With decades of experience in dispute resolution, intergovernmental relations, labour management, union negotiation, acting as director of non-profits, and entrepreneurship, it is no wonder Kathy decided to go into law. Having achieved her law degree in 2008, Kathy practiced criminal law and Aboriginal law for 15 years. Seeking a new direction for her career, Kathy now devotes her time to Aboriginal Law. 

During her career as a litigation lawyer, Kathy has appeared at all levels of court in Saskatchewan, including the Provincial Court, Court of King’s Bench, and Court of Appeal and in the Alberta Court of Appeal. She has also appeared before the Federal Court of Appeal, and as co-counsel at the Supreme Court of Canada.

Kathy has worked on various national policy initiatives for the Métis National Council (MNC), including the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreement Strategy, Canada-Aboriginal Peoples Roundtables, the Kelowna Accord, and Post-Powley. She has also given evidence at the Canadian Aboriginal Affairs Standing Committee on the effects of the McIvor decision on Métis identity. She has researched and presented on Métis Aboriginal rights law and traditional knowledge at local, provincial, national, and international forums and conducted research for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, the Canadian Education Association and the Canada Council on Learning. She has several years of research experience conducting traditional land-use mapping for the Métis Nation.

Internationally, Kathy has appeared and spoken at the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Intergovernmental Sub-Committee (IGC) on the Protection of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Cultural Expressions and Traditional Knowledge Associated with Genetic Resources. Kathy has served on the Canadian Delegation to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the WIPO IGC and to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. She has appeared on and off Canadian Delegation to the various working groups under these international treaties.

Kathy has chaired a number of national and international committees, assemblies and meetings, including the MNC National Research Strategy and Urban Aboriginal Strategy committee, National Environment Committee, in addition to the Canadian Standards Association Technical Committee, which established a national standard for the operation of Mètis Nation Registries. She is currently the Facilitator of the Indigenous experts under the Commission for Environmental Cooperation for Canada, Mexico and the United States and the Traditional Knowledge Expert Group. She recently co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the Chiefs of Ontario and the Manitoba Métis Federation on Métis Nation Identity. She has chaired numerous national and provincial meetings of the Métis Nation, including for the national women’s organization.

PRACTICE AREAS

• Aboriginal Law

BAR ADMISSIONS & EDUCATION

• Juris Doctor of Laws, (University of Saskatchewan, 2008)
• Masters of Education with Thesis, (University of Saskatchewan, 1997)
• Bachelor of Education with Distinction, (University of Saskatchewan, 1990)

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS & AWARDS

• Designation as King’s Counsel (Government of Saskatchewan), 2023
• Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Government of Saskatchewan), 2023
• Métis Nation President’s Award for Service to the Métis Nation (Métis National Council), 2019
• Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipient (Women of the Métis Nation), 2012
• Advanced Constitutional Law Award (Saskatoon Bar Association/College of Law U of S) 2007
• University of Saskatchewan Kawaskimhon Aboriginal Moot Team, 2007
• U of S Andre Renaud Scholarship, 1996
• U of S College of Graduate Studies – Dean’s Scholarship : Masters With Thesis 1995
• U of S College of Graduate Studies – Dean’s Scholarship :Masters Without Thesis 1989
• U of S College of Education – Undergraduate Scholarship, 1989
• Saskatchewan Teachers Federation Howard Fullerton Scholarship 1988

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Member and Facilitator, Commission for Environmental Cooperation Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group
• Member, Saskatchewan Criminal Defence Lawyers Association
• Member, Saskatchewan Trial Lawyers Association
• Member, Canadian Bar Association