The 2020 edition of the conference was held from June 3-17, 2022, in Huntsville, Ontario. Bringing together Canada’s emerging leaders for a unique two-week experience, the GGCLC aims to improve decision-making abilities among young leaders, facilitate progressive interaction between leaders from various sectors, and provide a broader understanding of Canada.
The conference features eminent Canadian and international speakers and provides members with the opportunity to exchange views and experiences with peers from backgrounds vastly different than their own.
Members are divided into study groups, each of which is a microcosm of the overall Conference membership. Each study group travels to a region of Canada where, for nine days, the members examine issues through the experiences of local companies, communities and regional leaders. The connections between communities, the national perspective, and Canada’s place in the global community is central to this examination. After nine days of travel, observation and debate, the study groups reconvene at the Closing Plenary and present their reports to the Governor General of Canada.
Arcand-Paul was placed in the study group travelling to Nunavut, which was his top choice. Despite never having had the chance to visit previously, Nunavut and Nunavummiut hold a very special place in his heart. Leading up to the conference he was “beyond excited to visit and learn from the land, people and the conference.”
Though he is a rising star, Arcand-Paul remains deeply connected and committed to his community. He is nehiyaw napew (Cree) from kipohtakaw (Alexander First Nation) in Treaty 6 territory, where he is currently the in-house counsel. His practice includes Aboriginal, employment and commercial law, with particular expertise in First Nations matters. He is the Vice-President of the Indigenous Bar Association, where he has been on the Board of Directors since 2014. He articled for the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and, since being called to the Ontario and Alberta bars, has also worked for boutique and large law firms.
Arcand-Paul has fond memories of attending law school at uOttawa and attributes the faculty and incredible learning and experiential opportunities offered by the program, as being instrumental to his current success.
“Not only were our professors and staff immensely helpful in advancing our skills, but the networking experiences were unparalleled from what my friends across the country experienced. Chiefly, that we regularly had Supreme Court and Federal Court of Canada Justices that we were able to have one-on-one conversations with during the early days of our career. Getting to chat with former Chief Justice Beverly Mclachlin, and now Governor General Mary Simon are two of my fondest memories.
“Without the excellent tutelage and experiences that I had at the University of Ottawa, I don’t think I would have achieved as much success as I have to date.”
Now he puts his oral advocacy and alternative dispute resolution skills, as well as the practical knowledge of Indigenous law, all of which he honed at uOttawa, to use every day in his practice.
Looking to the future, Arcand-Paul hopes that the next generation of law students will experience the type of comradeship and dedication to social justice, that he did at Fauteux. He also hopes that future law students and lawyers will “continue to commit to the principles of reconciliation and the spirit and intent of our sacred Treaties.” Since leaving law school, he has been using his legal and traditional knowledge to advocate for First Nations’ Treaty rights, recognizing Treaties as a foundational relationship in the federation.
Though he looks forward with optimism, Arcand-Paul also worries about the rise of extreme ‘anti-wokeness’, racism and misinformation that has become so prevalent. He is heedful, reminding that “as lawyers (and future lawyers) … our conduct must always be in accordance with elevating humankind rather than causing pain on our fellow sisters and brothers.” Focussing on racism, and specifically the systemic nature of racism, was an important objective for Arcand-Paul throughout the GGCLC.
Leading up to the conference Arcand-Paul expressed how eager he was to meet other likeminded and diverse folks from across Canada. “I truly believe that the GGCLC brings people together to help build a stronger federation that takes into account everyone’s unique perspectives. I am excited to learn about the unique experiences everyone brings with them in their leadership styles.”
To read more about the conference and the 2022 members please visit the GGCLC site.