Decolonizing Reproductive Justice – Indigenous Voices

We’re proud to welcome two representatives from the Fireweed Project. This research project, based out of the University of Victoria, aims to learn from Indigenous women and Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ community members who have accessed or tried to access an abortion, as well as service providers working in abortion care. The researchers hope to improve the culturally safe service gap in Canada.

Dr. Renée Monchalin (she/her) is a member of the Métis Nation of Ontario (Métis/Anishnaabe/Scottish/French Ancestry). She is a Mom, an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria, a Michael Smith Health Research BC Scholar, and the Director of the Fireweed Project. She holds a PhD in Public Health Science from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto.

Créa Ferguson (she/her) is a mixed Indigenous (Black, Scotian Mik’maq, Kanyen’ke:hà:ka and Anishinaabe) undergraduate student at the University of Ottawa. In addition to working on the Fireweed Project as a research assistant, she is also currently a birth centre aide at the Ottawa Birth and Wellness Centre, and the director of Francophone Affairs for the University of Ottawa’s Indigenous Students’ Association. She has previously undergone an Indigenous full-spectrum doula training with Aunties on the Road, an Indigenous doula collective in Ottawa, which sparked her interest in birthwork and working within the reproductive justice field.

Louise McKay is a Métis Elder from the historic Metis community of St.Laurent, Manitoba. Professionally, Louise has been a social worker all her life. In 1978 she became co-founder of a 24 hour youth crisis line which remained active for over 25 years. In 1985 Louise worked with one of the mainstream local and national political parties to ensure the voice of Aboriginal people in Canada would be heard and reflected in the policies and government positions of the day.
Louise has been involved as an Interpreter and doing voiceovers for the Michif language on Canadian Films produced for APTN. Louise has also worked as a Spiritual Cultural Care person and Traditional Elder for Shared Health Services Manitoba, passing on teachings and doing Ceremonies within the health care system. Currently Louise’s journey includes spending time as an Elder with the Women’s Health Clinic, Crisis Trauma Resource Institute, and other organizations and folks that cross her path.

Gerri Sharpe is the President of Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada. She is the eldest daughter of Mauti Qitsualik, born in Yellowknife and whose home town is Gjoa Haven. Gerri has lived all across Canada, and now calls the NWT home.
Gerri is also an artist who works with seal skin, muskox wool and beads to create traditional clothing and art. She also spins her own qiviut from wool harvested from muskox.