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Indigenous

Blakes is by far the most skilled and professional law firm I have had the pleasure of working with in First Nations relationship and agreement building.

Client comment, Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business 2021
Blakes is Canada’s leading adviser on Indigenous issues, including matters involving First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. Our Indigenous law group understands that our clients need practical, current advice to assist in achieving their business objectives. We provide tailored Aboriginal legal advice to help our clients achieve those goals. For over 30 years, we have acted on behalf of corporations, organizations, institutions and Indigenous organizations in connection with Indigenous law matters. Today, we act for the largest resource development projects in Canada, including LNG in B.C., oil sands in Alberta and mining across all provinces and territories. We are also counsel on the most significant pipeline projects in Canada.

We have experience and deep knowledge of Indigenous issues, applicable laws and legal protections, treaty rights and governance concerns. We understand the many economic and cultural issues that impact Indigenous peoples and those engaged in business with them. We advise clients on the application of rapidly evolving international principles in Canada, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

We have extensive experience across Canada, advising on Indigenous consultation and accommodation considerations impacting business activities, fostering Indigenous relationship development through impact and benefit agreements, protocol agreements and capacity funding agreements, and providing guidance on regulatory matters. With offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal, we can provide advice that is particular to the unique legal landscape and Indigenous rights in each jurisdiction.
 
Our lawyers represent industry clients and Indigenous groups on a broad range of commercial ventures and opportunities, including First Nations negotiations, partnerships and joint ventures for business with Indigenous groups, and developments on reserve or other Indigenous lands. The group also advises on the Indigenous law aspects of M&A transactions, from early due diligence to managing Indigenous-related risks and relationships through closing and beyond.

We are at the forefront of Indigenous equity participation in major projects in Canada. We advise project proponents and lenders on many of the largest and most significant Indigenous equity transactions across the country. Some of the areas in which we assist clients include structuring, financing, tax and strategic matters, as well as transactions across a broad spectrum of industries such as Indigenous equity participation in energy, mining, power, infrastructure and real estate developments.

Our lawyers also act on proceedings involving Indigenous legal issues before regulatory tribunals and courts throughout Canada, including successfully navigating the regulatory process, defending against challenges to government permits for natural resource development, dealing with injunction applications and judicial review proceedings, dealing with challenges to regulations or government actions, striking claims against clients and negotiating appropriate out‐of‐court settlements of disputes.

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