Considerations Amid Canada’s New Global Trade Realities
📅 September 18, 2025 | 📍 The Bond, 364 9 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
Speaker Information
Plenary #1 – The ACR’s National Oilsands Task Force: A Model of Cooperation for Resource Development Success Plenary #1 – The ACR’s National Oilsands Task Force: A Model of Cooperation for Resource Development Success
A distinguished panel of speakers will discuss how the Alberta and federal governments landed on a fiscal framework that took oilsands production from less than a half-million bpd of oil production to over 4 million bpd and how this ACR initiative from the past might be used as a model to once again unite governments in the pursuit of sustainable resource development to preserve Canada’s independence and promote its future prosperity.
Naomi Tercier
Board Chair, Alberta Chamber of Resources
Naomi Tercier was born and raised in Alberta, spending her early years in Edmonton and Bonnyville. She later moved to Quebec for her final year of high school and CEGEP, gaining a broader cultural perspective while deepening her connection to her francophone heritage. Her family roots trace back 350 years to Canada’s early settlers, shaping a strong appreciation for the country’s history and landscape.
Naomi holds degrees in Archaeology and Communications from the University of Calgary, and recently completed the CMT program in Mining at Queen’s University’s Smith Faculty of Engineering. She brings over 20 years of progressive leadership experience in sales and operations across transportation, mining, and manufacturing companies. Her career has focused on strategic marketing, sales and distribution of bulk commodities including coal, grain, fertilizers, construction materials, and essential chemicals.
She currently serves as Director of Sales & Distribution for Western Canada and the US at Graymont, a global leader in calcium-based solutions for industries including Mining, Pulp & Paper, Oil & Gas, Steel, and Construction.
Naomi is actively engaged in community leadership, serving on the boards of the Alberta Chamber of Resources, Parsons Creek Aggregates, Parkland Regional Library, and the Clean Air Strategic Alliance. She is a former Chair of the Board for NUTV at the University of Calgary and has volunteered internationally in Kathmandu.
She lives in Calgary with her husband and three children, and finds renewal at their cabin in central Alberta.
Al Hyndman
Al Hyndman is a Canadian engineer who played a pivotal role the development of Canada’s oil sands to secure Canada’s energy future. Al started his career with Syncrude Canada Ltd. when it was still in its planning and development stage. He was with Syncrude through its early operations proving the viability of the oil sands as a global energy resource. Al’s passion for technology and policy helped Syncrude expand its production 400% by the time of his retirement from Syncrude. Al was a critical player on the National Oil Sands Task Force, working tirelessly to get provincial and federal government fiscal support for increasing not only Syncrude production, but that of the entire oil sands industry. Al capped off his career at Syncrude by obtaining regulatory approvals for the Aurora Mines with the unanimous support of indigenous groups and without the need for any hearings. Following his retirement from Syncrude, Al began a long career as a consultant stewarding or advising many oil sands projects, including the Muskeg River and Fort Hills mines, through their development and regulatory approvals phases. For the past decade, Al has focused on oil sands tailings policy and technology development. He played a key role in turning around oil sands regulatory policy from the unsustainable approach taken by the ERCB in Directive 074 to Directive 085 which is in place today. He has been instrumental in advancing sustainable tailings technologies and promoting cross-industry collaboration through Canada’s Oil Sands Innovation Alliance (COSIA). Al has contributed to joint research initiatives aimed at improving tailings treatment and accelerating reclamation, with a strong emphasis on transparency and long-term environmental stewardship.
Hon. Anne McLelland
Canada’s ninth Deputy Prime Minister
The Honourable Anne McLellan, P.C., O.C., A.O.E. is a distinguished Canadian politician and academic who served as Canada’s ninth Deputy Prime Minister from 2003 to 2006. Over her four terms as Member of Parliament for Edmonton, she held several senior cabinet roles, including Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Minister of Health, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Minister of Natural Resources at the time of the National Oilsands Task Force.
Before entering politics, McLellan was a professor at the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, where she served as Associate Dean and Acting Dean. She later became the seventh Chancellor of Dalhousie University (2015–2020) and continues to advise on national policy, corporate governance, and inclusive economic growth.
She is an Officer of the Order of Canada, a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence, and a lifelong member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.
