Speaker Bio: Theresa McClenaghan
Appointed as Executive Director of CELA in November 2007, Theresa McClenaghan holds an LL.B. from the University of Western Ontario (1984), an LL.M. (constitutional law) from Osgoode Law School (York University, 1999) and a diploma in Environmental Health from McMaster University (1999). She is a member of the Bars of Manitoba and Ontario. Theresa has practised public interest environmental law, both in private practice since 1985 and at the Canadian Environmental Law Association as counsel from 1998 to 2006. From 2006 to 2007, Theresa was senior water policy advisor to the Ontario Minister of the Environment where she was responsible for overseeing the passage of the Clean Water Act, implementation of the remaining Walkerton Inquiry recommendations, establishment of water taking charges for commercial water takers, and passage of legislation to implement in law the provisions of the Great Lakes Charter Annex. Notable litigation has included representation of Intervenors at the Supreme Court of Canada, Federal Court of Appeal and Ontario Court of Appeal on pesticide by-laws and the Oncomouse patent among others. Theresa’s expertise in environmental law includes environmental health, water law and policy, energy law and constitutional law. Theresa, along with other lawyers at CELA, represented the Concerned Walkerton Citizens in both parts of the Walkerton Inquiry. She was CELA’s representative to several of the province of Ontario`s advisory committees dealing with Source Protection and nutrient management after the Walkerton tragedy. Theresa also has been author or co-author of various environmental law book chapters dealing with water law, pesticides regulation and nuclear power regulation.
Theresa lives in Paris, Ontario, with her husband and their four children ranging in age from 8 to 17 years.
