Dr. Judith Bartlett is a Metis physician, researcher and health administrator. She is Associate Professor and an Adjunct Scientist - Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (both in the Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, U of Manitoba). She is Director, Health & Wellness Department, Manitoba Metis Federation, and also continues part-time clinical work.  

Dr. Bartlett continues her work on developing & promoting practical applications of an holistic health and wellness model. She runs an active research program in Canada and internationally.

Current board/council roles include National Aboriginal Health Organization Board; Manitoba Health Research Council; Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council; Canada North West FASD Research Network Board; and United Way of Winnipeg Aboriginal Relations Council. 

Past Boards: Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (2006-08); Institute on Aboriginal Peoples Health (2001-06); National Aboriginal Health Organization (chair 2000-04); United Way of Winnipeg (member 1998-2004; chair, 2002-03); Canadian Health Network (2002-06); and Aboriginal Health & Wellness Centre of Winnipeg (co-chair 1993-2002).

Dr. Bartlett was the 2003 recipient for the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Health.

Dr. Alain Beaudet
President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Ottawa, Canada
Dr. Alain Beaudet, MD, PhD, is the President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). As President, Dr. Beaudet acts both as Chair of the Governing Council and Chief Executive Officer of CIHR. Before joining CIHR in July 2008, Dr. Beaudet was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (FRSQ), a position held since 2004.

Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Beaudet built a distinguished career at the world-renowned Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI). He headed the MNI's functional neuroanatomy laboratory, pursuing basic research into the action mechanisms and role of neuropeptides in the central nervous system, the control of intracellular receptor trafficking and its involvement in neuron signalling and new pain therapies. From 1985 to 1992, Dr. Beaudet was associate director (research) at the MNI. He has also taught in McGill University's Neurology-Neurosurgery and Anatomy-Cell Biology departments. Dr. Beaudet has written more than 175 original articles and some 40 monographs and book chapters.

Dr. Beaudet has received numerous grants and distinctions, including the Killam postdoctoral fellowship, grants from the Medical Research Council (MRC), CIHR and FRSQ, and the Murray L. Barr Junior Scientist Award. In September 2004, he was awarded the Prix Adrien-Pouliot by the Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas). He served as president of the Canadian Association for Neuroscience from 1995 to 1997 and has sat on many peer review committees, both in Canada (FRSQ, MRC) and elsewhere (National Institutes of Health, Human Frontier Science Program). In 2007, France bestowed the Order of Academic Palms distinguished Officer's award to him and he was made Doctor honoris causa of Université Pierre et Marie Curie.

Dr. Beaudet earned a medical degree and a PhD in neuroscience from the Université de Montréal. He did postdoctoral training at the Centre d'études nucléaires in Saclay, France and the University of Zurich's Brain Research Institute in Switzerland.

Amy Bombay is a member of Rainy River First Nation and is currently a PhD Candidate in the Department of Psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa. The majority of her research is concerned with identifying risk and resiliency factors for mental health outcomes among First Nations peoples in Canada. One of her main focuses has been looking at the impacts of perceived discrimination on mental health outcomes. Her other main line of research has been related to the impacts of Indian Residential Schools and the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement on mental health and well-being.

Simon Brascoupé (Anishinabeg/ Haudenosaunee) is an Adjunct Researcher Professor at Carleton University where he teaches Aboriginal health and healing. Previously he was Director, Aboriginal Affairs Branch, Environment Canada and Acting Director, Primary Health Care Division, Health Canada. 

He has written and worked in the field of traditional knowledge and intellectual Property Rights and is on Trent University's Ph.D. Indigenous Knowledge Council.  He has been involved internationally on Indigenous environmental issues, particularly the protection of Indigenous knowledge.  He recently completed a paper on Cultural Safety and a textbook chapter on “Rekindling the Fire: Healing Through Indigenous Knowledge”.

Role at NITHA as Capacity Development Advisor:    
Paulette is the Capacity Development Advisor with the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority (NITHA). She has worked with the NITHA Partnership Capacity Development Working Group (CDWG) since 2003. The CDWG consists of Partner senior management representatives and together determine priority capacity development initiatives for the Partners to address northern First Nations health services human resources needs. Her work with the CDWG has included:

• Develop of and implement of assessment approaches and strategies to support the enhancement of human resource capacities.
• Offering a series of Professional Development activities for Partner Health Directors / Coordinators / Administrators and other Partner community health positions.
• Partnership connections and participation in joint projects / activities with external organizations on common human resource and community development priorities.
• Support enhancement /development of leadership capacity for community health.

