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Indigenous Women’s Council

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Regional Representative On Provincial Women’s Council

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Northwestern Ontario will have some representation on the new provincial Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council.

Teresa Sutherland of Fort Albany First Nation is one of 11 members named to the Council.

Sutherland is also a member of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation Women’s Council.

Members will help address issues of violence affecting their communities and provide input on issues such as human trafficking and child, youth and family well-being.

The first meeting is scheduled for early July and Jill Dunlop, Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues is the lead.

Dunlop says “For culturally relevant and effective changes to occur in Ontario, Indigenous women must lead the development of our policies so we can truly support their communities. The Council will be key to ensuring Indigenous women’s voices guide Ontario’s priorities on a range of critical issues.”

The Council will be co-chaired by Cora-lee McGuire-Cyrette, Executive Director of the Ontario Native Women’s Association.

Other members of the Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council include:

Sylvia Maracle, Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres
Sandra Montour, Six Nations of the Grand River
Lyndia Jones, Independent First Nations
Jennifer St. Germain, Métis Nation of Ontario
Teresa Sutherland, Nishnawbe Aski Nation
Amanda Kilabuk, Tungasuvvingat Inuit
Marina Plain, Union of Ontario Indians/Anishinabek Nation
Tracy Antone, Chiefs of Ontario

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Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council Created

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Ontario is taking action to better protect aboriginal women.

The province is creating a new Indigenous Women’s Advisory Council that will provide culturally-relevant advice on violence prevention.

Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford says they will rely on the roughly 11 First Nations, Metis, Inuit and LGBTQ2S leaders and experts in violence prevention and will focus on issues like human trafficking as well as child, youth and family healing and well-being.

“Moving forward we want to make sure we get a good Council and good advice from the people that do the work out there.”

Jill Dunlop, the Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues, will co-chair the council.

Rickford says “She will primarily Chair. But we’ll take a look at the issues and the opportunities that the Council can seize. We have a great profile of people on the Council.”

The Kenora-Rainy River MPP stresses right now there is no dedicated provincial forum for Indigenous women and experts to engage in violence prevention issues.

Dunlop says “The high rate of violence against Indigenous women and girls is unacceptable and must be addressed as quickly as possible. Indigenous women deserve to feel safe and secure. By establishing this Council, we can actively work in partnership with Indigenous leaders and community partners to deal with with violence in a culturally-relevant way.”