Breakout sessions #1
Option A: Renegotiation of the Canada United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA): the future of trade between Canada and the United States from automobiles to energy
This will be a panel discussion on the future of North American free trade, as Canada prepares to reset its historic trade relationship with the United States. The speakers will discuss what trade-offs might come into play as between economic sectors, as well as the economy and the environment.
Sandy Walker
Partner, Environmental Law, Dentons Canada
Sandy Walker is co-Chair of Dentons' Competition and Foreign Investment Review group. She is recognized as one of Canada’s leading competition and Investment Canada Act lawyers. Sandy's practice focuses on securing government approvals for mergers and acquisitions from the Competition Bureau, Investment Canada and other regulatory agencies, including navigating complex “net benefit to Canada” reviews and the national security review process on behalf of foreign investors, both stateowned and private sector. Sandy also provides strategic advice to clients on compliance issues arising from pricing, distribution and trade practices. She represents clients in a wide array of industries, including financial services, technology, mining, oil and gas, power, automotive, media and entertainment, food and beverage, manufacturing, transportation and retail.
Sandy was recently Chair of the Executive Committee of the National Competition Law and Foreign Investment Review Section of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA). As Chair, Sandy led the Section’s participation in the Canadian government’s 2023 consultation on proposed changes to the Competition Act and appeared before the Parliamentary committee reviewing proposed amendments to the Investment Canada Act. Sandy has also been the Chair of the CBA Competition Section’s Mergers Committee and the Foreign Investment Review Committee as well as Vice-Chair of the International Antitrust Committee of the American Bar Association's International Law Section. Sandy frequently speaks on competition law and foreign investment topics in a variety of forums in Canada and elsewhere, including the American Bar Association, the CBA, the Alberta Chamber of Resources and the China Institute.
Sandy is recognized as a leading lawyer by publications and rankings directories, including Chambers Canada, Lexology – Canada, Canadian Legal Lexpert, The Legal 500 Canada and Best Lawyers in Canada.
Martha Hall Findlay
Director and Palmer Chair in Public Policy, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary; member of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.
Martha Hall Findlay has been dedicated to shaping public policy for Canadians for many years. She served as chief sustainability officer and chief climate officer for Suncor Energy, and before that was president and CEO of the Canada West Foundation, where she developed a reputation for being non-partisan, objective, and pragmatic by advocating for public policy solutions based on thorough research. She was also an executive fellow at the SPP in its early years.
As a Member of Parliament , she was a member of the Official Opposition shadow cabinet and served on several House of Commons committees as the critic for International Trade; Finance; Government Works and Public Services; and Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities.
As a corporate lawyer and senior business executive, she developed extensive experience in energy, telecommunications, sustainability, trade (international and internal) and global markets.
She was named a Canadian Climate Champion in 2021; a top global female oil and gas executive and one of the top 275 global women influencers; and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Mike Zolandz
Chair, Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice, Dentons Canada & Managing Partner, Dentons Washington, DC office
Mike Zolandz is the chair of Dentons' Regulatory, Public Policy and Government Affairs practice, and serves as the Managing Partner for Dentons’ Washington, DC office. Mike focuses his practice on advising clients on their most critical and complex trade compliance and foreign investment projects, specializing in cross-border transactions and regulations related to international commerce.
Mike offers clients practical expertise and guidance in advising on US export controls, US trade sanctions programs, anticorruption program development, and notification procedures before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Mike also brings decades of policy experience in Washington to offer clients insight into the legislative and regulatory process beyond purely technical expertise.
Mike has led internal investigations and regulatory disclosures under US export control and sanctions programs, and managed complex compliance enhancements and program development for US and multinational companies across industry sectors. Mike’s compliance expertise also extends to experience with federal and state campaign finance and ethics law, lobbying disclosure requirements and pay-to-play restrictions, as well as registration requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Paul Lalonde
Partner & Lead of Regulatory Practice Group, Dentons Canada
Paul Lalonde is a partner and lead of the Regulatory practice group at Dentons Canada. He focuses on government contracting law, international trade, anti-corruption and international arbitration. Mr. Lalonde is a recognized expert on government procurement and international trade law, with deep experience in anti-dumping and countervail investigations, customs, appeals, import and export controls, international sanctions, anti-corruption compliance and investigations, and international business. He regularly advises clients on Canada’s international investment treaty commitments and has played a key role in some of Canada’s highest profile trade disputes and negotiations including those on softwood lumber, steel and agricultural products.
