Larry is a partner at Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend LLP practicing in the area of Indigenous rights and environmental law. Larry has worked with First Nations on lands and resources issues for more than 25 years, and has developed extensive experience in the negotiation of impacts and benefits agreements, environmental assessment, co-management measures, self-government and treaty provisions.
He currently represents and advises Indigenous governments dealing with major mining, forestry and energy developments, and is also involved in several leading Indigenous conservation and land use planning initiatives across Canada.
Larry is called to the bar in Ontario, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Newfoundland and Labrador. He holds a JD from the University of Victoria, a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University, and is a graduate of McMaster University’s Arts & Science Programme. He resides in Yellowknife.
Larry is listed as a “Most Frequently Recommended” lawyer in his field by Lexpert, Chambers Global, and Best Lawyers.
Publications and Media
- Larry Innes, Georgia Lloyd-Smith (2021) Indigenous Laws in the Context of Conservation. Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (University of Guelph)
- Raising the Stakes: A Comparative Review of Canadian Mining Laws and Responsible Mining Standards,” (2020)
- "Public governments must diligently fulfill the purposes underlying treaty promises", OKT Blog, November 5, 2015
- "Walking the Talk – Alberta’s New Government Moves to Implement UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples", OKT Blog, July 14, 2015
- "Aboriginal rights, conservation and Canada's future - the far reaching implications of the Tsilhqot’in case", OKT Blog, July 9, 2014
- Larry Innes, “Corporate Social Responsibility begins at home”, Embassy – Canada’s Foreign Policy Newsweekly, April 18, 2007.
- Presentation, “Integrating Aboriginal Rights and Interests into Biodiversity Conservation”, March 21, 2007, Experts Workshop on Incentives for Biodiversity Conservation (Banff).
- Presentation, “Sustainability and Aboriginal Rights”, November 7, 2006, International Roundtable on Sustainable Paper Procurement (New York).
- Larry Innes (with J. Olthuis), “Recognition, Affirmation and Reconciliation in the Creative Resolution Of Disputes Between Aboriginal Peoples and Mining Interests” (Paper presented at the Aboriginal Law Conference, Pacific Business and Law Institute, October 4, 2006).
- Presentation, “Aboriginal Rights, Conservation and Sustainability in Canada’s Boreal Region”, October 2, 2006, Boreal Forest Conference (Cochrane).
- Presentation, “Sustainability in the Boreal: A Global Challenge”, September 26, 2006, 10th National Forest Congress (Ottawa).
- Presentation, “Reflections on Aboriginal Forest Tenure”, February 2006, Sustainable Forest Management Network (Montreal).
- Presentation, “Re-establishing Relations: Indigenous Peoples and the Canadian State”, February 15, 2006, Innis College Later Life Learning Lecture (Toronto).
- Presentation (with K. Kempton), “Home and Native Land – building bridges between Aboriginal and environmental organizations”, April 6, 2005, Workshop for the Sustainability Network (Toronto).
- Presentation, “Aboriginal priorities and environmental grantmaking”, May 16, 2005, Canadian Environmental Grantmakers’ Association (King County NS).
- Guest Lecturer in Discovery Lecture, “Aboriginal Rights and Sustainable Forest Management”, February 10, 2005, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
- Presentation, “International Wilderness Law and the Canadian Context”, November 14, 2004, International Wilderness Law Experts Workshop (Washington, DC).
- Larry Innes (with L. Moores), “The ecosystem approach in practice: developing sustainable forestry in Central Labrador, Canada” (Paper presented at the World Forest Congress XII, September 23, 2003).
- Presentation, “Impact of Haida Nation v. Weyerhauser on resource development”, April 5, 2002, Aboriginal Law Section, Canadian Bar Association – Newfoundland & Labrador Section (St. John’s, NL).
- Larry Innes (with A. Tasker, P-Y Daoust), “Relationships Between Traditional Innu Harvesting Practices, Environmental Contaminants and Wildlife and Human Health/Exposure” (Sheshatshiu: Innu Nation, 2002).
- Presentation, “Forest Co-Management and the Innu Experience”, November 7, 2001, National Roundtable on the Economy and Environment (Winnipeg).
- Larry Innes, “Staking Claims: Innu Rights and Mining Claims at Voisey’s Bay” (Spring 2000) 25:1 Cultural Survival Quarterly at 12.
- Larry Innes (with D. Ashini), “An Innu Approach to the Environmental Assessment of Megaprojects” (Paper presented at Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists AGM, St. John’s, NL, Oct 2, 1998).
- Larry Innes, “Innu Environmental Discourse” (Toronto: Faculty of Environmental Studies York University, 1998).
- Larry Innes, “Innu Environmental Knowledge: Aquatic Ecosystems of Kapukuanipant-kauashat/Voisey’s Bay” (Sheshatshiu: Innu Nation, 1997).
- Larry Innes, “Aboriginal Rights and Interpretative Responsibility” (September 1997) 4:3 E:Law – The University of Melbourne Electronic Law Review.
Recent Articles
Respect and Responsibility: Integrating Indigenous Rights and Private Land Conservation in Canada
This post contains the executive summary of a new report, Respect and Responsibility: Integrating Indigenous Rights and Private Conservation in Canada.
To download the full report, please click here.
To…
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Raising the Stakes - A Comparative Review of Canadian Mining Laws and Responsible Mining Standards
September 11, 2020
OKT is pleased to announce the release of the groundbreaking report: RAISING THE STAKES: A Comparative Review of Canadian Mining Laws and Responsible Mining Standards.
Canada…
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BC Bill 41: A Promising Start to Implementing UNDRIP
The Province of British Columbia is likely to be the first government in Canada to pass legislation to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.