of the building.
Still, establishing the law office wasn't always
easy. Another lawyer advised Johnson that the first six months
would be slow. "He also said that after 18 months we would
have so much work we'd wish we were back in the first six months.
His forecast has proven accurate almost to the day," Johnson
chuckles. "We're grateful for all the support - both the
financial support and the personal support of Visions North staff
- from the beginning."
In addition to his law office responsibilities,
Johnson has researched and written papers for the research arm
of the Native Law Centre of Canada, on topics such as the impact
of the Youth Criminal Justice Act on Aboriginal peoples, an intervention
on behalf of miners in the licensing of the McArthur River uranium
mine and a history of Aboriginal peoples in Prince Albert National
Park.
He has also authored three books, reflecting
his appreciation of the stories he heard from his mother and Elders.
His writings are a means of passing on the traditional knowledge
and cultural values he learned as a child growing up in northern
Saskatchewan. He's now working on a fourth book, which he describes
as a postmodern literary experiment involving Wesakicak - the
Trickster - and Charlie Muskrat, who is on a mid-life journey
of discovery. "It's a story in Cervantes' style, with a lot
of humour," Johnson says. "It will make you laugh, maybe
make you cry and hopefully make you think."
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