John Brown

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT JOHN BROWN

John P. Brown is Legal and Strategic Advisor, Indigenous Initiatives. He was a senior member of the legal team that represented First Nations across the country in class actions against Canada that were brought to compel Canada to provide safe, clean drinking water to all First Nations. In December 2021 the courts approved one of the largest settlements in Canadian history in which Canada agreed to spend $8 billion to address these water issues. John was appointed Executive Director of the First Nations Committee on Safe Drinking Water. The mandate of this Committee includes working with First Nations to provide oversight, guidance and recommendations to Indigenous Services Canada to support the development and implementation of forward looking policy initiatives relating to water and waste water infrastructures on First Nations reserves.John is the chair of the McCarthy Tétrault Reconciliation Committee. He is a mentor in the McCarthy Tétrault Mentorship Program for Indigenous Students which is committed to improving education and outcomes for Indigenous youth by linking the firm’s lawyers as mentors with Indigenous students in Grades 8 through 12. In partnership with Pro Bono Students Canada and other organizations McCarthy Tétrault contributed to the development of a new Indigenous Human Rights Clinic. John is a member of the Advisory Council for the Clinic which provides culturally sensitive legal services to Indigenous clients. John is a member of the Giiwedin Anang Council of Aboriginal Legal Services. The Council is comprised of Indigenous community members and provides an Indigenous Family Dispute Resolution program for mediating child welfare, custody and access disputes involving Indigenous families using traditional methods and seeks to ensure that the children’s relationships with their Indigenous culture, traditions and history is respected, protected and maintained. John is the Chair of the Indigenous Reconciliation Fund of the Archdiocese of Toronto. The Fund supports projects in collaboration with First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners focused on healing and reconciliation for communities and families, culture and language revitalization, education and community building, and dialogue for promoting Indigenous spirituality and culture. John is a member of the Indigenous Advisory Circle of the United Way of Greater Toronto, the CBA Indigenous Advisory Group and the Indigenous Bar Association. John’s family on his father’s side is Sto:lo whose traditional territory is in the Fraser River Valley in British Columbia.