Peace and Good Order: The Case for Indigenous Justice in Canada is a powerful examination of how Canada’s justice system has failed Indigenous peoples. Written by former Crown prosecutor and national bestselling author Harold R. Johnson, it confronts the gap between the promise of “peace and good order” and the lived reality in Indigenous communities.
Prompted by public outrage following the verdicts in the deaths of Colten Boushie and Tina Fontaine, Johnson draws on his own years as both defence counsel and Crown prosecutor. He reflects candidly on his role within a system he now sees as deeply tilted against Indigenous people, turning this book into an act of responsibility and witness.
In clear and concise prose, Johnson explores the roots and day-to-day impacts of systemic injustice, showing how failures in policing, courts, and corrections damage communities and undermine trust. He connects these failures to Canada’s Treaty obligations and to the long-term harm caused when those obligations are ignored.
This book is essential reading for anyone concerned with Indigenous rights, reconciliation, and legal reform in Canada. It offers grounded insight from inside the justice system and invites readers to rethink what true peace and good order could look like for Indigenous peoples.
