Cree midwifery training gets a boost from regulatory change
A change to Quebec's professional regulations is helping expand Indigenous midwifery training in Eeyou Istchee by allowing trainees in community-based programs to perform the full scope of midwifery practice under supervision. The amendment means more Cree students can complete their training while remaining in their home communities.
For Shannon Chiskamish, a trainee in Chisasibi, the change means she can continue learning close to her family while helping deliver babies in her own community. She described the opportunity as transformative:
"I just recently helped deliver my 12th baby... it's so amazing that I can stay home and learn from here and I don't have to move."
Community leaders say the regulatory change will strengthen Indigenous-led maternity care, support cultural safety, and help restore Cree birthing practices for future generations. As program head Jasmine Châtelain shared, the goal is to ensure that every birth also creates opportunities for the next generation of Cree midwives to learn.