2022–23 Annual Report of the Canada Energy Regulator – Appendix A: Biographies

Cassie Doyle, Chairperson

Cassie Doyle has had a distinguished career in the public service, where she served at the executive level in all three orders of government in Canada, including as Deputy Minister of NRCan. She has gained a deep understanding of natural resource and environmental governance and management and has a strong track record of effective partnerships with non-governmental organizations, industry, First Nations, governments and academia. Ms. Doyle was recently the Chair of the Expert Panel on Integrated Natural Resource Management conducted by the Council of Canadian Academies and a Board Member of the Alberta Energy Regulator.

George Vegh, Vice-Chairperson

Mr. Vegh is a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. He is an Adjunct Professor of energy law and regulation at the Munk School as well as the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law Schools. He is identified as a leading energy lawyer in several leading publications. Mr. Vegh was previously General Counsel at the Ontario Energy Board.

Ellen Barry, Director

Ellen Barry is a former Deputy Minister with the Province of New Brunswick. As a career public servant, she served as Deputy Minister with the Departments of Tourism and Parks, Wellness, Culture and Sport and the Department of Human Resources. Previous to these assignments, she served as Assistant Deputy Minister in the Department of Natural Resources and Finance. Her public service experience has provided her the opportunity to work extensively with multi-stakeholder groups. Since her retirement, Ms. Barry has worked on consulting assignments in New Brunswick as well as with the Institute of Public Administration (IPAC). She is a graduate of the University of New Brunswick.

Melanie Debassige, Director

Melanie Debassige is a member of the Anishinabek Nation and a band member of M’Chigeeng First Nation. Currently serves as the Executive Director of the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation. Melanie was appointed to the Ontario Clean Water Agency Board of Directors in October 2013 where she serves as a Board Director and Chair of the First Nations Committee of the Board. In March 2018, she was appointed to the Board of Reconciliation Canada where she holds the position of Director/Treasurer. Melanie completed the Director’s Education Program at the Rotman School of Management and is a certified corporate director which complements her Master’s in Business Administration. Melanie was recognized in 2015 by the Canadian Board Diversity Council in the Diversity 50 which is a list of highly-qualified board candidates. In 2018, Melanie undertook the role as strategic advisor to the National Energy Board of Canada on Indigenous issues. In August 2019, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Canada Energy Regulator. In 2019, she was recognized in Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100. Most recently she was appointed to the Ontario Provincial Sectoral Audit Committee, Community Services.

Karen Leibovici, Director

Karen Leibovici’s professional background includes personnel management, labour relations and social work. She has over 20 years of combined political and public service experience as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta and as an Edmonton City Councillor. While on City Council, Ms. Leibovici was involved in numerous key policy issues and led many city-wide initiatives. She served twice on the Edmonton Police Commission and was the Vice Chair of the Civilian Review and Complaint Commission for the RCMP. She was also a Board member of Alberta’s Municipal Government Board. In addition, Ms. Leibovici has undertaken leadership positions in other organizations such as President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), Chair of the Green Municipal Fund and President of the Alberta Association of Former MLA’s. Ms. Leibovici has a Master of Social Work Degree and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management.

Karim Mahmud, Director

Karim Mahmud has enjoyed a 30-year career as a leading energy lawyer in Canada and overseas. Originally from Alberta, and following law degrees at Oxford and Dalhousie Universities, Mr. Mahmud has practiced in major law firms in Calgary, London, Hong Kong, and Dubai. Most recently, he was partner and Head of Energy and Infrastructure for EMEA for a major international law firm. He has extensive experience in executing major energy, infrastructure, and privatization projects in Canada as well as over 45 countries overseas. This has included structuring innovative Indigenous investment partnerships and sustainable ESG compliant project structures.

François Tanguay, Director

François Tanguay has been involved in environmental work for over 45 years. Co-Founder of Friends of the Earth Québec, he was executive director for Greenpeace Quebec from 1992 to 1997, where his work centered on climate change issues.

Nominated as an administrative judge to the Quebec Energy Board in 1997, M. Tanguay served until 2007. He was then named Chair of the Quebec Energy Efficiency Agency. In 2008, he was asked by the Quebec Minister of Natural Resources to help put up a coalition for the promotion of wood in all sectors of construction. As director and main spokesperson of the Coalition Bois Québec, M. Tanguay worked closely with all levels of decision makers and investors. M. Tanguay was nominated in July 2011 for a 30-month mandate to Quebec’s Special Committee for a Strategic Evaluation Assessment on shale gas. In recent years he has worked on humanitarian projects in South Africa and with Oxfam-Québec in Peru.

