Backgrounder

Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Newfoundland and Labrador

Committee Member Biographies

Glenn Blackwood

As Vice-President of Memorial University (Marine Institute) for 16 years, Glenn Blackwood oversaw Canada's largest and most comprehensive education and applied research institute for the ocean sector. Mr. Blackwood is well recognized at the national and international level for his collaboration with industry and his expertise in resource management. Prior to his vice-president appointment, Mr. Blackwood directed the Marine Institute's Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Resources. Previously, Mr. Blackwood was the Managing Director of the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation and served as Assistant Deputy Minister of fisheries and Director of resource analysis with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is currently Chair of the International Association of Maritime Universities, an executive board member of the World Maritime University, and is a fellow and former governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He has also served on the boards of Canada's Ocean Supercluster and the Ocean Frontier Institute. Mr. Blackwood holds a MA in fisheries resource management and B.Sc. (Honours) in marine biology from Memorial University.

Leslie Grattan

Leslie Grattan is a marine scientist and currently an independent environmental consultant in St. John's. Ms. Grattan has held senior leadership positions in environmental management in the private and public sectors (federal and provincial), and has extensive experience on major projects in offshore oil and gas, hydroelectricity generation, civil construction and aquaculture. Ms. Grattan has also demonstrated success in building highly effective in-house and consultant teams. Her strong communication skills have been sought in consultations, negotiations and in collaboration with the resource sector, industry, regulators and the community. Ms. Grattan has been an active supporter of environmental education and business initiatives, including Econext (formerly NEIA), the Oceans Learning Partnership, Oceans Advance and was a founding advisor with the Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium. Currently, she is a Director on the Atlantic Regional Board of Nature Conservancy Canada and on the board of Newfoundland and Labrador's OilCo. Ms. Grattan received the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA)'s 2018 Industry Champion Award and is a Fellow of both the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Women in Science and Engineering Newfoundland and Labrador (WISE NL), and is an Honorary Member of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists Newfoundland and Labrador.

Shayne McDonald

Shayne McDonald grew up on the Miawpukek Reserve. In 1990, he received his B.A. from Memorial University with a major in political science and a minor in history. In 1993, Mr. McDonald graduated from the University of British Columbia with a law degree. He was called to the Bar in Newfoundland and Labrador in 1994. In 2014, Mr. McDonald obtained an MBA from Athabasca University in Alberta. Mr. McDonald is a member of the Miawpukek First Nation and was also employed with Miawpukek First Nation in the position of Director of Justice and legal affairs before his retirement in 2021. Mr. McDonald has played a key role in working with Miawpukek First Nation Chief and Council along with Miawpukek First Nation staff in identifying and establishing economic development initiatives. One such initiative included the 2020 acquisition of Clearwater Seafood by the Mikmaq Coalition whose members included Miawpukek First Nation and six other Mikmaq First Nations in Nova Scotia. Mr. McDonald has extensive experience in First Nation law development, Indigenous rights, contracts and negotiations, dispute resolution and stakeholder consultation.

Brian Power

Brian Power P.Eng (retired) is an experienced environmental professional based in Newfoundland and Labrador with several decades of work experience spanning government and industry. Mr. Power has had engineering, scientific and management experience in many facets of environmental issues over a 45-year period working with Newfoundland and Labrador's Department of Environment, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board and Environment Canada for nearly 35 years, followed by 10 years as Senior Associate Environmental Engineer with Amec Foster Wheeler prior to his retirement in 2019. With Environment Canada, Mr. Power spent 20 years as its senior manager in Newfoundland and Labrador before retiring from government in 2007. As an engineer, regulator and manager in government, Mr. Power dealt with all major industries in Newfoundland and Labrador including acting as lead of, or participating in, the reviews of various major environmental assessments in various industrial sectors. With the government agencies, Mr. Power dealt with regulatory compliance, environmental emergency response, and the remediation of several contaminated sites of former US and Canadian military bases. Mr. Power served for five years on the Voisey's Bay Nickel Environmental Management Board as a federal government representative with other members from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Provincial and Nunatsiavut Governments and the Innu Nation. With Amec Foster Wheeler, Mr. Power worked for mining, offshore oil, transmission line and pulp-and-paper clients in areas of environmental assessment, environmental site assessment, environmental remediation, closure planning and government and community relations.

Paul W. Saunders

Paul W. Saunders is currently a Member at Large for the Qalipu First Nation Environment and Natural Resources Standing Committee. Based in Cox's Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Mr. Saunders is a member of Qalipu First Nation with over 35 years of experience in environmental enforcement, monitoring, management and research for both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. He recently was an Environmental Assessment Consultant on the Marathon Gold project, serving as a liaison between Qalipu First Nation and the proponent. Previously, Mr. Saunders had a 35-year long career in provincial and federal government departments, most recently as Manager of Forestry Research (Ecosystems) for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's Wildlife Division. He has a M.Sc. in Geographic Information Systems and Environment, a B.Sc. in Biology, and extensive experience and training in the collection and analysis of spatial data and geographical information systems. Mr. Saunders has also operated a trap line for 25 years, and was a commercial fisherman for 20 years.