Career and Professional Background
Paulette has a Masters in Adult, Community and Higher Education from U of C and a Bachelor of Education with a major in Business and Math from U of S. Her previous work experience includes 25 years with the Saskatchewan post-secondary education system including Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) and Prince Albert Regional College. Of the 25 years, ten included senior management positions in SIAST and eight as program coordinator and extension consultant positions in both SIAST and the College. Following a reorganization of senior management positions in SIAST in 1998, she moved on to work as a Consultant for a number of northern Saskatchewan training agencies and organizations till 2002.

Dr. Catherine L. Cook is a Métis physician from Manitoba.  She is the Executive Director of Aboriginal Health Programs at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority where she is responsible for the ongoing development and implementation of the Aboriginal Health Strategy.  In July 2009, she was appointed by the Province of Manitoba as the Aboriginal Health Advisor on H1N1 Issue for Manitoba – to work with First Nations communities, leadership organizations and the federal government to further strengthen communication, co-ordination and response to H1N1 influenza.

Dr. Cook is also actively engaged at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Medicine in the areas of teaching, student supports and research.  As an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, she has responsibilities as the Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Health Education and the Co-Director, Center for Aboriginal Health Research.  She is a leader in developing a Resource Centre for Aboriginal students and establishing processes for building the capacity to meet the academic, professional development and social support needs of Aboriginal students.  In addition, she currently is Principal Investigator for the Aboriginal Capacity and Development Research Environment (ACADRE) and Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR) grants – the Investigator team works collaboratively with the Aboriginal community to develop research capacity for Aboriginal researchers and others in the field of Aboriginal Health.

Dr. Cook has held several leadership positions throughout her career including, Regional Medical Officer of Health for the Winnipeg and Nor-Man Regional Health Authorities;  Chair of the Aboriginal Diabetes Working Group of the National Diabetes Surveillance System; Director of Health Programs at Health Canada; and Co-Chair of the ‘Changes for Children’ Implementation Team – a process for systemic change within the Child Welfare system in Manitoba stemming from the AJI-CWI Initiative and a series of reviews of the child welfare system.

She received her medical education at the University of Manitoba, graduated in 1987, and certified in Family Medicine in 1989. In 2003, she completed her Masters of Science, through the Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba.  She is based in Winnipeg.

Information forthcoming.

Willie Ermine is a faculty member of the First Nations University of Canada with an appointment to the Indigenous Peoples' Health Research Centre. His primary duty as an Ethicist/Researcher is to promote ethical practices of research involving Indigenous Peoples with particular interest in the conceptual development of the 'ethical space' (a theoretical space between cultures and world views). His research areas include Traditional Medicines/Indigenous Knowledge, Integration of Western and Indigenous Healing Practices, Climate Change, Mental Health, Health Human Resources, Cree Literature and Indigenous system of Religion and Philosophy.

Willie Ermine has published numerous academic articles on epistemology, philosophies of cross-cultural research, global climate change and the nature of Indigenous metaphysics. He has also presented widely at the national and international levels promoting ethical research practices and an understanding of the nature of Indigenous thought. As well, he contributed to the development of the CIHR guidelines on Research Involving Aboriginal Peoples.

Willie Ermine is from the Sturgeon Lake First Nation in the north central part of Saskatchewan.
He graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1995 with a Bachelor of Education degree
and completed his Master of Education at the University of Saskatchewan in 2000.

His Master of Education thesis is titled “A Critical Examination of the Ethics of Research Involving Indigenous Peoples.”
His continued residence and participation in the community provides him with the grounding and perspective in his duties and approach to work in the mainstream. Willie has published numerous academic articles including a widely-read academic paper entitled “Aboriginal Epistemology” through UBC Press and a paper on indigenous knowledge in a European publication entitled Sea Change: Orkney and Northern Europe in the Later Iron Age 300 – 800.

He has presented at various locations, including the Orkney International Science Festival, Banff Center for Management, and a host other venues on the topic of education and, in particular, the nature of indigenous thought.