Throughout this year, Paul has been leading Dentons Canada’s efforts to closely monitor developments in the evolving U.S. political landscape and their potential impact on Canadian businesses. To help clients navigate these growing complexities, Dentons Canada has launched a number of thought leadership insights, and a new webinar series called Border Talks, specially designed to keep them informed on key issues, including tariffs.
Option B: Establishment of trade corridors
This panel will discuss how a modern approach to trade corridors might be used to streamline the planning, approval, construction, and monitoring of the linear projects that are critical to diversifying and increasing the global trade of Canada’s natural resources.
Tom Grabowski
President, CEO & co-founder, Silvacom Group of Companies
Tom is a graduate from the University of Alberta (B.Sc., M.Sc., M.B.A.). He is President, CEO and co-founder of The Silvacom Group of Companies – which provides professional services, software and data solutions that have improved the way that Energy, Utility, Forestry, Mining and other resource sector companies and government agencies conduct their activities on the land. Silvacom helps their clients in both the private and public sectors solve real-world problems related to effective integrated land management.
The Silvacom Group was founded in 1983 and has offices in Edmonton, Calgary, Thunder Bay, and Dublin Ireland, with staff scattered across Canada and around the world. The most recent addition to our group of companies is OSPREY ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES – a partnership with Kee Tas Kee Now (KSL) Sawmills which is owned by 5 First Nations in North Central Alberta. This partnership brings together KSL’s deep-rooted traditional knowledge and community connections with Silvacom’s industry-leading expertise in environmental consulting, regulatory compliance, and geospatial technology. Owned by Loon River First Nation, Lubicon Lake Band, Peerless Trout First Nation, Whitefish Lake First Nation, and Woodland Cree First Nation, KSL represents generations of traditional knowledge and a commitment to land stewardship.
Tom has served on the boards of the Alberta Land Institute and the Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR) as well as numerous private corporations. He served on the ACR Executive Committee as VP, President and Past-President, and he currently chairs the ACR’s Responsible Development Committee.
Tom is passionate about education as the path forward to changing the world for the better. When he’s not building his companies, he’s helping African communities build schools in Sub-Saharan Africa with www.classroomsforafrica.org . Check it out if you want to make a difference in the world and are interested in education for the poorest of the poor.
Chris Dambrowitz
Founder & CEO, Actuo Consulting
Chris is founder and CEO of Actuo Consulting, a boutique strategic advisory & technical services firm serving Western Canadian industrial, institutional, nonprofit and Indigenous organizations. Actuo's network of technical, business and policy experts support clients' business expansion objectives through technical and customer-development projects that explore and secure novel channel partnerships. Through Actuo's work with clients such as Kee Tas Kee Now Sawmills Ltd (KSL), the Canada West Foundation, Novem Digital, AMII and others, Chris has established strategic initiatives linking industry, Indigenous organizations, policymakers, and technical and economic experts in emerging low-carbon industrial initiatives and trade-corridor development across Western Canada.
Prior to consulting for clients across the region's technology, energy-transition, construction and natural-resources sectors, Chris served as AVP - Research and Innovation with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), where he was instrumental in the development of NAIT’s Industry Solutions capabilities. He was the founding Program Director of the Alberta Prion Research Institute, and later served as Director of Planning and Development with the Alberta Research & Innovation Authority (ARIA) Secretariat. Chris has a PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Alberta.
Alex Bilyk
Director of Innovation, Silvacom
Alex Bilyk is the Director of Innovation at Silvacom, where he leads strategic initiatives in geospatial technology, forest resource inventory, and applied remote sensing. With over a decade of experience in forestry and geospatial consulting, he brings deep expertise in remote sensing, drone operations, and digital innovation.
He holds a Master of Science in Forestry from Lakehead University, where he also completed his undergraduate studies. He is currently pursuing a PhD focused on improving forest resource inventory through remote sensing technologies. Since 2011, he has taught remote sensing in the Faculty of Natural Resources Management at Lakehead University and has led international training workshops in Ghana, India, Sweden, and Brazil.
Before joining Silvacom, Alex operated a forestry consulting firm for over ten years, delivering drone-based mapping and inspection services across Ontario. He is a certified Transport Canada Advanced Drone Operator and Flight Reviewer, with more than 500 commercial flight hours. His work has supported environmental monitoring, infrastructure inspections, and forest management.
