LogoutMr. Brian Crane
This oral history documents the career and perspectives of Brian Crane, a partner at the Ottawa law firm Gowling & Henderson (now Gowlings). Beginning with his background in External Affairs and political science, Crane discusses his articling and early years at the firm, working initially in estate law under Senator Duncan MacTavish before transitioning to Supreme Court agency practice. This specialized practice became his primary focus, involving filings and interlocutory work for clients across Canada.
A significant portion of the interview focuses on Crane’s extensive involvement in Indigenous law cases, including landmark Supreme Court decisions such as Lavelle and Bedard (concerning Indigenous women’s band membership rights), Cardinal v. The Queen (hunting rights and provincial law application), Smith v. The Queen (land rights), and the Garron case (establishing fiduciary obligations). Crane also participated in major land claim negotiations in the Northwest Territories, representing the Métis Association and helping negotiate the Gwichin and Sahtu land claim agreements.
The interview provides insights into the firm’s evolution from a small Ottawa partnership to a major national firm, including discussions of firm management, the integration of women lawyers, and the challenges of growth. Crane also covers notable criminal and administrative law cases, his work on commissions of inquiry including the McDonald Commission, and his co-authorship of a leading text on Supreme Court of Canada practice.
This description was written by AI and may contain some inaccuracies.
References
The following are a selection of topics discussed in this oral history.
- Court of Queen's Bench
- Federal Court of Appeal
- Federal Court of Canada
- Ontario Court of Appeal
- Supreme Court of Canada
- Osgoode Hall Law School
- University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
- University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
- Department of External Affairs
- Department of Justice Canada
- Export Development Corporation
- Government of Alberta
- Government of Manitoba
- Government of New Brunswick
- Government of Prince Edward Island
- Government of Saskatchewan
- National Energy Board
- Northwest Territories Government
- Bill C-31 Passage
- Charter of Rights and Freedoms Adoption
- Comprehensive Land Claims Process
- Dien Bien Phu
- Environmental Assessment Legislation
- Indian Act Revisions
- Indo-China International Commission
- McDonald Commission
- Patriation of the Constitution
- Suez Crisis
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Canada
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland
- Northwest Territories
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- United States
- Borden & Elliot
- Cameron, Brewin & Scott
- Crease & Company
- Davis & Company
- Gowling and Henderson
- Herridge Tolmie Coyne Blair & Gray
- Hewitt Hewitt & Nesbitt
- Lang Michener
- McCarthy Tétrault
- Osler
- Quayne & Quayne
- Simmers Harper
- Soloway Wright
- Stikeman Elliott
- Strathy Archibald
- Vincent Addy
- Bear Island Foundation v. Ontario
- Calgary v. Northern Construction
- Canadian Wildlife Federation v. Canada
- Cardinal v. The Queen
- Committee for Justice and Liberty v. National Energy Board
- Crown Forest Industries v. Canada
- Greenpeace v. Canada
- Kindler v. Canada
- Lavelle v. Canada
- Martineau v. Matsqui Institution
- Native Women's Association of Canada v. Canada
- Old Man River case
- R. v. Klippert
- R. v. Tupper
- Reference re Canada Labour Code
- Smith v. The Queen
- Stoffman v. Vancouver General Hospital
- Lawyer
- Andy Roman
- Anne Kelly
- Antonio Lamer
- Bertha Wilson
- Beverley McLachlin
- Bora Laskin
- Brad Smith
- Brian Crane
- Brian Dickson
- Bruce Clark
- Charles O'Connor
- Charles Scott
- Clara Wong
- David Watson
- Doug Sanders
- Duncan MacTavish
- Elizabeth Slasor
- Emmett Hall
- George Perley-Robertson
- Gerald LaForest
- Gordon Gowling
- Gordon Henderson
- Graham McClenaghan
- Henry Brown
- Ian Binnie
- Inger Hansen
- John Cartwright
- John Osborne
- John Richard
- John Sopinka
- Keith Eaton
- Ken Evans
- Margaret Hyndman
- Marshall Crowe
- Mary Eberts
- Peter Cory
- Peter Newcombe
- Robert Chevrier
- Robert Laughton
- Rosemary Perry
- Ross Cleary
- Smokey Bruyere
- Wayne Spooner
- Willard Estey
- Assembly of First Nations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Canadian Medical Protective Association
- Canadian Wildlife Federation
- Dene Nation
- Law Society of Upper Canada
- Métis Association of Northwest Territories
- Native Indian Brotherhood
- Native Women's Association of Canada
- Ottawa Board of Education
- Public Interest Advocacy Centre
- 1950s
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- Aboriginal Law
- Administrative Law
- Charter Rights
- Civil Litigation
- Commercial Law
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Law
- Environmental Law
- Estate Law
- Extradition Law
- Family Law
- Federal Court Practice
- Fiduciary Law
- Hunting and Fishing Rights
- Indigenous Rights
- Intellectual Property Law
- International Law
- Land Claims
- Medical Malpractice
- Patent Law
- Real Estate Law
- Supreme Court Practice
- Tax Law
- Trademark Law
- Treaty Rights
Some of these references were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
Archive Details
File consists of oral history records documenting the life and career of Brian Crane (b. 1930), a lawyer. Interview topics include: schooling; intern, United Nations; teaching at Pickering College, Ontario; Law School, Osgoode Hall and UBC; articling; Editor, UBC Law Review; junior, Gowlings; partners; native issues; general cases. Interview conducted by Christine J.N. Kates. File includes six audio cassette recordings from a series of three interviews and a transcript with index (153 p.).