Violet Ford
Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada
Executive Council Member &
Vice President on International Affairs

Violet Ford was born and raised in the Inuit community of Makkovik, Labrador and now resides in Ottawa, Ontario. Violet has represented ICC and Inuit interests at many international forums, in particular the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. Since 1998, Violet has also been a member of the official Canadian government delegation in the negotiations of the Conference of the Parties. During these sessions the successful negotiations of the Work Programme occurred for the implementation of the articles of the Convention pertaining to the role of Indigenous communities and the application of their traditional knowledge in sustainable development.

Violet was appointed to the Nunavut Arbitration Board in 1994 and was re appointed in 1999. Violet is also a North American representative of the UNEP Facilitating Committee.

Violet has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Laws degree and is a lawyer by training. Violet is presently a doctor of laws candidate with a focus on international law at the University of Lapland (Province of Finland). She is a practicing member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador, and is a non-practicing member of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories.
Violet was elected to the ICC Executive Council at ICC’s ninth general assembly held in Kuujjuaq, in August 2002 and re-elected at the tenth general assembly held in Barrow, Alaska in July 2006.

Chris Furgal is an Associate Professor in the Indigenous Environmental Studies Program (IES), cross-appointed between the Departments of Environmental Resource Sciences / Studies and Indigenous Studies at Trent University. He is also currently the co-Director of the Nasivvik Centre for Inuit health and changing environments situated at Laval University and Trent University (www.nasivvik.ulaval.ca/). He teaches courses within the IES program on topics related to Indigenous peoples, health and the environment.

He is a multidisciplinary researcher with a background in both the biological (BSc and MSc) and social sciences (PhD). Much of his research is focused on the assessment of health impacts associated with environmental change (e.g. climate change, environmental contaminants) in circumpolar Indigenous communities. He is particularly interested in methods and processes for linking Indigenous Knowledge with Natural, Physical and Health Science knowledge for understanding Arctic environmental health issues.

Mr. Garman began his public service career in 1975 in the Department of Veterans Affairs and since 1981 has been with the Department of Health where he has held a variety of positions, including 15 years as Regional Director for First Nation and Inuit Health in the Atlantic, Manitoba and Ontario Regions as well as serving as the Director General of the Aboriginal Health Blueprint Secretariat for a period leading up to the 2005 First Ministers meeting in Kelowna, B.C.   Mr. Garman is currently on assignment as a Special Advisor to the Assistant Deputy Minister of the First Nation and Inuit Health Branch of Heath Canada, and in this capacity, is leading an initiative addressing First Nation communities in crisis.

Colette Isaac is the Program Coordinator for the National Network for Aboriginal Mental Health Research.  She is Pottawatomi from Moose Deer Point First Nation.  A geographer by training, Colette has worked for regional and national Aboriginal organizations, as well as locally in her own First Nation administration.  Keenly interested in the relationship of land to Aboriginal identity, she has continued to follow her research interests within her current role at the Culture and Mental Health Unit, an affiliate of McGill University.

Dr. Gully is Senior Medical Advisor in the Health Canada Deputy Minister’s Office, with specific responsibilities for First Nations in relation to H1N1. From February to August 2009, Dr. Gully was Deputy Coordinator for the United Nations System Influenza Coordination office. He was based in WHO HQ, Geneva, where he was until March 2009 Senior Advisor to the Assistant Director General, Health Security and Environment (HSE).

Up to April 2006, he was deputy chief public health officer for Canada responsible for infectious diseases and emergency preparedness and held various posts in Health Canada from 1990. Prior to that, he worked in public health at the local and regional level in Canada, the UK and Zambia.

Dr. Gully has had a career-long interest in emerging infectious diseases and has been directly involved in many significant outbreaks and crisis responses. He has a particular interest in risk communication and policy issues related to avian influenza and pandemic preparedness.

Dr. Gully is a physician with specialty training in public health in the United Kingdom and Canada and has held honorary and adjunct academic positions in the UK and Canada. He is an affiliate of the McLaughlin Centre for Population Health Risk Assessment at the University of Ottawa. 

Christine Kenney is both a registered midwife, and occupational therapist with over 20 years experience as a health professional and health services manager within New Zealand and Canada. Since 2004, she has lectured in undergraduate and postgraduate papers within the School of Health and Social Services at Massey University, New Zealand.

