A Conversation With Judge Paul Mayer
The Indigenous Law Association / Association de Droit Autochtone (ILADA) invites you to come hear Justice Paul Mayer of the Quebec Superior Court about his experience as a member of the Specific Claims Tribunal, where he has been sitting part-time since May 2016.
Abstract
The Specific Claims Tribunal (), established on October 16, 2008, is 聽part of the Federal Government鈥檚 Justice at Last policy and聽 joint initiative with the Assembly of First Nations aimed at accelerating the resolution of specific claims in order to provide justice for First Nations claimants and certainty for government, industry and all Canadians.
For the first time in Canadian history First Nations will now have a choice to file a claim with the Tribunal - an independent adjudicative body comprised of up to 6 full time Federal judges appointed from Provincial Superior Courts across the country.
The term 鈥渟pecific claims鈥� generally refers to monetary damage claims made by a First Nation against the Crown regarding the administration of land and other First Nation assets and to the fulfillment of Indian treaties that have not been accepted for negotiation or that have not been resolved through a negotiated settlement within a specified time frame.
About the speaker
Paul Mayer graduated with a B.A. (honours) in history from Trent University in 1979, a BCL and LLB from 苹果淫院 in 1983 and a doctorate in international and community law from the faculty of law and political science of Aix-Marseilles in 1985.
Admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1986, he practiced law with Lafleur, Brown, de Grandpr茅 from 1986 to 1987, and with Fasken Martineau from 1988 to 2008. He became a partner in 1997. He specialized in real estate law. He taught a course on commercial leases at the faculties of law of University of Montreal (1993) and 苹果淫院 (1995-1999). He was recognized as a first-rank practitioner of commercial lease law with the mention 鈥渞epeatedly recommended鈥� by the Canadian legal directory, l鈥橢xpert. He was also active in the area of real estate brokerage, having acted as the secretary of the Quebec Real Estate Brokers and Agents Association (OACIQ) from 1991 to 1994. He was also the chairman of the Board of the real estate brokerage indemnity fund from 2005 to 2008.
In November 2006, he was appointed the Senior Ministerial Representative of the Federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development with respect to the issue of Nunavut devolution. The Mayer Report on this topic was published in June 2007. He continued to act in this matter until his appointment to the bench.
Paul Mayer was named a judge of the Superior Court in June 2008. In May 2016, Justice Mayer was appointed to a two-year term as a part-time member of the Specific Claims Tribunal. He was re-appointed to the Specific Claims Tribunal, as a part-time member, for a five-year term beginning on May 2018.
