About the Firm

John E. Phillips has been trained in interest based conflict resolution and was a Registered Collaborative Family Lawyer. His practice involved many diverse ethnic and religious groups; Vietnamese, Sikhs and other East Asian people, Aboriginal Canadians and Muslims from many different countries. John E Phillips has worked as a consultant for the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and the Metis Nation of Alberta. He served as a Senior Advisor, Metis Relations for the Province of Alberta.

John E. Phillips served two terms as Chair of the Law Enforcement Review Board for the Province of Alberta; a civilian oversight body concerning police discipline of municipal police in Alberta. During this time John was twice elected as the National President of the Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement; the national body for all provincial and federal organizations responsible for work of this nature in Canada.

John E. Phillips has recently rejoined the Board of Directors for the Metis Calgary Family Services, which provides family support and early learning that serve many urban Aboriginal people in Calgary. John was previously on this Board for over seven years and was involved in setting up their Rainbow Lodge project; a transitional housing program for homeless Aboriginal families.

John E. Phillips has been actively involved with the Metis Nation of Alberta; having attended numerous annual general assemblies and special assemblies of both the Metis Nation of Alberta and the Metis National Council. John recently completed two terms on the Board of Governors for Rupertsland Institute; a new Metis Nation of Alberta/University of Alberta institute to promote and finance post-secondary education and training for Metis students throughout Alberta. John is currently the Chair of the Judiciary Council of the Metis Nation of Alberta.

John E. Phillips – The Person

John E. Phillips was born in polar bear country in Churchill, Manitoba and is active in life. He is a member of Mensa Canada and has participated in sports such as skiing, baseball, volleyball, marathon runs, scuba and sky-diving. He played football in high school and university. John lived in England and Germany as a child and has travelled extensively throughout the world; from Vietnam to Moscow, the Mid-East, Europe, North and South America, Asia, throughout Africa, Iceland, Japan and Australia. John speaks some French and has done language courses in German, Russian, Spanish and Japanese. John recently climbed Kilimanjaro, followed by a four week safari through Eastern and South Africa where he swam with wild dolphins, bungee jumped off a bridge and flew an ultra-light aircraft over Victoria Falls.

Other Positions Held In The Past:

• Chairman, Board of Directors for Vertigo Theatre;
• Member of Senate, University of Calgary, serving as Chair, Public Communications Committee and on the Executive Committee and the Nominating Committee;
• Part-time Aboriginal Member, National Parole Board;
• Chair, Calgary Aboriginal Urban Affairs Committee, an advisory body of the City of Calgary;
• Chair, Provincial Metis Justice Committee of the Metis Nation of Alberta;
• Officer, Canadian Army Reserves