More recently in keeping with a personal commitment to develop Māori midwifery workforce capacity she has collaborated with Māori health services and community organisations and midwifery bodies to develop support for Māori midwifery students.

Her efforts have contributed to a substantial increase in degree completions by Māori students.  Her passion for providing  women with a high standard of professional and evidence-based care and her commitment to developing Maori midwifery capacity  have also facilitated completion of a PhD in Midwifery in 2009.

Her doctoral research focused on developing a contextually relevant research methodology/model based on analyses of women’s and midwives’ stories about miscarriage. It is hoped that her research will address gaps in research, health and midwifery knowledge and facilitate midwifery practice in accordance with New Zealand health legislation.

Christine is the first Māori midwife to gain a doctorate in Midwifery and hopes that her achievements will serve as a role model for the next generation of Māori health professionals.

Pierre Sélim Haddad obtained a BSc in Physiology from McGill University in 1981 and a PhD in Pharmacology from the Université de Montréal in 1986. In 1990, he established his laboratory in the Department of Pharmacology of the Université de Montréal, where he is currently a tenured Professor. His research has been funded without interruption since 1990 by several provincial, national and international funding agencies, notably CIHR.

In 1998, he became interested in Natural Health Products (NHP), particularly medicinal plants used to treat diabetes. He applied his expertise in cell- and animal-based insulin and diabetes research to study the mechanisms of action of several suspected antidiabetic plants, including the Canadian lowbush blueberry and the Moroccan spice nigella.

In 2003, he successfully built a multidisciplinary team of researchers to study the antidiabetic potential of plants used by the Cree Nations of Northern Quebec in their traditional medicine, through the support of a New Emerging Team grant funded jointly by CIHR and the Natural Health Products Directorate of Health Canada.

Funding was renewed from 2006 to 2011 to create the CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, which extends previous activities (ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, nutrition) to include toxicology as well as clinical studies and a health systems research component dealing with integration of Cree traditional medicine into the health care system offered to Cree diabetics.

The Team has notably developed a comprehensive research agreement that protects Indigenous Knowledge, Traditional Medicine and related Intellectual Property in an unprecedented manner. Dr. Haddad has become a leading figure in Canadian research on NHP and Aboriginal traditional medicine, notably in the context of diabetes.

Information forthcoming.

Alika is a twenty-seven year old Aboriginal Physician from southern
Saskatchewan who was raised with strong ties to both his Aboriginal
and Pacific Islander traditions. Despite affinity for both science and
math as a child, in Grade Four he was labelled "developmentally
delayed" by school officials.  After months of speech therapy
sessions, his parents were told he would be unlikely to finish high
school.  After researching ways to help their son, Alika's parents
made the difficult decision to school him at home and achieved
subsequent success; he finished high school at age fifteen; received
his Bachelor's of Science at nineteen and graduated from medical
school at twenty-four.

Alika is the youngest recipient of the highest honour Aboriginal
peoples give their own, the National Aboriginal Achievement Award as
well as a variety of other awards including the Saskatchewan
Centennial Medal, a National Science and Engineering Research Council
of Canada (NSERC) research grant, a National Aboriginal Health
Organization Role Model Award as well as a host of other academic and
volunteer awards.  Most recently he was named 2008's "Canada's Next
Great Prime Minister" after winning CBC's annual competition with
applicants from coast to coast.

In addition to his academic achievements Alika also has varied
professional experience.  Since he was 8, he has performed as a
vocalist with "The 5th Generation", a family musical group that has
performed across Canada and have appeared on the 1999, 2000 and 2008
National Aboriginal Achievement Awards.  He also has done extensive
work as a workshop presenter, keynote speaker and conference
coordinator.  Alika currently focuses most of his free time to his
work as a consultant, helping organizations identify core issues,
build stakeholder consensus and optimize resource allocation through
the use of PriorityPath technology.

Alika is currently enrolled in specialty training at the University of
Saskatchewan in the field of Anesthesiology and actively promotes
medicine as a viable career choice for youth in Saskatchewan.

