SE First Nations Inuit and Metis Program

Pride Month is a time to celebrate love, identity, and belonging, while also honouring and celebrating the deep and enduring presence of all 2SLGBTQI+ peoples, including Indigenous Two-Spirit Peoples! 🏳️‍🌈

Two-Spirit (2S) is a culturally specific identity used by some Indigenous people to describe the interconnectedness of gender, sexuality, spirituality, and community roles within Indigenous worldviews. Long before colonization, many Indigenous Nations recognized and respected gender diversity, where Two-Spirit people were often honoured as knowledge keepers, healers, and leaders.

This Pride Month, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and resurgence of all 2SLGBTQI+ voices, and reaffirm our commitment to creating safer, more inclusive spaces that uplift Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ communities.

Let’s continue to learn, listen, and walk together in kindness and celebration! 🌈

As we begin June, we are proud to recognize National Indigenous History Month - a time to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples across Canada!

This month invites us to deepen our understanding of the diverse Indigenous communities whose stories have shaped, and continue to shape, the land we live and work on. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the truths of our shared history and the ongoing work of reconciliation.

As part of our recognition of National Indigenous History Month, we are honored to share that SE Health commissioned the incredible artist, Bada Jean (https://www.badajean.com/), who is a Nêhiyaw (Cree), Dene and Welsh visual artist from Treaty 6 and 7 territory, to develop beautiful original artwork, which you are seeing here. This piece is titled, ‘Northern Light Dancers’.

We also encourage you to join the SE Health First Nations, Inuit and Métis Program for a special FREE 3-part webinar series for National Indigenous History Month. The first webinar is today (June 1, 2026) at 12:00pm EST, featuring Jacqueline Lauzon, who will share her life experiences from her Métis perspective, including how her lived experiences have influenced her health and wellbeing.

Registration is required for these webinars: https://fnim.sehc.com/event/indigenous-history-month-3-part-webinar-series-june-1-2026/

Have you registered yet for our FREE 3-part webinar series for National Indigenous History Month? Registration is still open!

This webinar series will share three personal stories from First Nation, Inuit, and Métis individuals, honouring and celebrating the vital role of culture, history, and identity in shaping their lived experiences and wellbeing.

In Webinar 1 on June 1st, Jacqueline Lauzon will share life experiences from her Métis perspective, including how her lived experiences have influenced her health and wellbeing.

In Webinar 2 on June 15th, Terry Swan will speak to how and where we come from continues to shape not only who we are, but how we heal, reconnect, and return to ourselves.

In Webinar 3 on June 29th, Hilary Fry will share her lived experience and understanding of Inuit health in Canada.

Registration for these webinars is required. Click the link to register.
https://lnkd.in/edsfhZcN

Anti‑Racism and Awareness Week is a time to reflect, learn and take action to address racism in all its forms, including the systemic and interpersonal racism experienced by Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

National data show that racism continues to disproportionately affect First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Recent survey findings indicate that Indigenous people are more likely than non‑Indigenous, non‑racialized populations to experience discrimination or unfair treatment, including in everyday settings such as workplaces, schools and healthcare systems.

Experiences of racism in healthcare remain a critical concern, with approximately one in five Indigenous people reporting racism or discrimination from a healthcare professional within a single year, contributing to mistrust and poorer health outcomes.

Racism is not only an individual experience. It is embedded in systems and structures that shape access to care, safety, and opportunity. Addressing anti‑Indigenous racism requires sustained commitment to listening to Indigenous voices, challenging bias, supporting culturally safe practices and advancing meaningful reconciliation.

During Anti‑Racism and Awareness Week, we recommit to building spaces grounded in respect, accountability and equity where Indigenous Peoples are heard, valued, and supported.

[Data referenced from Statistics Canada]

It's National Accessibility Week! This is a time to recognize the contributions of people with disabilities and to reflect on how we can create more accessible, inclusive communities for everyone.

In Canada, 27% of people age 15 and older (approx. 8 million people) live with a disability, and it's important to recognize that many disabilities are not immediately visible.

Did you know that disabilities can be visible or invisible, temporary, permanent, episodic, and include physical, sensory, cognitive, mental health, learning and chronic health conditions?

