Subject Matter Experts
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Dr. Val Napoleon
Director, JD/JID program, Associate professor, Law Foundation Chair of Indigenous Justice and Governance, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria
Val Napoleon was appointed the Law Foundation Professor of Aboriginal Justice and Governance at the Faculty of Law, University of Victoria on January 1, 2012. She is from northeast British Columbia (Treaty 8) and a member of Saulteau First Nation. She is also an adopted member of the Gitanyow (Gitksan) House of Luuxhon, Ganada (Frog) Clan. Prior to joining the Faculty of Law at UVic, she is an associate professor cross appointed with the faculties of Native Studies and Law at the University of Alberta.
She worked as a community activist and consultant in northwestern BC for over 25 years, specializing in health, education, and justice issues. She have also worked with a number of regional, provincial, national, and international projects relating to indigenous legal traditions, conflict management, education, and citizenship. Her dissertation on Gitksan law and legal theory was awarded the UVic Governor General's Gold Medal for best dissertation in 2009.
Her current research focuses on indigenous legal traditions, indigenous legal theory, indigenous feminism, citizenship, self-determination, and governance. Some of her major initiatives include the proposed JID (joint JD and indigenous law degree) program, establishing the Indigenous Law Research Unit, and a collaborative national reconciliation and justice with the Indigenous Bar Association, Truth and Reconciliation, and the Ontario Law Foundation.
She has taught and published on aboriginal legal issues, indigenous legal theory, indigenous feminist legal studies, self-government, critical issues in restorative justice, oral traditions, and contemporary aboriginal issues. I also teach property law.
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Brad Regehr
President of the Canadian Bar Association (2019-2020), Partner with Maurice Law, Barristers & Solicitors
Brad Regehr is the Canadian Bar Association's first Indigenous President, former President of the Manitoba Bar Association, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce in Winnipeg as well as Partner with Maurice Law, Barristers & Solicitors
His legal practice focuses on Aboriginal, administrative, corporate/commercial and real property law. He is Legal Counsel to First Nation and other aboriginal groups representing them in numerous matters including litigation, administrative, historical claims and governance issues. Bradley holds a BA (Joint Honours) degree from the University of Waterloo (1993) and an LL.B. (1996) from the University of Manitoba. He is ta former President of the Manitoba Bar Association, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Aboriginal Chamber of Commerce in Winnipeg.
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Kathryn Teneese
Director/Chief Negotiator at Ktunaxa Nation Council. Ktunaxa Nation Council. Cranbrook, British Columbia
Ms. Kathryn Teneese is the Ktunaxa Nation Chair as well as Chief Negotiator for the ongoing treaty negotiations with Canada and British Columbia.
Ms. Teneese’s active participation in public service began in the late 1960’s at the Columbia Lake Band (now known as the Akisq’nuk First Nation) as a Band Councillor and Band Manager, and then later as the Area Coordinator for the organization now known as the Ktunaxa Nation Council.
She was also employed in the area of Adult Education at EKCC, now the College of the Rockies.
From 1981 to 1998 Ms. Teneese lived away from the area to pursue employment at a senior level with a number of provincial Aboriginal organizations based in Vancouver. She returned to the Ktunaxa amakis (territory) in August 1998.
Ms. Teneese’ s recent public service includes being a member of the First Nations Summit Task Group, serving as the Chair of the New Relationship Trust and most recently, as a member of the British Columbia Climate Solutions and Clean Growth Advisory Council.