Dr. Lalonde is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, University of Victoria. His research interests include identity development and social development in childhood and adolescence. With Michael Chandler, he is engaged in studies of adolescent identity development and suicide in Aboriginal communities. His research focuses on cultural influences on identity formation and social-cognitive development. He is currently engaged in research projects that examine the role of culture in the health and well-being of Aboriginal youth. In partnership with the Inter Tribal Health Authority, he is involved in a study of injury rates within First Nations communities on Vancouver Island. In collaboration with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, he is beginning a project in Manitoba that examines culture and healthy youth development. At the University of Victoria he is also helping to direct the LE,NONET Project that aims to enhance the success of Aboriginal undergraduate students. Dr. Lalonde is a Principal Investigator for the Network Environment for Aboriginal Health Research British Columbia, Western Arctic (NEAHR BCWA), the Director of the Network Environments for Aboriginal Research (NEARBC – Vancouver Island), and Co-Director of the University of Victoria’s Centre for Aboriginal Health Research.

Information forthcoming.

Audrey is an experienced facilitator and motivational speaker who is well known for her enthusiastic and knowledgeable style.
 
Background and Education:

Audrey has worked in corporate education in health care, government, education and nonprofit organizations.  She has served in leadership positions in a number of national, provincial and local organizations involved with health, education and library services.  She is currently the Executive Director for the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada.

The author of several journal articles and study guides, and she has presented at a number of conferences on humour in the workplace, change management and organizational development. She holds an MBA from the University of Ottawa, an M.A. (Sociology & Organizational Behaviour) from the University of Calgary, a B.A. (Hons) from McGill as well as a Teaching Diploma from MacDonald College. She is  a Myers-Briggs Facilitator and has extensive experience working in the volunteer providing training on Board and organizational development. She is of Aboriginal Ancestry (Cree/Inuit) from Cartwright, Labrador

Stephen Leafloor has a Masters in Social Work (MSW degree) and over 25 years experience as a social worker in the areas of probation, wilderness programs, street work with youth at risk, residential group homes, child protection and community outreach. Stephen has also been an active participant in the Hiphop culture as a dancer since 1982 and completed his master’s thesis on this culture and its importance for educators and social workers in 1986.

Founder of BluePrintForLife considered one of the worlds leading companies utilizing Hiphop as both a Community development tool and as a model for alternative education.

Stephen has been a guest lecturer at many universities and is often a keynote speaker at conferences. including a number of international United Nations youth conferences. In Dec of 2009 he will be a keynote at an International Crime Prevention conference in Montreal. He has also trained Cirque Du Soleil’s cast members and the facilitators of the Cirque Du Monde. (Cirque Du Soleil’s social outreach program)

Stephen (Buddha ) Leafloor is the founder of the Canadian Floor Masters  (Canada’s oldest bboy crew celebrating 25 years of Canadian history.)

He has performed for James Brown, Rapper IceT,  Grandmaster Flash, and George Clinton. His dancing has been featured on Much Music, in assorted music videos and in a number of documentaries. He has also performed privately for the Kirov Ballet of Russia and opened for La La La Human Steps .

He turned 50 the summer of 2009 and is a proud father of three- but he still actively gets down in the Cypher.

Information forthcoming.

Information forthcoming.

Academic Director
Indigenous Studies Program, McMaster University

Dr. Dawn Martin-Hill ( Mohawk, Wolf Clan) holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and is one of the original founders of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University, where she is currently the Academic Director.  Dawn’s research includes: Indigenous knowledge & environmental conservation, Indigenous women, spirituality, colonialism’s impact on Indigenous people & medicine, and the contemporary practice of Indigenous traditionalism.

She is a Co-investigator on a CIHR-IAPH-funded Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research, the Indigenous Health Research Development Program, with an office located at Six Nations Polytechnic. She has contributed chapters to several books including ‘Lubicon Women: a bundle of voices in the book “In the Way of Development” and “She No speaks” in the book "Strong Women Stories", and “Aboriginal Women’s Spirituality” In Women and Religious Traditions., 2nd edition, Pamela Dickey Young, ed. Oxford Press.   

Her own book titled, The Lubicon Lake Nation Indigenous knowledge and Power, U of T Press, was published in 2008. The book is about the human and environmental impact rapid development is having on the environment and the small hunting tribe that is fighting the eco-terrorism in northern Canada. She has published a number of articles on community wellness and Indigenous cultural survival. She works on a national and international level promoting the protection and preservation of Elders’ knowledge and has been helping them for over twenty years pursue their visions to preserve the land, language and culture.

