Matrimonial Real Property Rights on Reserve

Course Chairs 
Bonnie M. Leonard — Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, Kamloops
Andrew Ouchterlony — Department of Justice, INAC Legal Services, Gatineau

About the Course Chairs 

Bonnie M. Leonard graduated from the University of Victoria law school in 1996 and was called to the bar in 1997.  She worked as legal counsel in the community of Kamloops for several years prior to taking on the full-time role as Chief of the Kamloops Indian Band for a three-year term. 

Bonnie came to work at the SNTC office as the Director of Aboriginal Rights and Title in 2004 and in 2010 became the Tribal Director.  As Tribal Director, Bonnie manages the administrative affairs of the Tribal Council including implementation of policy and decisions of the Chiefs.  Reporting directly to the Tribal Chairperson, Bonnie is responsible for budget development and monitoring of revenue and expenses as well as all human resource matters within the SNTC offices.  Bonnie uses her years of legal and political experience to advise the Council of Chiefs on matters pertaining to strategic planning, policy development and implementation, and contract administration.

She resides in Kamloops and is raising two daughters.  Bonnie also has a passion for animals; and has two horses, four dogs and a handful of cats.

Andrew Ouchterlony is a Legal Counsel with the federal Department of Justice, in the Legal Services Unit serving Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (which is currently transforming into two parts: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and Indigenous Services Canada). He is located in Ottawa/Gatineau. For several years he has participated in the development and implementation of legislative and regulatory initiatives relating to First Nations.

Faculty
Christopher E. Angeconeb LL.B — MRP Specialist - East (MB, ON, English QC & Atlantic Region), Centre of Excellence for Matrimonial Real Property, Ontario
Andrew Beynon — Law Making & Enforcement Advisor, First Nations Land Management Resource Centre, Sutton West
Anja P. Brown—Mandell Pinder LLP, Vancouver
Rosanne Casimir — Councillor, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, Kamloops
Bonnie M. Leonard — Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, Kamloops
Kathy McCue — MRP Specialist – West (NT, BC, AB, SK), Centre of Excellence for Matrimonial Real Property, Ontario
Andrew Ouchterlony — Department of Justice, INAC Legal Services, Gatineau
Kelly H. Russ — Kelly Harvey Russ Personal Law Corporation, West Vancouver

Online Moderators
Dorothy LaPlante — Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Gatineau
Nancy Lacroix — Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Gatineau

Click here for full faculty bios »

Welcome and Opening Prayer

Elder
Bonnie M. Leonard — Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, Kamloops
Andrew Ouchterlony — Department of Justice, INAC Legal Services, Gatineau

Matrimonial Real Property on Reserve Lands and Overview of the Family Homes on Reserve and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act

• the issue of matrimonial real property (MRP) on reserves
• history and context of the legislation
• content of the legislation
• caselaw
• resources

Andrew Ouchterlony — Department of Justice, INAC Legal Services, Gatineau
Christopher E. Angeconeb LL.B — MRP Specialist - East (MB, ON, English QC & Atlantic Region), Centre of Excellence for Matrimonial Real Property, Ontario

Break

Application of the Family Homes on Reserve and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act

• consideration and discussion of a variety of scenarios based on real-life situations

Andrew Ouchterlony — Department of Justice, INAC Legal Services, Gatineau
Kathy McCue — MRP Specialist – West (NT, BC, AB, SK), Centre of Excellence for Matrimonial Real Property, Ontario

Questions and Discussion

Networking Lunch (Provided)

The FHRMIRA On the Ground: First Nations Lawmaking in BC

• Creating MRP law for communities
• First Nations Land Management Regime
• Interplay between land management, housing, residency and matrimonial property
• Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc: a BC First Nation’s experience in lawmaking
  • Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc Land Regime
  • identifying the benefits of creating your community’s own MRP Law
  • creating Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc MRP law: challenges and how we overcame them 
  • interplay between lands, housing, matrimonial property, and taxation                                  

Andrew Beynon — Law Making & Enforcement Advisor, First Nations Land Management Resource Centre, Sutton West
Rosanne Casimir — Councillor, Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, Kamloops
Bonnie M. Leonard — Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, Kamloops

Questions and Discussion

Break

The FHRMIRA On the Ground: Individual Rights and Protections

• accessing individual rights and protections under FHRMIRA from the courts in BC
• practice and procedure
• mediation
• practical issues

Anja P. Brown — Mandell Pinder LLP, Vancouver
Bonnie M. Leonard — Shuswap Nation Tribal Council, Kamloops
Kelly H. Russ — Kelly Harvey Russ Personal Law Corporation, West Vancouver

Questions and Discussion