This lawyer-turned-cyclist is biking across Canada to raise funds for an Indigenous legal fund

From riding his bicycle on the rough terrain of Dempster Highway in the Yukon, to battling wildfire smoke in British Columbia and heavy winds in the Prairies, Nick Avis has seen it all. 

But Avis, a corporate lawyer from Goderich, Ont., has even more of Canada's landscape to take in as he continues his journey cycling from coast-to-coast-to-coast across Canada, while fundraising for an Indigenous legal defense fund.

"It's been my passion for a while, but I also wanted to do my part for the Truth and Reconciliation goals, so I thought this would be a good cause that ties in with my law background," said Avis.

A dollar for every kilometre he rides goes toward his goal of raising $15,000 for Raven Trust, a non-profit based in B.C., that helps First Nations throughout the country with litigation costs for causes like land sovereignty and environmental justice. So far, Avis has raised about $9,000.

"It's important that we uphold Indigenous sovereignty and I've been learning about all the injustices that have happened, so it's important for all of us settlers living on Indigenous lands to make sure that we can help right those wrongs," he said.

"There's a long way to go if we ever want to have true reconciliation and proper justice in Canada, so I figured this is me doing my little part to advance that agenda."

The ride is an example of allied efforts to support Indigenous communities in accessing justice, said Jamie-Leigh Gonzales, a spokesperson for Raven. 

"There's an appetite from folks across Canada to learn more about how they can support Indigenous nations who are stewards of the land and have always been, and ways for them to tangibly do so," said Gonzales who is from Squamish Nation, near Vancouver.

Avis's journey