Graduate Story: Esquay Masty
For Esquay Masty, her pursuit of a career in the legal field has been guided by a commitment to advocating for Indigenous communities and creating opportunities for future generations.
A member of the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi in Eeyou Istchee, Masty arrived at Carleton with a clear goal: prepare for a career in law. Now graduating with a master’s degree in Law and Legal Studies, she is one step closer to that dream as she prepares to begin law school this fall.
Masty found flexibility in her master’s program to focus her research on Indigenous rights and policy. Her recent research paper explored the competing interests of Quebec nationalism and Indigenous sovereignty.
“The French language law impedes upon Indigenous people,” she says.
“In order to become a lawyer, you have to know French. But, if you’re in a Cree community like mine, our primary languages are Cree and English.”
While still completing her degree, Masty was chosen to be a member of a delegation from the Cree Nation Youth Council and attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. There, she helped create and present the panel From Agreement to Action: 50 Years of Implementation and Indigenous Mobilization Under Canada’s First Modern Day Treaty, highlighting the land claim agreement’s history, governance and impact.
The presentation resonated with audiences and led to another opportunity: an invitation for Masty and her fellow delegates to share their work at the Yale School of the Environment.
“We’ve been stewards of the land since time immemorial,” explains Masty.
“If the government wants to do natural resource development, it has to be through consultation, consent and a feasibility assessment.”
Following graduation, Masty is set to represent her community in Miss Indigenous Canada. Her platform focuses on education, justice and youth empowerment. She has also organized a ribbon skirt-making workshop in her community and hosted fundraising events for Sunshine House, a community drop-in and resource centre dedicated to harm reduction and social inclusion.
As she looks ahead to the next chapter, Masty advises future students to pursue their ambitions with confidence and determination.
“Sometimes you just have to push yourself and have that determination to get your end goal,” she says. “You can do it; the only limit you have is the one you set yourself.”
For more Spring Convocation 2026 graduate stories, click here.