Denis Blanchette is a partner in Gowling WLG's Montreal office, practising in public law, with a focus on Indigenous law, governance, the administration of justice, the protection of the environment, and resource development. He works primarily with the Crees of Eeyou Istchee on the implementation of various aspects of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1975) and related agreements, including the New Relationship Agreement with Canada (2008), the Agreement on Cree Nation Governance between the Crees and Canada (2017), and the Eeyou Marine Region Land Claims Agreement (2010). He advises on various initiatives concerning federal and provincial legislative reforms, government relations affecting Indigenous people, and related government policy. Prior to joining the firm, he was a law clerk to Justice Peter Cory at the Supreme Court of Canada and was involved with international organizations in Africa and Latin America where he participated in the implementation and management of projects involving institutional reform, justice, and the protection of human rights. He has been recognized in both The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory and The Best Lawyers™ in Canada.
