New! February 2010: Peter Grant presented an overview presentation to lawyers in Quebec on the recent developments on the Consultation law and the Goal of Reconciliation in British Columbia on February 24, 2010 in Montreal.

September 2009: Peter Grant has been rated as distinguished on the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating and has been acknowledged as having expertise in the field of Aboriginal law under the Independent Pier Review of L’expert.

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

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

PRACTICE

Peter has practiced in the Aboriginal law field since 1976. He first became involved in looking at Aboriginal issues when he worked for Leonard Peltier as part of the defence team. Mr. Peltier had been active in an AIM campaign to protect the Blackhills of South Dakota. From 1977 to 1995 Peter lived and worked in the Gitxsan territory and practiced law principally for the Gitxsan and the Wet’suwet’en in north central British Columbia. He worked as counsel in Delgamuukw v. The Queen which went to the Supreme Court of Canada. Peter specializes 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 many cases on aboriginal fishing rights (R v. Nikal) [SCC]; the duty to consult and accommodate aboriginal rights and title Gitxsan Nation v. British Columbia [BCSC] Gwasslam v. British Columbia, Blaney v. Minister of Lands [BCSC], Hupacasath v. Minister of Forests [BCSC], Wii’litswx vs. Minister of Forests [BCSC], and the earliest residential school cases (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 is a past Chair of the National Aboriginal Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association. Peter has been the CBA representative for aboriginal law on the Federal Bench and Bar Liaison Committee from 1998 until 2010. He is active in working with the Federal Court – Aboriginal Law Liason Committee on Guidelines for Elder’s Evidence.

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.

Peter has been actively involved in making presentations on a regular basis to continuing legal education both in British Columbia and in other provinces.

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: