Health Nexus is ensuring that our project is guided and led by Aboriginal people through using an advisory council made up of experts and stakeholders in the area of Aboriginal child health. We strive to ensure that our council has a wide range of expertise from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis populations. This council ensures that we create products and training that respect and reflect the diversity of cultures of Ontario’s Aboriginal peoples.

What does the advisory council do?

We created the council to guide the development of the toolkit and training. The council helps to:

• Ensure that our toolkit and training represents, reflects, and celebrates the wide diversity of Aboriginal peoples in Ontario, including urban, off-reserve, and on-reserve First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people
• Gather photos and artwork for the toolkit and training
• Give feedback on the types of training that would be appropriate and useful for service providers
• Share and gather traditional cultural teachings on child health, physical activity, nutrition, and so on

Who is on the advisory council?

• Cathy Alisch, Waabinong Head Start Family Resource Centre
• Geri Bailey, Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada
• Bernadette deGonzague, Chiefs of Ontario
• Rachel Dennis, Aboriginal Midwifery Student
• October Fostey, Métis Nation of Ontario
• Kelly Gordon, Aboriginal Nutrition Consultant
• Alethea Kewayosh, Ministry of Health Promotion
• Heidi Langille, Ottawa Inuit Children’s Centre
• Dr. Lynn Lavallee, Ryerson University 
• Sarah Parr, Métis Nation of Ontario
• Lynne Picotte, Métis Nation of Ontario 
• Monique Raymond-Lefebvre, Métis Nation of Ontario 
• Dale Xilon, Métis Nation of Ontario

I would like to be on the advisory council. What do I do?

Since our funding is limited, we are only able to have a small number of people on our council, but we are happy to have you involved in other ways. We especially need people to share their photos, artwork, and stories about living in a traditional way or eating healthy food in both urban and reserve communities.

If you would like to share your knowledge by allowing us to interview you, please email us. We promise to write back to you!