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REGIONAL WRAP-UP WEST Assembly of First Nations legal adviser honoured at the 18th annual National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation's awards in March in Edmonton. "Being the recipient of the law and R justice award is tremendous acknow- ledgment for the advocacy work that I have done for indigenous peoples for over 30 years and I am very thankful for the award," says Jones. The NAAF, which promotes the achievement of Canada's Aboriginal Peoples, is a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to deliver pro- grams that provide the tools necessary for Aboriginal Peoples, especially youth, to achieve their potential. The awards celebrate 14 achievers in a multitude of areas and are Canada's largest and most influential showcase of aboriginal achievement. oger Jones, legal adviser to the Assembly of First Nations, was given the law and justice award Jones participated in key legal and pol- itical developments in Canada and inter- nationally. His work includes the develop- ment of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Canadian constitutional negotiations, the First Nations-Federal Crown Political Accord on the Recognition and Implementation of First Nations Governments, and the implementation of the Ipperwash Inquiry recommendations. Jones was the found- ing president of the Indigenous Bar Association, served on the IBA's board, and is a former vice chairman of the native law section of the Canadian Bar Association. Jones says while he was taking native studies at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont., even though he was living the reality of an indigenous per- son from an indigenous community, he quickly realized how dire the plight of his people was in a political, legal, social, and economic context as it related to National Aboriginal Achievement Awards aboriginal and treaty rights. Then, while attending Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Jones says he saw how valuable a legal education could be in helping native people. "I knew as a lawyer I could act as an advocate for indigenous peoples and bring attention to their plight." Jones says his law degree was instru- mental in letting him become an advo- cate for indigenous peoples. "I am huge- ly grateful for the skills that I acquired through my legal education. A law degree helps you organize your thinking and teaches you how to analyze information and how to present an argument." Jones says he will continue to push for the rights of all Aboriginal Peoples of Canada and continue to try to get govern- ment, business, and the public to welcome change in order for indigenous peoples to develop and evolve. — DIANE L.M. COOK dianecook@shaw.ca Alberta at the beginning of February. Mah takes the reins from Rod Jerke, who says he ChANGING OF ThE GUARD AT ThE LSA D ouglas R. Mah, secretary and general counsel of the Alberta Workers' Compensation Board, took over as president of the Law Society of Douglas Mah learned a lot as president of the law society. "When I first started this job as [a] bencher, I thought our role at the LSA was to regulate and govern an independent legal profession in the public interest because that was the right thing to do. I still believe that. "But what I learned in my capacity as president is that the public inter- est actually requires that lawyers be independently regulated as it enables and guards an independent legal profession, which produces independent lawyers who then have the freedom to serve the rule of law which in turn serves and fulfils the public interest." Jerke says he feels the LSA accomplished many things for Alberta law- yers and the public during his presidency. "I'm proud to have been part of a group of benchers whose vision has resulted in Pro Bono Law Alberta, as well as initiatives to strengthen an independently regulated profession such as access-to-justice initiatives, new client identification and verification rules, a trust safety program, continuing professional development requirements, and ongoing enhancements to the LSA's complaints and discipline process- es. As well, we've worked with the Federation of Law Societies on national initiatives such as a model code, and national standards for the regulation of the legal profession." Incoming president, Mah, was called to the Alberta bar in 1982. Mah prac- tised in the litigation department of a large Edmonton law firm for several years before joining the Workers' Compensation Board as a staff lawyer in 1988. He has been its GC since 1998. First elected as a bencher in 2003, Mah believes the role of the LSA is to maintain public confidence in an independent legal profession; to fairly and effectively govern its members; and to help its mem- bers respond to the changing demands and challenges of legal practice. — DC www.CANADIAN Lawyermag.com A PRIL 2011 11