Dr. Jennifer Ward | MB

I’m a proud Mi’kmaq woman from Natoaganeg (Eel Ground First Nation) in New Brunswick. Growing up within a large family on a small reserve, , I’ve always understood the importance of community and I owe my success to the support I had from so many people back home. As Indigenous people, our philosophy is to treat all people within the seven sacred teachings and the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion would be encapsulated in those laws. Currently, I practice in a small, remote Indigenous community in Northern Manitoba, where I’ve raised my four kids.

Why I volunteer on the National DEI Taskforce: Efforts such as the DEI Task Force are important because the only way that change is going to happen in our institutions is when everyone recognizes there is a problem. The term “systemic racism” has been around for generations, but it’s only recently that people are actually understanding what that term means. When that happens, we can then make a concerted effort to address policies to ensure a more diverse, equitable and inclusive profession.

Follow me at:  Dr. J Ward, DC, MSc