Eeyou/Eenou midwives who complete the Eeyou Istchee Pimaatisiiwin Chiskutimaachawin (EIPC) midwifery training program in northern Québec are now able to train and work in their own communities, thanks to a provincial regulation change earlier this year. The Government of Québec amended its regulations to enable participants in Indigenous community-based training programs to do the work of licensed midwives, without needing to travel to complete their certification. “The law basically controls who can and who cannot do what are called ‘reserved acts,’” said EIPC head Jasmine Châtelain. “But that law excluded Indigenous people learning midwifery in community-based programs, even though it was written after Indigenous midwifery education programs started.” Midwifery training Shannon Chiskamish described the many benefits she has seen come from the community training program. “I think it helps with trust and cultural safety,” said Chiskamish, noting that parents who may have generational trauma can receive support in their own community and in the Cree language. She also pointed to the return of cultural birth practices and traditions.
