Aboriginal Women
MEETING THE CHALLENGES
Opening Doors for
Future Generations
This pamphlet profiles
some of the countless dynamic Aboriginal women in Canada today who are
exceptional achievers in their particular fields. Through their various
chosen careers, these women are breaking new ground and opening doors
for future generations of Aboriginal women.
* Traditionally, Aboriginal
women have commanded the highest respect within their communities as the
givers of life. Women contributed to decisions about family, property
rights, and education and were the keepers of their peoples' cultural
traditions. While clear divisions of labour existed, men's and women's
work was equally valued.
* Today, Aboriginal
women are pursuing careers that enable them to play pivotal roles both
in their own communities and in mainstream Canadian society. The following
profiles are intended to pay tribute to the thousands of Aboriginal women
achieving success in diverse fields across the country. These women serve
as inspirational role models for the young Aboriginal people of today.
The example they set through their dedication, vision, and hard work will
encourage future generations of young Aboriginal women to follow their
dreams.
![Melanie Goodchild](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/melanie1.gif)
Melanie Goodchild
Ojibway,
Pic River First Nation, Ontario
Film Producer,
Entrepreneur
"Receiving
recognition for my work is always an honour, but gaining the respect
of those around me has been one of my strongest motivations. I work
very hard at what I do and the barriers I encounter strengthen my will
to challenge myself. I have felt overwhelmed by the odds of being a
young Native woman working in the field of high technology, but I have
never felt defeated."
Just 25 years old,
Melanie Goodchild already has numerous achievements behind her. She
is the owner of Raindancer Interactive, a successful multi-media communications
consulting and design firm, and has also established herself in the
film industry. Her productions have been broadcast on national television
and screened at the prestigious Smithsonian Institute Museum of the
American Indian. In 1993 she received the Broadcaster of the Future
Aboriginal Peoples Internship Award from Global Television Network.
Melanie is an advocate for Aboriginal youth and entrepreneurship, and
she is currently national director of the Aboriginal Youth Business
Council.
Melanie became active
in First Nations and youth issues as a young teenager, and she has been
honoured with the Ontario Native Women's Association Award, YTV National
Youth Achievement Award, and a Canada Day Youth Citizenship Award. She
speaks publicly in Canada and the United States on issues such as self-esteem,
new technologies, entrepreneurship, and the prevention of drug and alcohol
abuse. Melanie is also finding the time to complete her undergraduate
degree in sociology part-time at Carleton University.
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![Brandy Kanayuk](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/brandy1.gif)
Brandy Kanayuk
Inuit,
Pond Inlet, Northwest Territories
Post-Secondary
Student (Pre-Nursing Studies)
"I really
love to do things that will have a good impact on the young people.
It seemed that the things that I thought were never going to happen
to me just happened....Although I'm not the best person in the world,
God has helped me to be a good person and to do what is best not only
for myself, but for other people."
Before Brandy Kanayuk
was born, her mother prayed that her new daughter would be the kind
of person who would always help others. Although only 20 years old,
Brandy is already fulfilling that wish. In her community and through
her participation in the Pond Inlet Youth Committee, the Baffin Region
Youth Council, the Tuniit Elders Group, and the school student council,
Brandy's commitment to her people is clear. Brandy has also travelled
throughout Canada as a youth representative in workshops, conferences,
and north-south student exchanges.
* At high school,
Brandy regularly won awards for achievement, citizenship, Inuktitut,
and academic excellence. She has performed cultural theatre and song
in Yellowknife, Regina, and Toronto, at the Spirit of the Arctic Pavilion
at the Canadian National Exhibition in 1995. She has worked at the Pond
Inlet Housing Corporation and the local health centre. In 1996, she
was selected as a National Native Role Model because of her demonstrated
leadership within her community. The National Native Role Model Program
honours those persons who represent, through their words and actions,
the traditions of wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility,
and truth.
