|

About

I am committed to leading in the governance-policy space through okimâskwêwak nîkânastamâkêwin / Matriarchal Leadership. This is a relational ethic, rooted in miyo pimâtisiwin - a Cree concept of living a good and balanced life - informed by our natural laws, and grounded in land-based kinship practices, honoring language and ceremony. It is a deliberative and generative type of systems thinking. Having followed in the direction set by nôhkomak (my grandmothers and respected female elders and aunts), I bring two decades of professional experience specializing in strategic policy development to support First Nations and Métis citizens, across British Columbia and Alberta. My work spans modern treaty nations, numbered treaty nations, and non-treaty nations, as well as Métis self-governance and rights recognition. I focus on developing governance structures, policy frameworks, and legal strategies that reflect and uphold Indigenous legal traditions and inherent rights.

 

Honouring tradition

êkwa | and

Embracing innovation

At Firestone Policy Group, I provide strategic policy advice tailored to advance self-determination, governance, and justice priorities. Guided by Kwayaskastasowin: Setting Things Right, I leverage my experience in:

 

• Nation-to-Nation and Government-to-Government Relations

• Policy Development to build Indigenous Good Governance Frameworks

• Policy Development for Reconciliation Agreements / Foundation Agreements

• Non-Treaty Inherent Title and Rights 

• Numbered Treaty Rights

• Modern Treaty Rights 

• Métis Section 35 Rights  

• Community-Based Justice Models

​

community justice models

 

Whether it is for a First Nation or a Métis Nation, I specialize in implementing reconciliation and self-governing agreements, with expertise in developing community-based justice models. Guided by Kwayask itôtamowin: Indigenous Research Ethics, my work ensures that First Nations and Métis governments can strengthen governance, protect rights, and advance self-determination in key areas, including:

​

• Crime Prevention & Community Safety

• Restorative Justice Models

• Indigenous Legal Orders & Oral History Documentation

• Consent-Based Decision-Making (UNDRIP)

 

My Education

 

Bachelor of Commerce (2004)

Juris Doctor (J.D.) (2009)

​

My Roots

​

I am Cree-Métis and Persian, with my identity deeply rooted in the relationships and responsibilities of wâhkotowin (kinship). My paternal roots are in Edmonton, St. Paul, Lac La Biche, and Goodfish Lake in Alberta, with family names including Todd, Laframboise, Cardinal, Desjarlais, Howse, and Dufresne. These names represent kinship ties that have been nurtured across generations.

​

My Métis lineage is from St. Paul des Métis Settlement, where my mosom-pun (late grandfather) was born and raised. My nêhiyaw lineage comes from Lac La Biche and Goodfish Lake, where my father’s great-great-uncle, Chief Piyesis / Little Bird, was a Treaty 6 signatory. My family played a role in both treaty-making and Scrip-taking in the Alberta context. I continue to honor these legacies through ongoing kinship relationships and by ensuring our histories and legal traditions remain recognized, practiced, and protected.

​

Commitment 

​

My work is centered on bridging legal, governance, and policy frameworks with Indigenous laws to strengthen nation-building efforts. While governments have legislated the implementation of UNDRIP, meaningful change depends on First Nations and Métis Peoples asserting and practicing their legal traditions on their own terms.

For First Nations governance, this includes the recognition of inherent laws, oral traditions, and governance structures within the broader legal landscape. The assertion of Indigenous jurisdiction in areas such as lands, resources, justice, and child welfare remains central to self-determination. 
 

effective governance

My work honors the following 5 Pillars from the National Centre for First Nations Governance (where I began my career):

​

The People + The Land + Governing Systems + Laws and Jurisdiction + Resources

​

I remain committed to supporting both First Nations and Métis in articulating, implementing, and protecting their inherent rights through governance, justice, and legal frameworks that reflect their laws, languages, and ways of being.
 

​