She is the Chair of the Indigenous Elders and Youth Council that works on a national and international level promoting the protection and preservation of Indigenous Knowledge systems and is in partnership with the Amazon Conservation Team and the National Aboriginal Health Organization. She was the visionary and manager of the International Indigenous Elders Summit 2004 and has produced three documentaries from the six day Summit attended by over 600 elders from across the Americas. 

The first film is ‘Jidwá:doh - Let’s Become Again’, a documentary focusing on the Elders’ understanding of historical trauma and directions to begin to heal collectively using Indigenous knowledge and traditional practices.  This documentary was picked up by ARTE France and viewed in 6 countries.

The second one is ‘Onkwànistenhsera - Mothers of our Nation’, a documentary examining the need for Indigenous women to reclaim, restore and revitalize their traditional knowledge that has been lost through centuries of colonialism and the most recent “Dish With One Spoon”, a film about the Haudenosaunne reclaiming traditional lands to protect the environment from encroachment, development and destruction.

She is the recipient of a US-Canada Fulbright award, Outstanding Teaching Award from the Aboriginal Institutes Consortium, Outstanding Community Leadership Award from a Hamilton Aboriginal Organizations Association and she has received grants from the Trillium foundation, CIHR, Canadian Heritage, and the Ontario Arts Council. 

Currently Dawn is interested in developing a curriculum with recognition of Indigenous languages and the development of an Indigenous Knowledge Centre. Central to her interests is the development of Indigenous Knowledge Degree in the language.

Most importantly, Dawn is a single mother of four children ages 11 to 27 and a grandmother of two. She resides at Six Nations of the Grand River.

Natan Obed is the director of social and cultural development for Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the representational organization for the beneficiaries of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement.  Natan is originally from Nain, Nunatsiavut, but currently lives in Iqaluit, Nunavut with his wife, Letia, and their sons Panigusiq and Jushua.

Natan has a B.A. in both English and Native Studies from Tufts University.  Natan has worked previously as socio-economic development director for Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and Voisey’s Bay Project Impacts and Benefits Agreement coordinator for the Labrador Inuit Association.

Dr. Charlotte Reading is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Human and Social Development (University of Victoria) and an affiliated researcher with the Centre for Aboriginal Health Research. Dr. Reading has conducted research and published in the areas of Aboriginal health, Aboriginal HIV/AIDS, social determinants of health, cultural competence, cancer among Aboriginal peoples, care-giving, Aboriginal ethics and research capacity building as well as the sexual and reproductive health of Aboriginal women.

Dr. Reading is the Chair of the CIHR-Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health - Aboriginal Health Research Network Secretariat, Co-Chair of the CIHR-Institute of Infection and Immunity - Community-Based HIV Research Steering Committee, and a member of the Advisory Committee to the Public Health Agency of Canada - National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.

Dr. Chantelle Richmond is an Anishinabe scholar of the Pic River First Nation in Ontario.  She holds appointments in the Department of Geography, and the First Nation Studies Program at The University of Western Ontario. Chantelle is a health geographer by training and her research seeks to understand how physical and social environments can interact to influence the health and wellness of Indigenous Canadians. 

Her research is supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and she draws from a broad range of methods and approaches that build on the local knowledges and capacities of Indigenous communities. Chantelle is particularly excited about engaging with First Nations communities in the Great Lakes region on projects that will promote health, engage youth and preserve Indigenous knowledge. 

Ms Anne-Marie Robinson was appointed as Assistant Deputy Minister of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Health Canada in October 2008.  Prior to joining Health Canada, Ms Robinson was Vice-President of the Corporate Management Branch of the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC) since August 2004. 

Ms Robinson joined the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (DIAND) in 1997 as Director of Policy for the Specific Claims Program and held the position until the fall of 2000 when she assumed the responsibilities as Director General, Litigation Management Branch.  Starting her public service career in 1990 as a GST auditor for Customs and Excise, she then joined the Management Trainee Program (MTP) in 1993 and left the taxation field to complete the MTP assignments at both the Canada Corporations Directorate, Consumer and Corporate Affairs, and the Policy Research Directorate, DIAND. 