* Brandy is now
completing a one-year nursing access program at Aurora College in Yellowknife
in preparation for entry to nursing school.
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![Sharla Howard](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/sharla1.gif)
Sharla Howard
Mohawk,
Kanehsatake First Nation, Quebec
University Student
(Civil Engineering)
"I would
encourage anyone who thinks they might be interested in sciences and
engineering...to go for it! The most important ingredients for success
are hard work, determination, and a true interest in what you are doing."
At 22 years of age,
Sharla Howard is no stranger to recognition. The National Aboriginal
Achievement Award she won in 1995 as a youth recipient is the most prestigious
of her many honours. As a CEGEP student at John Abbott College in Quebec,
she was on the honour roll from 1991?1993, and she has received awards
for being the most outstanding student and for attaining the highest
average in her high school.
* Sharla excels
in more than academics. As an athlete, she won four gold medals at the
1990 First North American Indigenous Games. She now competes at university
intramural games in a variety of sports and in a volleyball city league.
* Sharla is currently
completing a Bachelor of Applied Science in civil engineering at the
University of Waterloo through a co-op program. Her co-op placements
have included work with the provincial government, a manufacturing plant,
and a consulting firm specializing in geotechnical and environmental
engineering. In addition, she has worked as a teaching assistant to
first-year engineering students. She has continued to be recognized
for academic excellence through scholarships and is regularly on the
dean's honour roll. Sharla believes her training in engineering strengthens
her stamina, as well as her skills in problem solving, management, decision
making, communication, and team work -- capacities that she feels provide
a solid basis for many fields of study.
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![Mary "Jill" Johnson](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/jill1.gif)
Mary "Jill"
Johnson, B.Sc.
Micmac,
Chapel Island First Nation, Nova Scotia
University Student
(Education)
"The two
goals that I am reaching for focus on helping people and this is what
I want to achieve. From my experience, I would say to other young people,
before setting your goals, explore all available possibilities and then
make a decision that is best for you."
Mary "Jill"
Johnson's professional goals are grounded in her personal commitment
to help people. She has settled on two possible career choices: high-school
teacher or forensic scientist with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Jill, age 23, is now preparing herself for both these roles. She has
a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and is now in her first year of a
Bachelor of Education at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish,
Nova Scotia.
* Jill also participated
in the RCMP Aboriginal Youth Training Program and has worked two summers
as an RCMP Special Constable. During high school, she was a peer drug
educator, working with junior high students. In addition to the university
scholarships she received upon graduation from high school, Jill was
honoured by her high school in 1991 with a National Women's Day Award
in International Studies.
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![Renae Morriseau](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/renea1.gif)
Renae Morriseau
Saulteaux/Cree,
Peguis First Nation, Manitoba
Filmmaker, Actor,
Writer
"Especially
our young women, they need to develop their skills in the ever-changing
technology of today's world. It's important to be aware of the technological
advances in computer developments and science. These skills are necessary
for our communities to be involved with the greater community of Canada."
Renae Morriseau
is familiar as the character Ellen in the television series North of
60, but her accomplishments in broadcasting extend far beyond this visible
role. In her determination to ensure that First Nations voices are heard
and stories told, Renae's career over the last dozen years has spanned
acting, filmmaking, writing, and producing.
* Renae, age 36,
was first introduced to television broadcasting when working at the
Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre in Winnipeg. Her Within the Circle programs,
which were shown on the local community cable station, became teaching
tools for the centre. Renae went on to co-host, write, and produce segments
for First Nations, a nationally broadcast Aboriginal news magazine program.
* In 1991, Renae
created the Coyote Collective, a group of First Nations producers, directors,
technicians, and writers from across Canada who are dedicated to advancing
First Nations issues through broadcast television. Her documentaries
have won critical acclaim. In both 1994 and 1995, her work was honoured
as best documentary by the Native American Journalists Association.
