Aboriginal Law: Critical and Emerging Issues

Sandra A. Gogal, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP
Renée Pelletier, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP 

Thomas Isaac, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP (Vancouver)
Naiomi W. Metallic, Associate Professor of Law; Chancellor’s Chair in Aboriginal Law and Policy; Aboriginal Law Certificate Coordinator, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University and Burchell Wickwire Bryson LLP

The law around aboriginal legal issues continues to develop at a rapid pace. In this opening session, our experts will provide an in-depth review of some of the most important cases of the past year and discuss their likely impact. 

Sandra A. Gogal, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP 
Saul Joseph, Clark Wilson LLP  

Practical guidance on some of the critical implications of the Court’s direction in these cases, including. 

• Reliance upon statutory authorizations 
• Exploring the operational discretion that may help advance reconciliation on the ground 
• 3rd party liability and “nuisance claims” 
• Addressing past grievances- who pays?  
• Cumulative effects on s.35 rights 
• Statutory authorization as a defence – how bullet proof is it?  
• Retroactive application: how should we deal with cumulative impacts pre-Rio? 

Yadira I. Flores, Assistant General Counsel – North America, Orica
Matthew Jackson, Director, Indigenous Relations Partnerships & Business Development, Hydro One 
Chris Roine, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (Vancouver)
Hillary Thatcher, Managing Director, Investments, Canada Infrastructure Bank  

Our experts will take you through the key concepts and provide practical guidance, using recent projects as examples. 

• Navigating challenges and optimizing opportunities (including strategies for identifying and dealing with conflicts of interest) 
• Current trends in Indigenous equity participation and possibilities going forward 

Lara Koerner-Yeo, JFK Law LLP 
Laurie Sargent, Assistant Deputy Minister, Indigenous Rights and Relations Portfolio, Department of Justice Canada  

• Key new “UNDRIP” cases and their implications  
• Operationalizing FPIC – how do we activate FPIC on the ground?  
• UNDRIP going forward – what does it look like? 

Carla McGrath, Director General, Treaties and Aboriginal Government, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Alexandria Winterburn, Aird & Berlis LLP  

• How do we recognize, respect and incorporate Indigenous laws? 
• Practical ramifications of recent cases, including the SCC decision in Dickson v Vuntut Gwich’in, and how they may affect future law-making by Indigenous governments 

Sara Mainville, JFK Law LLP
Renée Pelletier, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP 

How should we implement and operationalize? Practical guidance on some of the key issues, including: 

• Self-governance agreements 
• Co-management agreements 
• Parallel environmental assessments

Tom Isaac, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP (Vancouver)
Carla McGrath, Director General Treaties and Aboriginal Government, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Renée Pelletier, Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP
Chris Roine, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (Vancouver) 
Alexandria Winterburn, Aird & Berlis

We will close with an interactive roundtable in which our speakers will share these insights and experience and respond to your pressing questions.