Dionne, Paul | Dionne Schulze

Paul Dionne has represented Indian bands and tribal councils for almost 40 years. His practice included the negotiation of treaties, administrative agreements, specific claims and business contracts, as well as the defence of Aboriginal rights before the courts. He represented First Nations in various cases before all levels of court, including the Supreme Court of Canada, and several Indigenous groups before parliamentary committees. He retired as of March 31, 2019.

Between 2006 and 2018, Paul was regularly named one of the “best lawyers” practicing Aboriginal law in Canada by Best Lawyers in Canada. Prior to practicing Aboriginal law in a private legal practice, Paul Dionne was the Regional Director of Quebec’s Direction générale du Nouveau-Québec in Kuujjuaq during the transition period that followed the negotiation and execution of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement (1974-1978). He later joined Quebec’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs (1980-1982) where he was instrumental in the creation and organization of Inuit municipalities in Nunavik.

Paul Dionne was president of the Compensation fund committee of the Quebec Bar for over ten years. He was also a founding member of the Quebec Bar Committee on indigenous peoples and the Law.

Paul Dionne taught aboriginal law at University of Quebec in Montreal, has written many articles on aboriginal rights and given several lectures on that topic.

Paul is retired since March 31, 2019.

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Education

LL.M, Public Law, University of Ottawa, 1986
LL.L, Law, University of Sherbrooke, 1971
Bachelor of Arts, Laval University, 1967

Associations and other professional and volunteer activities

Member of the Quebec Bar since 1973.
President of the Compensation fund committee of the Quebec Bar (1986 to 1992), and member of the Committee (2009 to 2011).
Member of the Quebec Bar Committee on Indigenous peoples and the Law (1993 to 1998).
Member of the “Commission on Folk Law and Legal Pluralism” (1986 to 1994).

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Awards

Named Advocatus Emeritus (Ad.E) by the Barreau du Québec in 2021
Named as one of Montreal’s leading practitioners in the field of Aboriginal law by The 2019 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory
Named as one of Montreal’s leading practitioners in the field of Aboriginal law by The 2018 Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory
Named as one of the “Best Lawyers” practicing Aboriginal law in Canada by Best Lawyers in Canada since 2006
Paris Bar Award (1986) for Best Master Thesis at University of Ottawa Law School

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Publications and papers

Le financement et la fiscalité des gouvernements des Premières Nations autonomes (8^e Forum autochtone sur la gestion des ressources naturelles et du territoire, Montreal, September 24-25, 2012)

La preuve dans les procès de droits ancestraux (6^thAboriginal Forum on « la gestion des ressources naturelles et du territoire », Montreal, September 27-28, 2010)

Les mesures transitoires dans les négociations de traité : un devoir et un signe de bonne foi (Insight Conference, Quebec, March 27-28, 2008)

Une politique de consultation des peuples autochtones pour le Québec ? (Insight Conference, Montreal, September 25-26, 2006)

Quelques réflexions au sujet de la future politique de consultation des peuples autochtones du Québec, In Recherches amérindiennes au Québec. Vol. XXXV, n^o 3, 2005.

L’obligation de la Couronne de consulter et d’accommoder les peuples autochtones (Insight Conference, Quebec, March 22-23, 2005).

L’obligation extra-statutaire de consultation et d’accommodement des peuples autochtones dans le cadre des projets de développement des ressources naturelles (Insight Conference, Quebec, March 22-23, 2004).

Le titre aborigène comme moyen de défense à des accusations pénales, In Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Vol. XXXIV, n^o 2, 2004.

La preuve orale dans les procès relatifs à l’article 35 de la Loi constitutionnelle de 1982, In Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Vol. XXXIII, n^o 3, 2004.

La revendication de droits ancestraux entraîne-t-elle pour la Couronne une obligation constitutionnelle de consulter? In Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Vol. XXXII, n^o 1, Spring 2002.

Employment and Labour Jurisdictions: How They Affect First Nations Human Ressources Management (Infonex conference on band councils and tribal councils personel management, Montreal, September 1999).

L’arrêt Delgamuukw c. Colombie-Britannique ou le titre aborigène redécouvert (Quebec Bar’s annual meeting 1998).

Qui a droit de voter aux élections d’un conseil de bande d’Indiens?, in Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Vol. XXVII, Nos 3-4, hiver 1997.

Application of the Definition Criteria in Section 35(1) Cases: Are Certain Aboriginal Rights “More Equal” than Others? (Canadian Bar Association continuing education, Aboriginal Law section, Calgary, April 1997).

Les droits ancestraux, de Sparrow à Côté en passant par Van der Peet, In Recherches amérindiennes au Québec, Vol. XXVII, No. 1, printemps 1997.

L’évolution jurisprudentielle des années 90 en droit des Autochtones à la lumière des jugements de la Cour suprême du Canada depuis l’arrêt Calder: essai de prospective (Quebec Bar’s annual meeting 1994).

L’applicabilité des lois provinciales aux Indiens et aux terres réservées aux Indiens, in: Droit civil et droits autochtones, Association Henri-Capitant, Université de Montréal, mars 1992.

Les postulats de la Commission Dorion et le titre aborigène au Québec: vingt ans après (1991) 51 R. du B. 127.

Le titre des Indiens atikamekw et montagnais du Québec, mémoire de maîtrise, Université d’Ottawa, 1986 (non publié).

Many newspaper articles for the general public.

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Selected judgments

Supreme Court of Canada

R. v. Côté, [1996] 3 S.C.R. 139

Québec Court of Appeal

Simon c. Oka (Municipalité), [1999] R.J.Q. 108, [1999] 2 C.N.L.R. 205

Simon c. Oka (Municipalité), [1991] J.Q. no 1654

Federal Courts

Abenakis of Odanak v. Canada (Indian Affairs and Northern Development), 2008 FCA 126