Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP

05/29/2026

On March 30, 2026, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) approved the Final Agreement on Long‑Term Reform of the First Nations Child and Family Services Program in Ontario (the Ontario Final Agreement, or the “OFA”). Today, that historic agreement officially comes into force.

Visit OKT Law to read the full blog post.

05/15/2026

Yesterday, James Shields spoke with CBC’s Tara McCarthy regarding the Alberta Court of King's Bench judge who has quashed the approval of a petition seeking a referendum on Alberta independence.

Visit OKT Law website to listen to the interview and learn more.

05/15/2026

OKT is thrilled that the Alberta Court of King’s Bench sided with Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and put an end to this divisive and unconstitutional referendum on Alberta separation. We are proud to have represented ACFN in this case, and, while the Government has made clear it intends to appeal the decision, we look forward to continuing this fight.

Visit OKT Law website to learn more.

05/15/2026

OKT is thrilled that the Alberta Court of King’s Bench sided with Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and put an end to this divisive and unconstitutional referendum on Alberta separation. We are proud to have represented ACFN in this case, and, while the Government has made clear it intends to appeal the decision, we look forward to continuing this fight.

Click on the link below to learn more.

The ruling comes after a group leading a petition for Alberta independence said it had gathered enough signatures to trigger a province-wide vote.

05/15/2026

OKT is thrilled that the Alberta Court of King’s Bench sided with Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and put an end to this divisive and unconstitutional referendum on Alberta separation. We are proud to have represented ACFN in this case, and, while the Government has made clear it intends to appeal the decision, we look forward to continuing this fight.

Click on the link to below to learn more.

The ruling comes after a group leading a petition for Alberta independence said it had gathered enough signatures to trigger a province-wide vote.

05/08/2026

On May 5th, 2026, Saugeen First Nation reclaimed something taken from them twice: first by colonial dispossession, and again in November 2022 when a property owner bulldozed an irreplaceable ancestral and burial site without warning, without permits, and without any of the legal protections that exist precisely to prevent this kind of harm. At a sentencing hearing held at Saugeen First Nation, an Ontario court confirmed the resolution of a prosecution about that archaeological site disturbance, including the return of the land to the First Nation. Ownership and the ability to protect one of Canada’s most significant archaeological sites is now back where it belongs.

Click on the link below to read the full blog post by authors Cathy Guirguis, Lorraine Land, and Mileva Boghosian.

https://www.oktlaw.com/nebwaakah-giizwed-ziibi-a-significant-ancestral-site-returned-to-saugeen-first-nation/

05/06/2026

We are excited to share that OKT and McCarthy Tétrault LLP were named Litigation Team of the Year at the 2026 Canadian Law Awards for our work in Shamattawa First Nation v. Canada (Attorney General), 2025 FC 1927.

Click on the link below to read our full announcement.
https://www.oktlaw.com/okt-and-mccarthy-tetrault-llp-win-litigation-team-of-the-year-at-the-2026-canadian-law-awards/

05/04/2026

Join us in welcoming our summer placement students, Aidan Condo, Annabelle MacRae, Ava Madden, Lisa Tssessaze and Bethanie Wilson!

05/01/2026

OKT is pleased to announce that Leah Mack will be joining OKT as a partner, starting May 1, 2026.

Leah founded and has operated Mack Law Corporation since October 2019, establishing herself as a leading Indigenous rights practitioner in Victoria, B.C. By integrating her practice and operations into OKT, she brings extensive experience advising First Nations and Indigenous organizations on complex and day-to-day legal and governance matters. She will continue serving clients from her existing office in Saanichton, B.C., located on W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip First Nation) land.

Please join us in welcoming Leah to our team.

Click here to read our full announcement: https://a-list.lawandstyle.ca/lawyer-announcements/olthuis-kleer-townshend-llp-welcomes-leah-mack-of-mack-law-corporation/