Author of essays on environmental issues, including three on ecological housing, M. Tanguay was for five years columnist for The Sherbrooke Record on environmental issues. He has served as advisor to elected officials, private business, and labor unions.

Gitane De Silva, CEO

Ms. De Silva became the CEO of the CER in August 2020. Prior to joining the CER, she was a Special Advisor at TransAlta Corporation. She previously served as Alberta's Senior Representative to the United States and as Deputy Minister for Alberta International and Intergovernmental Relations.

Before joining the Alberta Public Service, Ms. De Silva spent 12 years in Canada's Foreign Service as a specialist in Canada-U.S. relations, serving in a variety of roles, including as Consul General of Canada in Chicago and as Counsellor (Environment and Fisheries) at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. She also served as Deputy Head of Agency at Status of Women Canada.

Ms. De Silva has a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of British Columbia and is a 2013 recipient of The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) World of Difference Award.

Tribal Chief Tyrone McNeil, Chairperson

Tribal Chief Tyrone McNeil is Stó:lō and a member of Seabird Island Band. He has extensive experience working to advance First Nations languages and education, collaborating with First Nations across the country, and developing agreements and partnerships with government. Tribal Chief McNeil manages a First Nation construction company that employs up to 70 Indigenous People, with expertise in Operational Health and Safety, safety audits, human resources management, operations and budgeting in civil construction and pipeline industries.

Tribal Chief McNeil works closely with the IAMC-TMX, including as a member of several leadership and sub-committees, driving changes to improve practices of regulators to better align with the UN Declaration, and to advance Reconciliation. He holds numerous leadership positions including, President of Stó:lō Tribal Council, President of First Nation Education Steering Committee, Assembly of First Nations Chiefs Committee on Education rep for BC, Chair of Emergency Planning Secretariat, Chair of Seabird College, President of the Sqewqel (Seabird) Development Corporation and Standing Chair of Union of BC Indian Chiefs.

Tribal Chief Tyrone McNeil is an active hunter, fisher and gatherer and looks forward to teaching his four grandchildren as he has been taught and learned.

Kaella-Marie Earle, Vice-Chairperson

Kaella-Marie Earle is an Anishinaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and Aroland First Nation. She is currently employed as an EIT at Enbridge Gas Inc. in Engineering Construction, System Improvement where she manages construction of natural gas pipeline projects. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Chemical Engineering Technology from Cambrian College as well as a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from Laurentian University.

Ms. Earle’s career goal is to weave her Indigenous cultural values into her engineering work in a way that will lead the oil and gas industry to a lower carbon energy future. She works toward this as a member of Young Pipeliners Association of Canada where she serves as Co-chair of YPAC’s Indigenous Inclusion Committee.

Ms. Earle delivers regular speaking engagements at conferences to advocate for Indigenous People and women in energy and mining, is the Director and Founder of Maamiwi Gibeshiwin Indigenous cultural training and allyship retreat and is a delegate on the NWMO Indigenous Council of Youth and Elders.

Marie Delorme

Dr. Marie Delorme is CEO of The Imagination Group of Companies, an Indigenous corporation comprised of three national entities, each providing services to industry, governments, and Indigenous groups in the areas of brand management, business consulting, and ceremonial tobacco.

Dr. Delorme serves on the publicly traded boards of Canadian Western Bank and Premium Brands Holding, the board of the Donner Canadian Foundation, and the CN Indigenous Advisory Council. Dr. Delorme is a Member of the Order of Canada. She has received the Inspire Award in Business and Commerce; and was named as one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women. Other awards include: the University of Calgary Dr. Douglas Cardinal Award; Alberta Chamber of Commerce Business Award of Distinction; Calgary Chamber of Commerce Salute to Excellence Award, and Métis Nation Entrepreneurial Leadership Award.

Dr. Delorme holds a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University, and both a Ph.D. and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Calgary.

Chief Harvey McLeod

Harvey McLeod served as the Chief for the Upper Nicola Band for nine years with his last term concluding on March 20, 2023. He has approximately 40 years of experience in working on First Nations issues including developing and bridging communities on the executive, political, relationship and partnership level.

Harvey McLeod continues to serve as a Director for the BC Assembly of First Nations, and has contributed extensively and directly to the development and operations of the Indigenous Advisory Monitoring Committee (IAMC) for the Trans Mountain Expansion and Existing Pipeline.