From 1995 to 1997, Ms Robinson held positions both at Human Resources Development Canada and the Privy Council Office in the area of Aboriginal Policy.  Ms Robinson holds a BSc in Geological Science, an Honours Bachelor of Commerce and an MSc in Business. She lives in Ottawa with her family.

The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair was appointed Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba in March of 1988 and to the Court of Queen's Bench of Manitoba in January 2001. He was Manitoba's first Aboriginal Judge.

Justice Sinclair was born and raised in the Selkirk area north of Winnipeg, graduating from his high school as class valedictorian and athlete of the year in 1968. After serving as Special Assistant to the Attorney General of Manitoba, Justice Sinclair attended the Universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba and, in 1979, graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Manitoba.

He was awarded the A. J. Christie Prize in Civil Litigation in his second year of law and articled with a law firm in his home town. He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1980. In the course of his legal practice, Justice Sinclair practiced primarily in the fields of Civil and Criminal Litigation and Aboriginal Law. He represented a cross section of clients but by the time of his appointment, was known for his representation of Aboriginal people and his knowledge of Aboriginal legal issues.

Shortly after his appointment as Associate Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Manitoba in 1988, Justice Sinclair was appointed Co-Commissioner, along with Court of Queen's Bench Associate Chief Justice A. C. Hamilton, of Manitoba's Aboriginal Justice Inquiry. In November 2000, Justice Sinclair completed the "Report of the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquest," a study into the deaths of twelve children in the pediatric cardiac surgery program of the HSC in 1994.

He has been awarded a National Aboriginal Achievement award in addition to many other community service awards, as well as three Honourary Degrees for his work in the field of Aboriginal justice. He is an adjunct professor of Law and an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba. He is married to Katherine Morrisseau-Sinclair, and is the father of three children: James, Dene and Gazhegwenabeek.

Vyta Senikas, MD
Associate Executive Vice-President and CPL Division Director
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada

Dr. Vyta Senikas graduated from McGill University in 1970 with an Honours BSc in Biochemistry and later pursued doctoral studies in medicine and a masters of surgery (MDCM) at McGill University from 1970 to 1974.  Dr. Senikas completed her internship and residency in obstetrics/gynaecology at McGill University from 1975 to 1980.  She later received a research grant in the field of perinatology from the Hôpital Sainte-Justine (Université de Montréal) in 1979-80.  Dr. Senikas was president of the McGill Association of Interns and Residents from 1977-79, president of the Fédération des internes et résidents du Québec from 1979 to 1980, Assistant Professor at McGill University from 1982 to 1985 and Associate Professor since 1985. 

She has been actively in practice at the Royal Victoria and Queen Elizabeth hospitals since 1980.  Dr. Senikas' many activities include serving as president of the general overview of obstetrics-gynaecology in 1991-92, Director of Obstetrics at the Royal Victoria Hospital from 1991 to 1994, Medical Director at the birthing centre of the Royal Victoria Hospital from 1992 to 1994, and Director of the restructuring project for the new obstetrical centre.  Dr. Senikas has worked as an administrator since 1987.  In addition to being a member of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, she was a member of the Association des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Québec (AOGQ) Board of Directors from 1987 to 2000.

She served on the executive of the AOGQ from 1991 until 1999 and was president of the Association des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Québec (AOGQ) for the years 1997-1998.  Dr. Senikas represented the AOGQ in dealings with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) from 1989-2001.  She has also served the ACOG as an External Peer Reviewer in the field of medical training since 1992.  She was seconded by the AOGQ to the Federation of Medical Specialists of Quebec in 1994, led the open discussion forum at the 1994 International Federation of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians in Montreal; chaired the AOGQ rate-setting committee in 1995; and served as delegated chair of the AOGQ.

From 1997-2003, Dr. Senikas was a counsellor for the Canadian Medical Protective Association and was a member of its executive from 2000-2003.

Dr. Senikas has been a member of SOGC since 1979, has sat on Council, various committees including post Vice-President.  She is currently the Associate Executive Vice President of SOGC in charge of continuing professional development.

Dr. Richard Vedan, (Secwepemc), has been an Associate Professor at the UBC School of Social Work since 1995. From 2001 until 2008 he had appointments as the Director of the First Nation House of Learning and served as Senior Advisor to the President on Aboriginal Affairs.