Notably, he also designed a drone challenge featured on The Amazing Race Canada. In his current role, he continues to advance the integration of emerging technologies into forest management and natural resource planning.
Erik Holmlund
Executive Director, Alberta Data Partnerships
Erik Holmlund is the Executive Director of Alberta Data Partnerships (ADP), a not-for-profit, public-private-partnership that focuses on data governance and access. Formed in 1996, ADP is responsible for geospatial mapping and data distribution within the Province of Alberta through partnerships with the private sector firms: Altalis, MNC and AbaData. ADP is a stakeholder-driven company with a Board of Directors consisting of Government, Municipalities and Industry.
Prior to his work at ADP, Erik had various roles with geomatics and technology firms with projects in Canada, Africa and Papua New Guinea. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Environment and Conservation Sciences from the U of A and a Master's Degree in Geomatics Engineering from UNB.
Breakout sessions #2
Option A: Challenges in financing market diversification infrastructure
This panel discussion will address the challenges of securing capital for the construction of infrastructure critical to market diversification such as a new oil pipeline, if historic cost-based, user pay tolling models prove unable facilitate private financing.
James O’Sullivan
Partner, Corporate Securities Group, Dentons Canada
James O’Sullivan is a partner and department lead of the Corporate Securities group at his firm, based in Calgary. His practice is focused on advising private and junior public companies in the energy sector, with additional experience in mining, healthcare, consumer products, and technology. James provides strategic legal counsel on corporate, securities, and commercial matters, including financings, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations, and corporate governance. He is known for his hands-on approach, often acting as an embedded advisor to management teams. James also has deep experience supporting emerging energy technologies and has been actively involved in complex transactions across the traditional and evolving energy landscape.
Jack Crawford
President, J.R. Crawford & Associates
Jack Crawford is a seasoned Board Director and professional engineer with over three decades of leadership in the oil and energy sector. He is currently President of J.R. Crawford & Associates, a private consultancy he founded in 2009. Previously, he served as President and CEO of Altex Energy Ltd., and as Executive Vice President and COO of Alliance Pipeline Ltd., where he played a pivotal role in the development and operation of one of North America’s largest pipeline systems. Jack holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering, an MBA in Finance from the Haskayne School of Business, and is ICD-certified. His board experience includes serving as Chair of the Audit Committee for Pacific Northwest LNG, contributing deep insight into LNG infrastructure in Western Canada. Jack has also served on numerous boards, including the Canadian Energy Pipeline Association, the Van Horne Institute, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Society, where he was Chair in 2007–2008.
Robyn Reside
Director, Investment Banking, TPH&Co.
Robyn Reside serves as a Director in the Investment Banking division of TPH&Co. in Calgary. Previously, Robyn was on the commodities sales desk of Goldman Sachs in Calgary. Before that, he was an investment banking associate at GMP FirstEnergy. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) from the University of Calgary.
Steven Kroeker
Chief Investment Officer, Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation
Steven Kroeker has over 28 years of financial experience in Alberta. He is currently Chief Investment Officer of the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation where he has responsibility for investment and engagement. Prior to joining AIOC, he was with Keyera Corp. and its predecessors for 14 years. Keyera Corp. is a publicly traded energy infrastructure company with assets largely located in Alberta. For almost half of his time at Keyera Corp., he was Vice President, Corporate Development, where he was responsible for evaluation and execution of acquisitions and divestments. He then became Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Keyera Corp. where in addition to being responsible for Corporate Development, he became responsible for Accounting, Tax, Treasury, Investor Relations, Information Technology and Supply Chain Management. Prior to Keyera Corp., Steven spent nine years as an investment banker in Calgary with Scotia Capital. At Scotia Capital, he worked on various mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, as well as on various equity financings. Prior to Scotia Capital, Steven worked at Gulf Canada Resources Limited for over four years, including in Corporate Development where he worked on various strategic and economic evaluations of acquisitions and divestitures.
Steven has a Master of Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business of The University of Western Ontario, and a Bachelor of Commerce with Distinction from The University of Calgary. He enjoys spending time with his wife and four children and enjoys various water sports and going on volunteer trips abroad. Steven’s volunteer commitments currently include serving on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of World Vision Canada and serving on the Calgary Advisory Board for The Salvation Army.
Option B: The sustainability challenge inherent in increasing production and diversifying markets to become a conventional and clean energy super power
This panel will discuss what is achievable in terms of emission reductions and managing land and water use, while at the same time increasing the production of clean and conventional energy resources.
