Today, there exists tremendous potential for Aboriginal Peoples to realize commercial success. Over the course of his 28+ year career, Michael has been a principal proponent of Aboriginal economic growth, leading many of Canada’s most intricate and complex precedent-setting Aboriginal development projects totaling more than $20 billion.

A member of the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba, Michael couples vast business experience with distinct cultural understanding to serve our clients from a holistic perspective, crafting solutions that unite legal, commercial, governance and social interests.

Work Highlights

As a member of a First Nation community, Michael is uniquely experienced in Aboriginal histories. He incorporates their values into his work, providing business advice that combines strong legal advocacy, cross-cultural understanding and practical problem-solving.

Services

Whether starting new ventures or creating partnerships to facilitate growth and development, Michael helps Aboriginal and First Nations communities strike the balance between preserving cultural values with opportunities for commercial development.

While structuring solutions for First Nations that benefit communities in the long-term through sustainable economic development, Michael also helps private businesses achieve their objectives for working with First Nations in a way that is both viable and beneficial for all parties.

Recognizing that each First Nation group is unique and rich in tradition and heritage, Michael truly takes the time to understand each community so as to affect positive impact, amalgamating traditional values with contemporary business strategies that protect culture and facilitate Aboriginal economic development.

Michael’s work has instilled policy changes to Aboriginal consultation and accommodation, resulting in the “McDonald Model of Negotiation,” a precedent for Aboriginal-commercial engagement now widely used across Canada.

With his insight into Canada’s many Aboriginal cultures combined with his experience engaging with businesses across Canada, Michael brings his wealth of knowledge as co-chair to our Aboriginal Economic Development group, helping Aboriginal communities and groups as well as business and governmental agencies to achieve economic solutions and strategies that respect history, build industry and create synergy to benefit all parties.

Michael originates from a small Aboriginal community in northern Manitoba from modest circumstances. His parents had to work extremely hard to give him an opportunity for education. This instilled in him the values of dedication and humility where his success is measured by the people he serves. He appreciates that every person, community, interaction and transaction has value and opportunity. He is proud to be a part of the solution to helping Aboriginal communities and businesses engage meaningfully and successfully.