Board of Directors
The Indigenous Bar Association in Canada is run by a volunteer Board of Directors, with administrative support.
Drew Lafond
President
Drew was raised in Treaty 6 territory on the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation reserve and is also of Shuswap descent from the Simpcw First Nation in British Columbia. He advises First Nations and Metis communities on matters related to economic development, gaming, housing, commercial leasing, and corporate governance, structure and finance.
Brooks Arcand-Paul
Vice-President
Brooks is a nehiyaw napew (Cree) from kipohtakaw (Alexander First Nation) in Treaty 6 territory, a treaty which was adhered to by kitâniskocâpân catchistahwayskum (his great-great-grandfather) at Fort Edmonton. Brooks has diverse experiences in Treaty 6, 7 and 8 territories within Alberta, and continues to appreciate the magnitude of all the promises laid out within those foundational documents.
Brooks is in-house counsel to the Alexander First Nation, Treaty 6,(Alberta). Brooks has been on the Board of Directors of the IBA since 2014.
Alain Bartleman
Treasurer
Alain Bartleman is a member of the Chippewas of Mnjikaning (Rama) First Nation. He is the Treasurer of the Indigenous Bar Association.
Alain studied law at the Institut des Etudes Politiques de Paris, the University of Geneva, as well as McGill University.
Alain works at Nahwegahbow Corbiere, where his practice is limited to acting for First Nation individuals, communities and organizations. Prior to working at Nahwegahbow, Corbiere, Alain worked for a large corporate and regulatory litigation firm in Paris, France, an Ontario-based First Nation, as well as a boutique Toronto-based law firm specialized in criminal and regulatory litigation.
Alain is bilingual English/French. Alain volunteers in his spare time and enjoys spending time on the land.
Lori Mishibinijima
Secretary
Lori Mishibinijima is Anishinaabe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory in Ontario. She is currently the Manager of Indigenous Initiatives at Osgoode Hall Law School, where she supports the Indigenization of the school and curriculum. Lori was Legal Counsel with the Human Rights Legal Support Centre for 10 years, where she provided legal representation to individuals respecting matters of discrimination under the Ontario Human Rights Code. She also acted as coordinator and helped develop the HRLSC’s Indigenous Service where she supported access to justice for Indigenous people. For the last sixteen years, she has been a member of the Community Council, a criminal diversion program at Aboriginal Legal Services. Lori has also served as the President of Native Men’s Residence Board of Directors from 2011 to 2018. In 2016, she was the recipient of the Minaake Award in Advocacy and Human Rights for her contributions to the Toronto Indigenous community.
Alexandria (Ajay) Winterburn
Member-at-large
Alexandria (Ajay) is Mohawk and Abenaki and from the turtle clan.
She received her JD from the University of Toronto, and her BA (hons) from the University of Alberta. Alexandria is an associate with Pape Salter Teillet LLP and specializes in Indigenous rights and Aboriginal law with a focus on issues including the duty to consult, negotiation and implementation of modern treaties and governance agreements, and partnerships between industry and Indigenous peoples. She is called to the bar in Ontario and Manitoba.
Jocelyn Formsma
Member at Large
Jocelyn W. Formsma is a member of Moose Cree First Nation and resides in Ottawa, Ontario. She was born and raised in Mushkegowuk territory (James Bay) in the Eastern side of Treaty #9 in Northern Ontario. Jocelyn completed both her Honours Bachelors of Social Sciences and Juris Doctor (JD) at the University of Ottawa. She has over 18 years of experience working with First Nations and Aboriginal organizations in the areas of social development, Indigenous children’s rights, law, media, youth engagement, and international advocacy.
Called to the Bar of Ontario, she worked as an Associate Lawyer with Nahwegahbow Corbiere Genoodmagijig Barristers and Solicitors until 2018. Jocelyn also volunteers as a board member of the National Indian Child Welfare Association (based in Portland, OR), founder of the Morningstar Fund and the Chairperson of the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) Board of Directors. Ms. Formsma is currently the Executive Director of the National Association of Friendship Centres.
Samantha Craig-Curnow
Member at Large
Aanin kina wiya! Nbi-Kwe (Water Woman) ndishnikaaz, Chippewas of Rama First Nation ndoonjibaa. Waabzheshi ndoodem. My name is Samantha Craig-Curnow. I am from the Chippewas of Rama First Nation in south-central Ontario. I am from the Marten clan. I am a mother, an auntie, a sister, a daughter, a wife. I am Anishinaabe kwe.
I called Osgoode Hall Law School home for 4 years while I completed an extended time JD and my husband and I welcomed a daughter to this world. Before that, I studied political science at York University and took the law clerk program at Seneca College.
I was called to the bar in November 2020 and I currently practice in-house for my First Nation as their Associate General Counsel. This means that I have the honour of not only guiding my community toward sound legal decisions, I also get to be involved in the reinvigoration of Anishinaabe law, governance and justice. In addition to my work for my First Nation, I am lucky enough to sit on a number of boards and committees including being Co-Chair of the Seneca College Indigenous Education Council and Co-Chair of the Seneca College Law Clerk Program Advisory Committee as well as a member of the Ontario Bar Association’s Canadian Corporate Counsel Association Board. I also have the privilege of working with the youth in my community, co-facilitating the Indigenous Youth Justice Program. I look forward to my term with the Indigenous Bar Association. The opportunity to support and engage with the Indigenous Bar in Canada is a true honour and privilege.
Catriona Dooley
Member at Large
Catriona Dooley is Anishininew (Oji-Cree) and Irish, a lawyer and beadwork artist, and a band member of St.Theresa Point First Nation in the Island Lake region of Treaty 5, located in MB. She is very close with her family and community, but grew up off-reserve as a visitor in Treaty 1 and Treaty 3 territories, in southern MB and Sioux Lookout, ON. The latter is on the traditional lands of Lac Seul First Nation (Obishikokaang), where her husband grew up and is band member, as are their two children.
Catriona has a BA and BSW from the U of M, and a JD from the Allard School of Law at UBC with specializations in both Aboriginal Law and Social Justice. She is called to the Ontario Bar and Manitoba Bar, and has experience as both a sole practitioner and small firm setting for a range of Indigenous issues with a focus that utilizes her social work and creative backgrounds She was recently an associate lawyer at a local firm where she lives in Sioux Lookout, ON, but has returned to sole practice and maintains office in Winnipeg, MB.
Anita Stewart
Student Representative
Anita Cardinal-Stewart is nehiyaw iskwew, a proud member of Woodland Cree First Nations #474 situated on Treaty 8 territory and a 2nd year law student at the University of Alberta where she is currently the President of Indigenous Law Students Association, she is also the newly elected President for NILSA. Prior to law school, Anita was a Paralegal in civil litigation and had the opportunity to work on such important files such as the Sixties Scoop, Newfoundland & Labrador Residential School claim settlement, Forced Sterilization (of which her mother is a Representative Plaintiff for in the Alberta class action) and many other historical sexual abuse claims. All these have been powerful motivations to enter into law school albeit later in life than most as a mature student. A mother to three sons and doting kokum to 2-year-old Niko she is an advocate for Indigenous Rights and youth Indigenous initiatives and is currently the Edmonton Program Leader for Level Justice IYOP and one of the writers for ReconciliAction YEG blog this year. In her spare time, she is an ultra trail runner and most days you can find her training for her next race on the beautiful Edmonton river valley trails.
