May 2, 2008
First Advance Costs Order Made in Federal Court for 25 year old Aboriginal Case by Hagwilget Village.
MARCH, 2008
Peter Grant Profile: UBC Alumni Magazine, Winter '08
Read the Profile [PDF]
DECEMBER, 2007
Delgamuukw: Ten Years Later
Delgamuukw’s legacy after ten years includes the recognition that courts need to ‘decolonize’ themselves in order to properly accept aboriginal oral history. The consultation obligation which is founded in the Delgamuukw decision continues to be a strong incentive to government to recognize and reconcile with aboriginal title.
Read the Paper [PDF]
NOVEMBER, 2007
Inquest Jury Finds Cause of Death as Homicide
Peter Grant and Associates is proud to have represented Corinna Hall in her struggle to obtain an inquest into the death of her daughter, Savanah Brianna Marie Hall, who died in foster care in January 2001. After a year and a half of effort on Corinna's behalf, an inquest was finally announced in March 2007. It commenced on October 22, 2007, in Prince George, B.C. Read the Story
B.C. Supreme Court Overturns 1985 Indian Act Amendments Regarding Indian Status
We would like to advise our clients of an important decision which could have significant implications for First Nations peoples and communities in Canada. The case was decided by the British Columbia Supreme Court in June, 2007.
Read the Case Comment [PDF]
August, 2007
Lori Culbert, Vancouver Sun Published: Friday, August 24, 2007
Watchdog to probe deaths of four B.C. children
Savannah Hall, a little Prince George foster child who died under mysterious circumstances, is one of the first four childrenwhose deaths are to be investigated by B.C.'s new children's watchdog. Read Story [PDF]
MARCH, 2007
News Release: March 8, 2007
Nine Judges Finalize the Approval of Residential School Settlement. On Thursday, March 8, 2007 an historic event occurred when nine judges from across Canada convened together in Calgary. Read News Release [PDF]
DECEMBER, 2006
Residential School Settlement Agreement Approved
News Release: December 15, 2006
Seven of nine courts across Canada approve the National Residential School Settlement Agreement. Read News Release [PDF]
Aboriginal Right to Harvest Wood for Domestic Use
On December 7, 2006 the Supreme Court of Canada released a very important decision for the aboriginal peoples of Canada, recognizing that aboriginal rights include the right to harvest wood from Crown lands for "domestic use". The decision is known as R. v. Sappier and R. v. Gray. Read the Commentary [PDF]
November, 2006
There have been a number of questions raised about the Indian Residential School Agreement. We've compiled the most common questions and answers in an a clear, easy-to-understand FAQ, available for download here.
OCTOBER, 2006
News Release: October 31, 2006
Recent Court Hearings on the Court approval process of the National Settlement Agreement, Re: Indian Residential School Claims
All nine Canadian Courts charged with approving the National Agreement on Indian Residential School claims (“the Agreement”) have now held hearings with respect to approval of the Agreement. None of the Courts have made a decision at this time. The longest hearing was held in British Columbia, over the course of five days, before Chief Justice Brenner of the British Columbia Supreme Court. Read More... [PDF]
JANUARY, 2006
Open Net Cage Aquaculture on Traditional Territory
In Blaney et al v. British Columbia (The Minister of Agriculture Food and Fisheries) et al. , 2005 BCSC 283, British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Powers applied the recent SCC decisions in Haida and Taku to rule that the Provincial Crown as represented by the Minister of Agriculture Food and Fisheries, had not met its duty to consult with the Xwémalhkwu First Nation (Homalco Indian Band) in his reasons for judgment handed down on March 2, 2005 Read the Case Comment [PDF]