In 1996, the American Indian Film Festival awarded her a Best Public
Service plaque for her documentary, Echoes of the Sister, about First
Nations women and breast cancer, and an organization that showcases
excellence in Canadian television, CANPRO, awarded her a Silver Medal
Award for The Medicine Wheel.
* Renae works with
young people in leadership workshops and television training. She believes
that this generation must take an active role in their communities.
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![Mary Jane McCallum](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/mary1.gif)
Mary Jane McCallum,
D.M.D.
Cree,
Barren Lands First Nation, Manitoba
Dentist
"The concept
of failure has stopped many people from pursuing their dreams or doing
their best....It's okay to be afraid. Beating fear is a great accomplishment.
We have to believe in ourselves in order to overcome fear. Realizing
that others have overcome their fear of failure has helped me in my
time of need."
Aboriginal children
in Manitoba do not have to look far to find an inspirational role model
in their midst. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Mary Jane McCallum has been
providing dental services to the province's First Nations communities.
Literally living the phrase "learning the business from the bottom
up," Mary Jane first worked as a travelling dental assistant throughout
Manitoba. She went back to school on three separate occasions to gain
new skills, graduating as a dental nurse in 1977, then obtaining a Dental
Therapy Diploma in 1979, and ultimately receiving her Doctor of Dental
Medicine degree in 1990. Except for a brief stint as an assistant professor
for the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Manitoba after completing
her dentistry degree, Mary Jane has devoted her professional career
to serving the rural and remote First Nations communities of Manitoba.
At age 44, she recently assumed the position of regional dental officer
for the Manitoba region of the Medical Services Branch of Health Canada.
* Throughout her
work, Mary Jane has come into close contact with Aboriginal children.
She is particularly concerned about the negative feelings these young
people may have about their worth in society. As might be expected from
someone who has achieved so much during her life, Mary Jane finds in
failure both an inspiration and the strength to overcome setbacks.
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![Miriam McNab](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/miriam1.gif)
Miriam McNab,
B.A., M.A.
Cree, Gordon First Nation,
Saskatchewan
University Lecturer,
Researcher
"Needing
to...understand all that my people had suffered and lost motivated me
to achieve a higher education.... I get to help others, both Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal, learn about our people and our past. And I, in turn,
go on learning from research and from the many people I meet along the
way."
It was Miriam McNab's
desire to understand her people's past that led her to her profession.
In her search to find out what being a "Treaty Indian" meant,
she became an educator. Miriam now shares her knowledge of Aboriginal
culture and history with students at the Native Studies Department of
the University of Saskatchewan and occasionally at the Saskatchewan
Indian Federated College at the University of Regina.
* Miriam studied
cultural anthropology and Native studies for her undergraduate and graduate
degrees. Her master's thesis in 1992 examined how a northern Saskatchewan
trapping community has changed and coped with the European influences
of this century. At age 39, Miriam remains a researcher as well as a
teacher, and she has lectured and written about Aboriginal women in
Canada. She recently contributed an article on Aboriginal women's issues
to The Canadian Encyclopedia Plus, and she has written numerous articles
for the Aboriginal press, most notably on animal rights and trapping.
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![Stephanie Redman](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/stephan1.gif)
Stephanie Redman
Dakota/Sioux, Standing Buffalo First Nation,
Saskatchewan
University Student
(Pre-Medical Studies)
"BALANCE
is the one word that I use to describe my life. Being deeply involved
in academics, athletics, and culture, I manage to maintain a happy and
fulfilled state of mind....Whatever an individual's dream may be, they
must find a comfortable balance amongst the things that are important
to them. For it is this balance that will be their foundation in making
their dream a reality."
