225 6th Ave SW, Suite 1100, Brookfield Pl, Calgary, AB
Year called to bar: 1996 (BC); 1997 (YT); 2001 (AB); 2013 (NT)
John is a member of the firm’s Indigenous, Environment and Regulatory, Project Development, and Northern Practice Groups. He advises clients throughout Canada on Indigenous, environmental, regulatory, and natural resources matters. He provides counsel to oil sands developers, conventional oil & gas companies, railways, mining companies, forestry companies, utilities, and other resource developers on environmental regulatory matters and on Indigenous law matters, including Aboriginal consultation issues and negotiation of cooperation protocols and impact benefit agreements related to natural resource project development. John also advises on regulatory compliance matters including anti-corruption and bribery laws as well as payment disclosure (ESTMA) laws. John is recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada, Chambers Canada, Chambers Global, and Legal 500 Canada for Aboriginal Law, and was named the 2021 'Lawyer of the Year' for Aboriginal Law in Calgary by Best Lawyers in Canada. He is the editor of the "Aboriginal property taxation" chapter of the BC Continuing Legal Education BC Real Property Assessment Manual. John was previously a principal negotiator for the Yukon government in land claims negotiations with Yukon First Nations. He is called to the Bars of Alberta, BC, and the NWT.
Courts are paying more attention to indigenous rights, including effects of development, while First Nations are also defending their impact benefit agreements
