New! March, 2008: Read Peter Grant Profile in Winter '08 UBC Alumni Magazine

Called to the Bar: June, 1976 (British Columbia)

PRACTICE

Peter has worked in Aboriginal law since 1976. He acted as part of the defense team for Leonard Peltier on the matter of his extradition from Canada to the U.S.A. in 1976 and assisted in the lobby for a review of the legality of the extradition by Canada. Peter lived in the Gitxsan territory in northern British Columbia from 1977 to 1995. He has specialized particularly in:

BACKGROUND

Peter was one of the lead counsel in Delgamuukw v. The Queen the leading Canadian aboriginal title case from the commencement of the case until its completion in the Supreme Court of Canada.   He was also counsel in leading cases on aboriginal fishing rights (R v. Nikal) [SCC]; the duty to consult (Luuxhon v. The Queen) [BCSC] and residential school claims (Blackwater v. Plint [SCC]); Aleck v. Clarke [BCCA]; and Barney v. Plint [SCC].  

Peter has been a member of the International Commission on Folk Law and Legal Pluralism since 1981. He was the past Chair of the National Aboriginal Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. Peter is the CBA representative for aboriginal law on the Federal Bench and Bar Liaison Committee.

Peter is also on the Board of Directors of EAGLE, a national environmental and aboriginal legal education non-profit organization.

Since the Indian Residential School Settlement, Peter has been elected the representative of Independent Counsel on the National Administration Committee [NAC] which is responsible for the implementation of the Indian Residential School Settlement.

Peter has always supported pro bono work. In October, 2007, Peter acted for the mother of the late Savanah Hall in an Inquest into the death of a child in foster care in Prince George which led to 26 recommendations, including 17 directed to the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The First Nations Summit and the UBCIC have called for the implementation of those recommendations.

Education

LLB, UBC, 1975

BA [English and Film Production], 1971

Publications, Papers, Presentations

On Residential Schools:

On Assistance to Aboriginal Governments:

On Treaty Negotiations:

On Aboriginal Title: