Our team

Over my career, I’ve been privileged to advise Indigenous governments across Canada on some of the country’s most significant energy and resource development projects. My work is grounded in a simple but uncompromising principle: development must protect lands, waters and animals; respect Indigenous jurisdiction; and generate real wealth to sustain governments, communities and people.

Much of my practice lies at the intersection of Indigenous rights and energy development. I’ve worked with exceptional leaders and powerful Nations on nuclear generation projects (including small modular reactors), nuclear waste facilities and major hydroelectric developments, along with transmission and energy storage projects. I’ve also collaborated on many high-profile resource development projects, including pipelines, large-scale mines and planning for the next wave of critical minerals development. These are among the most complex and sensitive projects in Canada, raising important questions about technology and policy, as well as stewardship, rights and long-term sustainability. My role has always been to ensure that Indigenous governments are not sidelined, but in fact leading – shaping how these projects unfold on their territories in ways that align with their vision for their future.

To achieve these successes with our clients, I’ve worked to secure and implement free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) protections; negotiated first-of-their-kind agreements to create enforceable standards; and built frameworks and protocols to respect Indigenous jurisdiction. A key part of my work is helping to ensure credible environmental and impact assessments, including Indigenous-led processes that embed cultural values, traditional laws and community priorities into project decision-making.

I regularly represent Indigenous governments before energy regulators and tribunals, bringing their perspectives to licensing and approval processes that determine the future of major infrastructure. In every forum – at the negotiation table, in regulatory hearings and in community planning – my focus is on securing outcomes that balance environmental protection, economic opportunity and the inherent right to self-government.

The founding partners of our firm were committed to working directly with Indigenous Nations, communities and leaders – whose goals and realities in turn drove the evolution of our practice. It’s been my great fortune to continue and build on these principles for the past 25 years, and to support Nations as they advance toward better futures.