Mira Gauvin
Partner, Environmental Law, Dentons Canada
Mira Gauvin is a partner in the Corporate Group, with a focus on Environmental law. She is a member of the Environment and Natural Resources and Climate Change Strategies groups. Based in the Firm’s Montréal office, she advises clients in all industrial sectors, including mining, manufacturing, chemical, oil and gas, renewable energies, pulp and paper, agro-food, marine terminal, transportation and waste management.
Her practice comprises analyzing the impacts of jurisprudential and legislative developments on her clients’ activities, advising on compliance with environmental laws, cap-and-trade regulations, environmental assessment and permitting issues, land rehabilitation and remediation projects, the implementation and closure of industrial sites. She also negotiates and drafts environmental contractual clauses of commercial transactions and land rehabilitation agreements, and supervises environmental due diligence of business transactions. Her practice also involves working on environmental questions in territories governed by land claims agreements.
First recognized in 2013, Mira has been commended for her extensive knowledge and experience in a variety of respected publications, including Chambers Canada (Environment), The Best Lawyers in Canada (Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law),The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Environmental Law, Indigenous Law, Mining), Lexpert Special Edition – Canada’s Leading Lawyers (Global Mining, Energy), The Legal 500 Canada (Environment) and Expert Guides Women in Business Law (Environment).
She is a Past Chair of both the Québec Branch of the EENRLS of the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) and of the Executive Committee of the CBA's National Environment, Energy and Resources Law Section (NEERLS). She is also a former Programs Vice-Chair of the International Environmental and Resources Law (IERL) Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) Section on Environment, Energy and Resources (SEER).
Bernard Roth
Partner, Environmental and Indigenous Law, Dentons Canada
Bernard Roth, KC (Bernie), is a partner at Dentons and leads the firms Energy Regulatory, Environmental and Indigenous Law practices. He advises clients on major facility applications, pipeline, and oil sands projects, and appears regularly before regulatory tribunals and courts. Bernie is widely recognized in Chambers, Legal 500, Lexpert, and Best Lawyers, and brings over three decades of experience navigating Canada’s evolving energy landscape. He also frequently publishes and speaks on energy policy, regulatory trends, and infrastructure development, offering strategic insight to clients across the conventional and emerging energy sectors.
Bryan Helfenbaum
Vice President, Clean Energy, Alberta Innovates.
Bryan Helfenbaum is the Vice President of Clean Energy at Alberta Innovates, where he oversees programs in Clean Technology and Advanced Hydrocarbons with key initiatives in hydrogen, CCUS, digital energy, hydrocarbon recovery, methane emissions reduction, energy storage, grid modernization, critical minerals, geothermal, and bitumen advanced materials. Prior to joining AI, he spent 20 years in a variety of technical, business, and innovation roles in the private sector. Bryan has been a theme lead for the Clean Resources Innovation Network and a Fellow/Ambassador with the Energy Futures Lab. Bryan’s passion for innovation extends outside the office, where he has taught courses at the University of Calgary and worked on innovative community residential development projects. Bryan has a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Waterloo and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with a specialization in Global Energy Management & Sustainability, from the University of Calgary.
Plenary #2 – Building Canada Act: Is Canada Capable of Achieving its Proposed Objectives?
In reaction to Canada’s new trade realities, the new Building Canada Act is promising ambitious, upfront regulatory certainty and regulatory approvals for projects of economic significance within two years to help strengthen our independent economic potential in the global marketplace. Calgary has been made the headquarters of the federal government’s Major Projects Office that is to facilitate this rapid acceleration in development of these nation building projects. However, we have not moved at speeds this fast in many decades. Rather, over generations we have adopted ever-growing environmental assessment and regulatory requirements, as well as processes for engagement with the public and deep consultation with indigenous groups, with the latter being a constitutional requirement. This panel will discuss the challenges of moving at the new speeds being proposed from the perspective of a regulatory lawyer, an indigenous consultation professional and a public and government relations expert
Brian Humphreys
President, Alberta Chamber of Resources
Brian Humphreys was appointed President of the Alberta Chamber of Resources (ACR) in August 2025. Working with members, stakeholders and partners he leads the organization’s relevance and growth at a time when the importance of developing Alberta and Canada’s needed resources, commodities and their markets has reached unique levels in the face of new global trade realities.
