Benjamin Ralston

Benjamin Ralston is an Assistant Professor at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law, where he teaches Environmental Law, Administrative Law, and courses on Indigenous peoples and Canadian law. He also instructs a graduate-level Environmental Law and Policy course for the School of Environment and Sustainability.

His educational background includes:

• LLM (Otago, 2014) with distinction, focusing on marine spatial planning and Indigenous rights
• Juris Doctor (UBC, 2010)
• Bachelor of Arts (UBC, 2007)

Ralston's research centers on the intersection of environmental assessment practices and Indigenous rights in Canada, with particular emphasis on constitutional law, Aboriginal title, and reconciliation frameworks. His work critically examines consultation policies, UNDRIP implementation, and the application of Gladue principles in sentencing. Through extensive publications, he analyzes how legal systems can better accommodate Indigenous governance structures and rights recognition.

His scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on Indigenous environmental governance, constitutional interpretation of Aboriginal rights, and systemic reforms in criminal justice. Recent publications increasingly address practical implementation challenges of reconciliation frameworks in provincial policy contexts.

Ralston maintains active legal practice credentials through the Law Society of Saskatchewan and previously the British Columbia bar. His professional experience includes significant work on major Indigenous rights cases such as the Fraser River Sockeye Salmon Inquiry, Northern Gateway Pipeline reviews, and Coastal GasLink Pipeline injunctions.

He currently serves in a tenure-track position at the College of Law after holding various academic roles at the University of Saskatchewan since 2014, including term appointments as Assistant Professor, research positions at the Indigenous Law Centre, and teaching in the Nunavut Law Program and Kanawayihetaytan Askiy Program.