Candice Telfer

First Year of Call
Ontario, 2010

Areas of Practice
Aboriginal Law

Description
Candice is an advocate who focuses on Aboriginal law and advancing Crown-Indigenous relations. Her unique perspective as former Assistant Deputy Minister who dealt with land and rights-related claims and as Crown counsel to a provincial government provides valuable insights to her Indigenous clients. Candice’s practice is collaborative by design, which ensures that she fully understands her clients’ goals and can offer creative solutions that take into account clients’ unique needs and circumstances. She enjoys the dynamic, evolving nature of Aboriginal law and Indigenous legal issues, as well as the relationships she is able to build. Candice’s clients appreciate her ability to break down complex legal concepts and provide clear, practical advice.

Candice is a member of the firm’s Indigenous Practice Group. She works with First Nation and Métis communities, governments and nations throughout western Canada and beyond on issues related to the recognition of Indigenous lands and rights, the negotiation and implementation of lasting government-to-government agreements, including self-government agreements and modern-day treaties, as well as the advancement of community-specific priorities. In particular, Candice advises Indigenous communities and governments on Indigenous claims-related matters and provides advice on a wide range of internal matters, including the development and implementation of Indigenous laws, policies and regulation.

Prior to joining Aird & Berlis, Candice worked for 15 years in the Ontario Public Service, moving from legal counsel to legal and executive management roles. Up until 2024, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister of Negotiations and Reconciliation at the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nation Economic Reconciliation. Before that, Candice was the Legal Director of Indigenous Affairs Ontario and also acted as legal counsel across several provincial ministries, including the ministries of Health, Natural Resources and Indigenous Affairs. She also regularly speaks on Aboriginal law-related matters and has written on the important role of the honour of the Crown, such as the advice Crown counsel provides to governments as well as in relation to the negotiation and implementation of Crown-Indigenous agreements.