Announcement: Gilbert Deschamps

The Bora Laskin Faculty of Law at Lakehead University is pleased to announce the appointment of Gilbert Deschamps, in the new position of Director of Indigenous Relations commencing on September 26, 2016. "This new position and the addition of Director Deschamps will add tremendously to our efforts in recruitment, admissions and retention of Aboriginal and Indigenous students," says Dean Angelique EagleWoman. "The motivation for this position was originally brought forward as priority by the distinguished members of our Aboriginal Advisory Committee. We are so pleased to have such a qualified and well-connected lawyer join our Faculty of Law in this important position." 

Most recently, Mr. Deschamps served as a Band Councillor at the Red Rock First Nation (Lake Helen Reserve) of Ontario. In that position, he participated in the portfolios on: Justice and Policy, Education, and Band Administration. He has also maintained a legal practice focusing on family and criminal law. He has a depth of prior experience serving as a policy analyst for several Indigenous-focused companies including the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association in Ottawa, the Assembly of First Nations in Ottawa, and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada in Gatineau, Quebec.

Director Deschamps earned his Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law in Vancouver and his Bachelor of Arts in Social Anthropology at Lakehead University. He states that he has had, "a longstanding interest in attracting more Indigenous people to the field of law. I believe that the future lies in re-establishing self-determination and self-government for the Indigenous people of Canada. As a result, we will need more legally trained graduates to help establish our own justice systems." As he steps into the role of Director of Indigenous Relations, he will be the primary outreach professional to Ontario First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities with a particular focus on the North.