Blending traditional
and contemporary aspects of life can be challenging. Stephanie Redman
intends to take this challenge one step further. Her goal is to incorporate
an understanding of traditional medicine into her future career as a
medical doctor. At 21 years of age, Stephanie is preparing carefully
for her role. As a high-school student at the Athol Murray College of
Notre Dame, she maintained an honour-roll standing. Now she is in her
final year of pre-medicine and is studying Aboriginal health and biology
at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College in Regina. Stephanie believes
that this is the training she needs to provide culturally appropriate
health care as a physician in First Nations communities.
* As a co-ordinator
for the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College summer math/science camp
in 1994 and 1996, Stephanie has been a role model for high-school students
interested in careers in science and health. She is the first Aboriginal
student to be involved in chemistry research at the University of Regina.
Leadership comes naturally to Stephanie -- she has combined volunteer
activities in her community with excellence in school, traditional dance,
and sports. Upon graduation from high school, Stephanie was honoured
with the President's Cup for Leadership.
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![Janet Smylie](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/janet1.gif)
Janet Smylie,
B.A., M.D.
Métis, Ontario
Family Physician,
Community Health Consultant
"I think
that you can do anything that you set your mind to. We all have a gift
and our role in life is to try and figure out what that is and to develop
that. And everybody has something worthwhile to say, no matter what
people tell them."
As an Aboriginal
physician, Dr. Janet Smylie knows the importance of nurturing ambitions
and desires in young children so that one day their dreams may become
a reality. Janet herself came from a highly supportive family environment.
With a physicist as a father, the academic world held no fear for her.
Janet has turned her own interests in the sciences into a Bachelor of
Arts in sociology, followed by a degree in medicine and a certificate
in family practice.
* At age 27, Janet
has practised as a physician in both urban and northern areas. She has
worked with the Anishnawbe Health Clinic in Toronto and is on an Aboriginal
health clinic planning committee in Ottawa. She is a member of the Native
Physicians' Association in Canada and the Committee on Aboriginal Women's
Health Issues of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada.
She is also interested in women's issues. In Toronto she was involved
with the Women's Health Centre, the Bay Centre Birth Control Clinic,
and a gender issues medical committee at the University of Toronto.
* There are now
67 Aboriginal physicians in Canada and a further 33 Aboriginal students
in medical schools. Janet finds encouragement in the fact that persons
from all sorts of backgrounds are now in the medical profession and
that support exists for those who are interested.
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![Stacey Porter](/web/20061209070146im_/http://ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/images/stacey1.gif)
Stacey Porter,
B.A.
Shuswap, Bonaparte Indian Band, British Columbia
Accountant
"It is important
for me that I chose a career in which there is a demand for the skills
I have acquired....I believe that anyone who devotes themselves to obtaining
a good education opens up so many options to themselves. Even if they
are unsure which avenue they wish to pursue, by having a good foundation,
they can have many choices to choose from."
In planning her
career path after high school, Stacey Porter looked closely at opportunities
and skills that would be needed in the future. She was interested in
accounting and finance -- areas that her father has been involved in
for some years. Stacey followed her interests while taking a Bachelor
of Administration degree and, in the process, chose her profession.
Accountants are in high demand in First Nations communities and the
Canadian marketplace.
* Now 24 years old,
Stacey has always been highly motivated to be successful. She attributes
her strong work ethic to the examples set by her parents and grandparents.
During her university education, Stacey worked for the Bonaparte Indian
Band in Cache Creek, British Columbia, in a variety of areas, including
administration and at the Band's historic Hat Creek Ranch. Stacey's
first employment after obtaining her degree was as project manager for
her community. Then she accepted a position with Price Waterhouse in
Kamloops, British Columbia, which subsequently merged with KPMG in January
1997. At KPMG she has the opportunity to meet her next goal -- to become
a chartered accountant. Stacey continues to be involved with First Nations
communities through the firm's Aboriginal Services Division.
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© Published
under the authority of the
Honourable Ronald A. Irwin, P.C., M.P.,
Minister of Indian Affairs and
Northern Development
Ottawa, 1997
QS-6109-000-BB-A1
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