My research focus is governance and climate change. I interrogate laws, policies, and practices that will address both the problem of climate change and adaptation to the changing climate. I have participated and led research projects focusing on aspects of governance including water, agricultural producer livelihoods, drought, flood, and energy. The geographical focus of my study is western Canada and South America.

I have participated in inter-disciplinary projects employing a diverse range of methods and involving an array of disciplines. My personal ontological framework is critical realism. Most recently I have utilized methodological frameworks of transition management and a multi-level institutional analysis.

Ultimately governance is about societal decision-making. Societal decision-making involves government, business, non-governmental and non-profit organizations and people. Combining governance with my background in law focuses my research on issues of justice. My passion ispursuing justice, a daunting endeavour. I apply my eighteen years of practising law in a diversity of contexts (helping people with problems relating to the environment, farming, employment, criminal justice system, human rights, and business) to this endeavour. I also apply my experience as Assistant General Counsel of SaskPowerdeveloping energy law, regulation and policy, working with business partners, trade unions, and the public.

Ultimately justice is conceptualized, practiced and transformed by people. It is about the meaningful participation of people in order to address inequality and oppression through restorative practice. This is social justice, my teaching passion.

I have a B.Admin. (Great Distinction) from the University of Regina, an LL.B. (Osgoode), and an LL.M. (Osgoode) in Constitutional Law with a focus on Aboriginal and environmental issues and will defend my thesis on “Adaptive Governance of Disaster: Drought and Flood in Rural Areas” at the University of Amsterdam on May 13, 2016.

I have authored numerous journal articles, book chapters and scholarly papers on a broad range of topics but more recently on the subjects of energy, Aboriginal justice, waterand climate change adaptation. I co-authored a book entitled “School Law and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms” (second edition)(1992), edited a book, “Pursuing Justice, An introduction to the Study of Justice” in 2010 and co-edited “Vulnerability and Adaptation to Drought: The Canadian Prairies and South America,” in 2016.

A long history of volunteerism in the community include volunteering at the YMCA since 1990, holding various executive positions with the Canadian Bar Association since 1987 (acting as their designate on the board of the Public Legal Education Association), filling various executive positions with SCEP Center, a non-profit organization in Regina since 1997, and being President of the Regina Women’s Network (1996-97).