About me
R. Martin Bayer is a member of the Aundeck Omni-Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. He is a Partner and
head of the Aboriginal Law Group of Weaver, Simmons based in Sudbury, Ontario.
Martin practices primarily in the area of aboriginal law and provides advice to many First Nations, First Nation corporations, mining companies and other resource development companies, on a broad range of aboriginal legal issues.
Martin acts for a number of First Nations in relation to various matters, including land claim negotiations, self-government
negotiations, negotiations with respect to exploration and mining projects within their traditional territories and Indian Act and other matters.
Martin acts as the Chief Negotiator for the Anishinabek Nation (Union of Ontario Indians), representing 39 First Nations in Ontario in negotiations with Canada to reach a self-government agreement in the area of governance. He was the Chief Negotiator for the Anishinabek Nation in the negotiation of a forestry agreement with Ontario that would provide greater economic benefits to First Nations from the forest industry in Ontario.
Martin has represented:
i. De Beers Canada where he drafted Impact and Benefits Agreements with various First Nations along the James
Bay coast that led to Ontario’s first diamond mine;
ii. Detour Gold Corporation where he drafted mining agreements with several First Nations and Metis communities
around Cochrane, Ontario which led to the opening of Canada’s largest gold mine;
iii. Marathon PGM Corporation in their platinum and palladium mine negotiations with a number of First Nations in and
around Marathon, Ontario;
iv. Phoscan Chemical Corporation in negotiations to develop a phosphate mine and processing facility north of Hearst,
Ontario;
v. Northgate Minerals Corporation in their gold mine negotiations with several First Nations around the Temaugami
region;
vi. Tiffany’s & Co., in New York City, who were looking to establish a diamond manufacturing and polishing facility on
an Indian reserve in Northern Ontario;
vii. Sandy Lake First Nation, the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek to reach exploration agreements;
viii. Electra Battery Materials and five (5) Indigenous groups.
Martin served as the past Chairman of the Waubetek Business Development Corporation and is past member of the Board of Governors’ of Laurentian University and Cambrian College Board of Governors. Martin is the recipient of Cambrian College’s Alumni Award (1999), Ontario Premier’s Award (2002) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anishinabek Nation (2013). Martin holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Laurentian University and Business Administration Diploma from Cambrian College. In addition, he holds certificates in Mining Law, Negotiations and Aboriginal Law from Osgoode Hall Law School’s Professional Development Program, as well as certificates in Introductory and Advanced Dispute
Resolution from the Faculty of Law in Windsor.
