Gehl v Canada: Challenging Sex Discrimination in the Indian Act

By Lynn Gehl
Review by Toby A. Welch

Knowing I am a reader, a friend of mine asked me an interesting question recently: “Are there any book publishers that you will read their books without even knowing what the book is about?” I immediately replied, “Yes - Harlequin and University of Regina Press. The first because I'm a sucker for a heartfelt romance and the second because every single book they publish is so thoroughly researched that any topic they cover is fascinating to read about.” So when University of Regina Press publication Gehl v Canada landed on my desk, I couldn't wait to dive in!

Detailing in a brief review what Gehl v Canada is about is nearly impossible as the subject matter is gigantic. We hit on so many familial, feminist, and Indigenous issues, among others. It's challenging to encapsulate it. Perhaps Mary Eberts says it best in the forward: “Dr. Lynn Gehl describes the effort she made to document the sex discrimination affecting her and her family, her decision to challenge that discrimination, and how she applied herself to various proceedings… until she achieved victory.” To be clear, this is only Gehl's account of her journey as she challenged the Indian Act.

Like most University of Regina Press books, this one isn't a quick read. I struggled at times to keep the chronological events straight, so it was helpful that Gehl included a timeline near the back of the book. It starts with the pre-2001 years and ends on October 25, 2019, when Gehl received an upgrade on her status registration category.

As I devoured Gehl versus Canada, I learned so much about the Anishinaabe culture and traditions. For example, they value the color black as it is a reminder to respect the unknown and to recognize that all knowledge cannot be known to humans. And I learned that in the Indigenous culture, the practice of mothering is highly cherished; it is more of a social process not solely for biological reasons, so mothering children who are not one’s own is a common practice. Readers also glean vital facts such as Gehl’s estimation that since 1985, as many as 25,000 Indigenous children have been affected by genocide.

Gehl v Canada is the follow-up to Claiming Anishinaabe, the story of Lynn Gehl's lifelong journey of survival against the nation state's constant genocidal assault against her existence. You do not have to have read Claiming Anishinaabe to thoroughly enjoy Gehl v Canada.

Gehl v Canada is a compelling book that I highly recommend to everyone. Knowledge is power and readers will turn the last page feeling more educated on so many facets of Canadian history and Indigenous struggles and issues. Two big thumbs up!

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