Brian brings more than two decades of private sector experience as a corporate, government, and external affairs professional across multiple industries in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. His strategic acumen, leadership, and strong relationships with governments and stakeholders have led to a distinguished record of policy and regulatory outcomes. Supplementing this background are three years in operations at the C-suite level, as well as early career positions in government at both the ministerial and departmental levels.
Brian has also served on multiple provincial, national and international business association Boards in dedication to the principle of advancing common, sector-wide interests like those of the ACR. He was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal awarded in January 2025 for Service to Community/Country as nominated by Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Brian’s passion for the ACR stems from a deeply held belief that caring for our communities depends on ensuring an ever-growing economy to sustain and expand our essential public programs and services. Responsible, sustainable, competitive, and community-minded development of Canada’s uniquely abundant and diverse resource sector is critical to such growth – and needed more than ever amid our new global trade challenges. ACR plays a vital role in advancing this cause.
Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Carleton University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Alberta, along with other business-related accreditations. He resides in Calgary, Alberta.
Randy Pettipas
Chief Executive Officer, Global Public Affairs
Randy Pettipas is the CEO of Global Public Affairs, Canada’s leading public affairs firm that specializes in government relations and strategic communications. With decades of experience, he is a trusted advisor to many of Canada’s business leaders. Randy provides expert leadership and guides the overall growth strategy for Global Public Affairs. Since 1997, Global’s reach has extended beyond Ottawa to offices across the country operating in federal, provincial, and municipal jurisdictions, providing team-based service offerings to clients across Canada and internationally.
Before Global, Randy held senior positions in the federal government, serving as a Minister’s Chief of Staff and a senior advisor on issues in Western Canada, both in the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition and the Prime Minister’s Office.
Randy calls Calgary home and is actively involved as a volunteer in the community. He currently serves on the boards of Arts Commons and the Calgary Chapter of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD). His past governance experience includes serving as Board Chair of Hospice Calgary, as a Board Member of the Calgary Zoo, and as a member of the Advisory Board for the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.
In addition to his local contributions, Randy is also active on the international stage. He serves as a board member of International Arts & Artists (IA&A).
Laura Estep
Partner, Dentons Canada
Laura Estep (She/Her/Hers) is a renowned regulatory lawyer with a demonstrated track record of advising various companies in the energy industry. A key partner in Dentons' Energy Regulatory practice group, she demonstrates strong inclusive leadership, empowering the Firm’s professionals and cultivating strategic partnerships with clients on a national and global scale.
Laura's extensive experience is particularly evident in guiding major energy companies through the complexities of the regulatory landscape. Her expertise covers all stages of the regulatory process, from initial consultations to successful representation before the Canada Energy Regulator, the Alberta Utilities Commission and the Alberta Energy Regulator. She also represents industry clients in Aboriginal law matters.
Additionally, her expertise extends to representing clients at various court levels in energy-related appeal and judicial review matters. Described as “very detail-oriented” with “great expertise in energy, oil and gas,” Laura offers crucial legal advice and representation aimed at securing regulatory approvals for a broad spectrum of energy-related projects. She is recognized as a leading lawyer by the legal industry’s most respected directories and has established herself as a counsel of choice for companies looking to navigate the Canadian energy sector.
Catherine Pennington
Director, Indigenous Advisory Services, KPMG
Catherine is the Director of Indigenous Advisory Services at KPMG’s Infrastructure, Capital Projects, and Sustainability Practice . A proud citizen of the Métis Nation from Duck Lake, Saskatchewan on Treaty Six and Métis Homeland, she brings nearly 20 years of experience in the North American energy sector, specializing in Indigenous and community engagement.
Before joining KPMG in 2024, Catherine spent 15 years at Enbridge Inc., leading Indigenous relations across Canada and contributing to major projects from design through operations. Her experience spans consultation, supply chain inclusion, and equity initiatives with communities nationwide.
She holds a BA in Human and Social Development, a Masters in Clinical and Health Psychology, Indigenous Governance studies, and a clinical license with the Canadian College of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists. Catherine continues to practice as a psychotherapist, focusing on complex trauma and relationships.
She serves on the boards of Raven Indigenous Outcomes Fund, Diabetes Canada, and the TELUS Interior and Northern BC Community Board, and was the founding co-chair of the Indigenous Peoples Resilience Fund.