Beginning in 1979 and until 1995 Richard was an Instructor, Department Chair and Division Chair /Dean of Instruction for Applied Arts and Community Services Programs at Langara College. From 1966 until 1977 he served with the Royal Canadian Air Force/ Canadian Armed Forces; trained as a Navigator and served as a Social Work Officer. In clinical practice he has worked with individuals, groups, couples and families and with drug and alcohol treatment programs.

Active with professional bodies and Aboriginal agencies, he has served on the Boards of the Vancouver Friendship Centre, the Native Education Centre, the VPD Native Police Liaison Society, Chaired the Board of Registration for Social Workers in British Columbia and was appointed to the B.C. Childrens’ Commission’s Tribunal Panel. For the past 17 years he has been a member the Aboriginal Social Work Educators Network, Wunska.

Currently he is a Co-Principal Investigator with the Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHRBC-WA) which succeeded the BC ACADRE for which he was also Co-PI for six years. At present he is also Co-PI for an international project led by Dr. Judy Bartlett to build Aboriginal capacity in health research.

During 2003-05 he served as a member of the Canadian Working Committee and Co-Chaired the BC Working Group planning the Second International Network of Indigenous Health Knowledge Conference (INIHKD) conference held Oct 2005 in Vancouver. A past member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE), he currently sits as a member of the CASWE Board of Accreditation.

Dr.Vedan is currently a member of advisory boards for Providence Health’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team, the Centre for Addictions Research Centre in British Columbia. He is a founding fellow of the UBC Institute for Mental Health, a member of the College of Health Disciplines; and is a member of the Board of Governors for the Kaiser Foundation.

Most recently Dr.Vedan’s research has addressed identity issues, authenticity, multi-generational traumatic stress disorder, violent behaviour in First Nations men and the benefits of traditional healing practices. In June 2002, was awarded the Simon Fraser University Dean of Graduate Studies Medal for Academic Excellence in Education for his doctoral thesis: “How Shall We Forgive Our Fathers: Angry/Violent First Nations/Aboriginal Men’s Experiences with Social Workers”.

Richard and his wife Barbara have been married for 41 years and have two adult children and two granddaughters living in British Columbia.

Fred Wien has an Honours B.A. in Political Studies and Spanish from Queen’s University (1962-66), and an M.A. and PhD. in Development Sociology, Government and Latin American Studies from Cornell University (1966-71).

His initial academic appointment was at the University of Western Ontario (1970-73) in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, where he was also cross-appointed to the Office on International Education. In 1973, he was appointed a Research Associate at the Institute of Public Affairs, Dalhousie University, where he was one of the leaders of a major research program on low-income work in the Maritime region. He became the Director of the Maritime School of Social Work in 1981, serving in that capacity until 1986 and on an acting basis on two occasions more recently.

Between 1992-96, Dr. Wien served as the Deputy Director of Research at the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples where he headed up the research program on employment and economic development. Upon his return to Dalhousie in 1996, he continued as a professor in the School of Social Work (changed to adjunct professor in 2009) but also serves as the nominated principal applicant for the Atlantic Aboriginal Health Research Program (AAHRP), funded by CIHR/IAPH. He is the co-chair of the Steering Committee for the Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Program (AAEDIRP).

At a national level, he chairs the Advisory Board for the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples Health (CIHR) He also chairs the “Make Poverty History” Expert Advisory Committee serving the Assembly of First Nations, and is a member of the Advisory Committee on Social Conditions for Statistics Canada.

Jessica Yee is a 23 year old Two Spirited young woman from the Mohawk Nation. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Native Youth Sexual Health Network, a North America wide organization working on issues of healthy sexuality, reproductive justice, cultural competency, and youth empowerment.

Her health research centres around empowering youth as researchers in the areas of sexual health promotion, decolonization, and reclaiming traditional knowledge. Jessica is a strong believer in the power of the youth voice, and you can see her activisting it up on sites like Indian Country Today, the CNN syndicated Racialicious, or pick up her recently released book "Sex Ed and Youth: Colonization, Communities of Colour, and Sexuality"

She is the 2009 recipient of the YWCA Young Woman of Distinction, a 2009 Role Model for the National Aboriginal Health Organization, and was named one of 20 International Women's Health Heroes by Our Bodies/Our Blog.