Scott Patles-Richardson

Mr. Scott Patles-Richardson is the founder of Indigenous Financial Solutions, a First Nations-owned company focused on economic development for Indigenous communities across Canada. He has extensive experience advising Indigenous communities, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and has negotiated for First Nation and Métis communities in the area of land claims and Impact Benefit Agreements, specific to energy and resource development projects.

Mr. Patles-Richardson is also the CEO of an Indigenous private-equity fund, Métis Infinity Investments, and is the majority shareholder of Nations Translation Group (NTG) and acts as their Executive Chair. NTG is one of Canada’s largest privately-held translation companies and is 100 percent First Nation owned and controlled with the balance of the shares held by the Little Red River Cree Nation’s investment arm. He has previously worked in leadership roles with Ishkonigan Consulting and Mediation, Tribal Council Investment Group of Manitoba, Scotiabank, and Royal Bank of Canada. Mr. Patles-Richardson is a Mi’gmaq citizen from Pabineau First Nation in northern New Brunswick of which he has been active as a key senior advisor.

Chief Matthew T. Peigan

Chief Matthew T. Peigan is Chief of the Pasqua First Nation. Chief Peigan is the youngest of 5 boys to parents Ronald Peigan Sr. and Grace L. Peigan. He was first elected in 1993–2001 and again in 2011, currently serving a fifth consecutive term. Upon his initial election in 1993, Chief Peigan was the youngest serving Chief in Canada at just 26. Chief Peigan has also served as Director of Operations and Housing Coordinator with Pasqua First Nation, and as Flood Claim Lead Negotiator for other First Nations.

Chief Peigan has been very active in engaging with industry as well as in interventions before the CER (formerly National Energy Board), including but not limited to the Energy East Project and Enbridge Line 3 Replacement Project. Chief Peigan is also a member of the IAMC-Line 3 Replacement Project. Chief Peigan is committed to both his home First Nation and to the advancement of all First Nations, and is a strong advocate for environmental, air and water protection measures. Chief Peigan was nominated to sit as a member of the Indigenous Advisory Committee by the Assembly of First Nations.

Marci Riel

Marci Riel is the Senior Director of Energy, Infrastructure and Resource Management at the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF). The department was created by the Métis government in Manitoba to address the development and management of energy projects and infrastructure constructed on lands utilized by the citizens and harvesters of the Manitoba Métis Community. The amalgamated department also manages the MMF’s Resolution 8 engagement and consultation process and lands management files as well as the natural resources and conservation portfolios related to harvesting, environmental assessment, Métis monitoring, forestry, mining, migratory birds, commercial fisheries, wetland restoration, fish and fish habitat, environment and climate change.

Marci is not an elected representative of the Métis Nation. Her role on the IAMC-Line 3 is to best represent the needs of the citizens of the Métis Nation’s Manitoba Métis Community and to assist Canada and the CER in better understanding the lifecycle impacts of projects on the collectively held rights, claims and interests of the Métis Nation. Marci holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology and prior to joining the MMF in 2011, Marci worked in the field of public safety and crime prevention.

Marci is the mother of two active teenage boys and together with her husband Kevin is proud to be raising the next generation of citizens of the Métis Nation. Marci lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba – in the heart of the Homeland of the Métis Nation – on one of the original Red River lots next to the historic Riel House site.

Tristan Zachow

Tristan Zachow is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SaskMétis Economic Development Corporation (SMEDCO) where he has been employed for over 20 years. SMEDCO is a Métis Capital Corporation that specializes in developmental lending for the start-up, acquisition, or expansion of Métis owned or controlled enterprises, and business advisory services. He is also the CEO of Muskwa Development Corporation, a wholly owned economic entity of the Métis Nation –Saskatchewan, mandated to engage in strategic investments through equity positions, strategic partnerships, and financial holdings. Recently, he was appointed as the inaugural Chair of the association of Métis Capital Corporations, which consists of four high-performing Métis Capital Corporations located throughout the Métis Homeland.

Tristan is a proud Saskatchewan Métis originally from the Prince Albert area where his ancestors go back well over a century. He is an avid hunter that provides for his family and friends throughout the year. His post-secondary education includes certification as an economic development officer from Dumont Technical Institute and a certificate in business administration from the University of Saskatchewan's Edwards School of Business.

Tristan's expertise includes developmental lending, Indigenous economic development leadership, intergovernmental affairs, corporate development and operations, capital attraction, business development and entrepreneurship, product frame-working and implementation, financial negotiations, governance, and delivering results in complex situations.