Management & Staff

Professional Staff

J. Owen Saunders Telephone: (403) 220-3975 Office: MFH 3349

Mr. Saunders was appointed Executive Director of the Institute effective January 1, 1990. He has been a Research Associate with the Institute since 1980, and an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Calgary since 1984. He holds a B.A. (Hon. Econ.) from St. Francis Xavier University, an LL.B. from Dalhousie University, and an LL.M. from the University of London (London School of Economics and Political Science). His main areas of interest include natural resources policy, international trade law, energy law, transboundary water law, and environmental and constitutional law.

His publications include work on such topics as The Uruguay Round of GATT and Economic Regionalism; NAFTA and the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation; The Mexico Factor in North American Free Trade; Legal Aspects of International Diversions; Energy, Natural Resources and the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement; and Interjurisdictional Issues in Canadian Water Management.

His recent research has included work on trade law, electricity deregulation, domestic and transboundary water law and policy, and problems associated with resource development and federalism. 

Monique M. Passelac-Ross Telephone: (403) 220-3973 Office: MFH 3345 Publications

Ms. Ross joined the Institute as a Research Associate in September 1989.

She holds a Bachelor of Civil Law from the University of Toulouse, France, an LL.M. from the University of Montreal and a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning (M. Env. Des.) from the University of Calgary.

Her research interests include forestry law, environmental law, natural resources management and aboriginal law. She has authored two books on the subject of forestry law and policy: Environmental Protection: Its Implications for the Canadian Forest Sector (co-authored with Owen Saunders) (1993), and Forest Management in Canada (1995) as well as several papers and articles. For the past fifteen years (1995-2010), she has conducted research on a Sustainable Forest Management research project funded under the National Centres of Excellence (NCE) Program. Her research focused on the impact of forest development on Aboriginal peoples, notably on the protection of aboriginal and treaty rights in the context of forest development. As well, she has completed research on land and resource use conflicts in Northern Alberta and has participated in research work conducted by the Institute in the Northwest Territories and the Yukon on legal and policy issues related to resource developments in the North. She was involved in a multi-year research project examining the impact of energy developments on human rights. She is currently conducting research on Aboriginal rights to water, taking as a case study the Athabasca oil sands region in Alberta.

Jenette I. Yearsley Telephone: (403) 220-3972 Office: MFH 3344 Publications

Jenette joined the Institute as a Research Associate in May 2007. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Microbiology from Idaho State University and an LL.B. from the University of Calgary. Before being called to the Alberta Bar in 2006, she articled with the Courts of Queen's Bench and Appeal in Calgary and worked at a national firm where she practised in the areas of energy and environmental law. Prior to entering the practice of law, Jenette worked in the food, brewing and chemical industries.

Jenette's current research focus is on sustainable energy policy including work on the legal aspects of carbon capture and storage.

Nickie Vlavianos Telephone: (403) 220-3971 Office: MFH 3346 Publications

Nickie has worked with the Institute since 2001. In July 2007, Nickie joined the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary as an Assistant Professor. She is currently on a half-time secondment with the Institute.

Nickie received her LL.B. from the University of Alberta in 1996 and, after articling with the Courts of Queen's Bench and Appeal in Calgary, was called to the Alberta Bar in 1997. In 2000, Nickie completed her LL.M. at the University of Calgary with a specialization in oil and gas and environmental law. Her thesis considered the liability regimes for well abandonment, reclamation, releases of substances and contaminated sites in Alberta.

Nickie's research interests are in the areas of energy, natural resources and environmental law. She is the current editor of the Canada Energy Law Service - Federal (Thomson/Carswell). Her recent research has included work on the legal and regulatory framework for oil sands development in Alberta, the reclamation of oil sands operations, the role of municipalities in oil and gas and alternative energy development, and public participation in natural resource and environmental decision making. From 2001-2007, Nickie was the primary legal researcher on a project examining the role of human rights law in the context of natural resources development.

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