'I think as women, we have compassion': Jeannie Pelletier elected as new Cree health board chair
Former nurse hopes to make change for employees and patients
A former nurse from Chisasibi is taking on a new level of leadership as the newly-elected chairperson of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay.
Jeannie Pelletier won 54 per cent of the vote by northern Quebec Cree on Nov. 28.
Pelletier has worked at the Cree health board for 28 years, including as head nurse, co-ordinator, and local director.
Pelletier said she wants to address the gaps in the Cree health-care system, especially for its employees and the quality of medical travel for Cree patients.
"I want to set the tone and look at how it will be working together as a board," said Pelletier, who is Cree from Chisasibi, over 1,400 kilometres north of Montreal.
Pelletier secured a majority over incumbent, Bertie M. Wapachee.
"I was really thankful. [They] called me by phone to give me to results and congratulate me," said Pelletier.
Now that the campaign is done, she's just getting started. Pelletier said people's thoughts and needs are important to her.
"I heard a lot from people … they want transparency. And also fairness when it comes to infrastructure," said Pelletier.
The health board provides health care to approximately 20,000 Cree people across Eeyou Istchee, a traditional territory of over 400,000 square kilometres in northern Quebec.
One of the issues brought up during campaigning is how the board will better the services offered to Cree patients during medical travel.
"First I'm going to look at what was planned. I wasn't there during the decision-making. I am not certain if people wanted to keep the Espresso hotel," said Pelletier.
Espresso is a hotel in downtown Montreal that the Cree health board pays to accommodate Cree patients in need of special health services that aren't offered in their local communities.
"I'm not really fond of how [Espresso] is laid out right now. But I wanna find out where they are [in terms of] what services they offer right now," said Pelletier.
Improving workforce moral and management of Cree health board employees is also a priority, according Pelletier.
From her experience as a frontline nurse among other employees, she could see that employees need more support.
"Cree health board has a lot of employees. Especially women employees," said Pelletier.
She suggested that the new building in Chisasibi could include dedicated child care rooms and services for employees.
Pelletier's election also marks an important moment in Cree history. For the first time, the Grand Council of the Crees, the Cree health board, the Cree school board, and AirCreebec are all led by Cree women.
"I think as women, we have compassion, we're nurturing and all the other gifts that we were given to us is probably what is really needed at the present time," said Pelletier.
She also said listening to people is important to creating connections and understanding what people's needs and wants are.
"We have to listen to the people because those are the people who put us in these positions and they elected us to work for them," said Pelletier
Pelletier plans to spend her time getting to know the people she will work with before making big changes to the Cree health board.
"That's one thing I will never forget … the people's voice." said Pelletier.
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with Cree translations by Terrence Duff