Barriers to accessibility aren’t only physical. They can include communication barriers, digital inaccessibility, complex language, policies or attitudes.

Supporting accessibility means listening, learning and taking action - whether that’s designing inclusive spaces, using plain language, offering accommodations without judgment, or respecting that not all disabilities can be seen.

This week, and every week, we continue to work together to break down barriers and build communities where everyone can participate fully in meaningful ways, and with dignity!

World Cultural Diversity Day is a time to celebrate the rich mosaic of cultures that shape our shared world, and across Canada, Indigenous Peoples are central to that diversity!

Did you know:

🌎️ More than 1.8 million people in Canada identify as Indigenous, representing First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, each with distinct cultures, histories and traditions.

🌎️ There are over 600 First Nations communities across Canada, representing more than 50 Nations.

🌎️ Over 70 Indigenous languages are spoken across the country, belonging to 12 language families, reflecting extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity.

🌎️ Indigenous cultures across Canada are deeply connected to land, language, ceremony, and community, and continue to thrive through resilience, revitalization, and intergenerational knowledge sharing.

On World Cultural Diversity Day, we honour the diversity, strength, and living cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, and recognize the importance of respecting and learning from the many ways of knowing, being and caring that enrich our communities!

Join us for the second webinar in the FREE series exploring Maternal and Child Health happening on May 25th at 12pm EST!

This webinar will explore Family Stewardship, created to support both birthing and non-birthing parents during our greatest transformation: becoming parents. Participants will learn about the intention of increasing family cohesion and reducing intimate partner violence and share how Family Stewards work to bring ceremony back to all of life’s thresholds.

The presenter will share the sense of pride in establishing a new profession of folks who support families from birthing in ceremony to becoming ancestors. and how they are calling in partners, parents, and aspiring Family Stewards to join in a new way of birthing families. Together we’re offering families education, relational care, community, and ceremony across all of life’s thresholds.

Registration is required: https://fnim.sehc.com/event/maternal-and-child-health-webinar-series-may-11-25/

The SE Health First Nations, Inuit and Métis Program is pleased to invite you to a FREE 3-part webinar series for Indigenous History Month!

This webinar series will share three personal stories from First Nation, Inuit, and Métis individuals, honouring and celebrating the vital role of culture, history, and identity in shaping their lived experiences and wellbeing.

In Webinar 1, Jacqueline Lauzon will share life experiences from her Métis perspective, including how her lived experiences have influenced her health and wellbeing.

In Webinar 2, Terry Swan will speak to how and where we come from continues to shape not only who we are, but how we heal, reconnect, and return to ourselves.

In Webinar 3, Hilary Fry shares her lived experience and understanding of Inuit health in Canada.

Registration for these webinars is required. Click the link to register.
https://fnim.sehc.com/event/indigenous-history-month-3-part-webinar-series-june-1-2026/

Today on Moose Hide Campaign Day, we are reminded that all forms of violence are unacceptable, regardless of gender.

Rooted in Indigenous teachings and ceremony, the Moose Hide Campaign calls on people of all genders and generations across Canada to stand together against violence and to help create safer, more respectful communities.

Did you know:
- 1 in 3 Canadians has experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15
- A woman or girl is murdered every 2.5 days in Canada
- Indigenous women experience spousal violence at three times the rate of non‑Indigenous women
- Indigenous women are killed at up to six times the rate of non‑Indigenous women

Wearing a moose hide pin represents a personal commitment to speak out, take responsibility and help end violence in all its forms. Each pin is a reminder that change is possible, and that prevention starts with awareness, respect, and action.

To learn how to participate in the campaign and take action, visit https://moosehidecampaign.ca/

It's National Nursing Week! This week, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of the incredible nurses across Canada, but especially to the incredible nurses on our team. Your compassion, clinical expertise, and commitment to culturally safe, community‑centered care make a meaningful difference every day for clients, families and communities alike!

From the day you graduated, through the entirety of your careers, you've continued to show up with skill and heart, often going above and beyond to advocate, educate and build trust with patients and communities. Your work reflects the strength of relationships, respect for Indigenous ways of knowing, and a deep dedication to health equity.

Thank you for all that you do, today and always. We are so grateful for your leadership, resilience, and the incredible care and education you provide! 🩷