Domination Chronicles: Bruce McIvor on Legalized Lawlessness

Attorney Bruce McIvor joins Newcomb and d’Errico to discuss what he calls “legalized lawlessness” in Canada. The phrase names a system in which courts and governments claim legitimacy while continuing to rely on the Crown’s assertion of sovereignty and the Doctrine of Discovery to control Indigenous lands and peoples.

The episode connects legal doctrine with lived political practice. McIvor explains how governments can speak the language of reconciliation while changing laws, manipulating processes, and preserving colonial authority when Indigenous people successfully defend their rights. The conversation also highlights the importance of language and etymology in exposing how power hides inside legal terms. For the Doctrine of Discovery Project, this episode is a strong reminder that domination is not limited to U.S. federal Indian law. It moves through Canadian law as well, where “reconciliation” can become another administrative form of control unless the original claim of domination is confronted.

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