Distinguished Métis lawyers Jean Teillet and Jason Madden will be co-hosting a lunchtime discussion regarding Métis rights on Monday, February 28, 2011 from 12.30-2.00pm in FLA. A free lunch will be provided to those in attendance. Please RSVP to lisa.delcol@utoronto.ca if you’re interested in attending. Speaker Bios: Jean Teillet
Jean Teillet is called to the Bars in Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba. She is a partner in the firm of Pape Salter Teillet with offices in Vancouver, Toronto and Behchokö, NT. Ms. Teillet specializes in Aboriginal rights litigation and negotiations, with a particular emphasis on Métis rights.
Since 1993, she has been a tutor and mentor to Aboriginal students at the University of Toronto, the University of Alberta and Osgoode Hall Law School. As a founding member of the Métis Nation of Ontario, founding president of the Métis Nation Lawyers Association and former treasurer and vice-president of the Indigenous Bar Association of Canada, she has freely devoted her time and efforts to the Aboriginal Community. In 2002 Ms. Teillet became the first recipient of the Law Society of Upper Canada's Lincoln Alexander Award for her work "as a mentor and teacher and her commitment to advancing Aboriginal issues".
The 2005 Aboriginal Justice Award was presented to Jean Teillet by the Aboriginal Law Students' Association, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta "In Recognition of Service to the Aboriginal Community" and for her "Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Aboriginal Justice".
Ms. Teillet is the great-grandniece of Louis Riel.
Jason Madden
Lawyer Jason Madden focuses on Aboriginal rights litigation and governance issues as well as negotiations on behalf of Aboriginal communities throughout Ontario and western Canada. He has been at the forefront of the new prominence of Métis rights and claims in Aboriginal jurisprudence. Mr. Madden acted as counsel for the Métis Nation in its interventions in R. v. Powley and R. v. Blais, the first Métis rights cases to be decided by the Supreme Court of Canada.
As well, Mr. Madden is counsel in several Métis rights cases, including: R. v. Goodon (Manitoba); R. v. Laviolette (Saskatchewan); R. v.
Kelley (Alberta); R. v. Belhemeur (Saskatchewan); R. v. Laurin & Lemieux (Ontario).
Mr. Madden is Métis born and raised in Northwestern Ontario.
