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About Monica

Monica practises in all areas of income tax law with a focus on corporate tax planning. She routinely advises on corporate reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions and financings involving private and public corporations and private equity funds. Her practice includes both domestic and international tax matters in the oil and gas, renewable energy, technology, infrastructure, and retail sectors. Monica also advises clients in connection with tax controversy matters.

Monica is a sessional instructor of corporate tax at Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law. She has also guest lectured at the University of Calgary, University of Ottawa, and McGill University.

Monica clerked for the judges of the Tax Court of Canada. Prior to joining Blakes, she was an associate at a leading tax boutique in Canada.

Select Experience

Recent matters in which Monica has been involved include advising:

  • Pembina Pipeline Corporation on its acquisition of Enbridge Inc.’s joint-venture interests in Alliance Pipeline, Aux Sable and NRGreen for C$3.1-billion and its concurrent C$1.1-billion bought deal offering of subscription receipts

  • Suncor Energy on its C$1.468-billion acquisition of TotalEnergies EP Canada Ltd. from TotalEnergies Ltd., which holds a 31.23% working interest in the Fort Hills oil sands mining project

  • Suncor Energy Inc. on its C$688-million acquisition of an additional 14.65% working interest in the Fort Hills Project from Teck Resources Limited

  • Imperial Oil Resources Limited and ExxonMobil Canada Ltd. on the disposition of their interest in XTO Energy Canada to Whitecap Resources for C$1.9-billion

  • Pembina Pipeline Corporation on its $11.4-billion joint venture with KKR & Co. to merge their western Canadian natural gas processing assets

  • Great-West Lifeco Inc. in connection with its public offerings of C$1.5-billion principal amount of 3.60% limited recourse capital notes

  • Pembina Pipeline Corporation in connection with its public offering of C$600-million aggregate principal amount of hybrid notes, the first non-chartered bank hybrid debt issuance in Canada involving the use of a special purpose trust structure

  • Jupiter Resources Ltd. in its approximately C$630-million sale to Tourmaline Oil Corp.

  • ENMAX Corporation on its US$1.3-billion acquisition of Emera Inc.'s interest in Emera Maine

  • Nutrien Ltd. and its subsidiaries on numerous merger and acquisition transactions related to its retail agriculture and fertilizer production and distribution businesses

  • Suncor Energy Inc. on its investment in Enerkem Inc., a Canadian biofuel technology company

  • Cona Resources Ltd. and Waterous Energy Fund on their agreement to acquire Pengrowth Energy Corporation for approximately C$740-million

  • WestJet in connection with its C$5.0-billion acquisition by Onex Corporation

  • Canadian counsel to Heartland Generation Ltd., an affiliate of Energy Capital Partners, on its C$835-million acquisition of Canadian Utilities Ltd.'s natural gas and coal electricity generation interests in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario

  • Kinder Morgan Canada on its C$4.5-billion sale of the Trans Mountain Pipeline system and expansion project to the Government of Canada

  • Sale by Ontario Teachers Ltd.'s Pension Plan of equity interest in GCT Global Container Terminals Inc. to IFM Investors (an Australian investment management company) and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation

  • International Petroleum Corporation in connection with its acquisition of BlackPearl Resources Inc. for approximately C$675-million

  • Pembina Pipeline Corporation on its US$9.7-billion acquisition of Veresen Inc.

Awards & Recognition
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada 2023 (Tax Law)
Professional Activities

Monica teaches Corporate Tax and is a coach for the Donald G.H. Bowman National Tax Moot at Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law.

Monica is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the CPTS, the Canadian Tax Foundation, and the International Fiscal Association. She is a former chair of the Canadian Bar Association Taxation Specialists (South).

Monica is a member of the board of directors of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Publications
Professional Appearances
  • Co-presenter : Mandatory Disclosure Rules: Update and Select Issues
    Tax Executives Institute, Inc., 55th Annual Canadian Tax Conference, Ottawa, Ontario, May 2023.
  • Co-presenter : Overview of Select Canadian Environmental Tax Initiatives
    Tax Executives Institute, Inc., Calgary, Alberta, December 2022.
  • Co-presenter : Taxable Canadian Property & Section 116: Select Issues
    CPTS, Fall Lecture Series, Calgary, Alberta, October 2021.
Education

Admitted to the Alberta Bar – 2015
Admitted to the Ontario Bar – 2014
LLM (Taxation Law), Osgoode Hall Law School – 2014
JD, University of Calgary – 2012
BA, University of Calgary – 2009

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