Join us virtually on Thursday, March 26th, 2026, from 12:00–2:00 PM (PT), for an Indigenous Speakers Series session featuring Colette Trudeau, Chief Executive Officer, Métis Nation British Columbia. Learn more about what it means to be Métis and why understanding Métis identity within health-care systems is vital to addressing the disparities and barriers Métis people continue to face.
Topic | Taking Care of Each Other: Métis Perspectives on Culture, Wellness, Belonging & Identity
Date: Thursday, March 26th, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (PT)
Live Stream & Recording | Register to receive the webcast link or access to the recording after the event.
All REDI events are open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Speaker Bio
Colette Trudeau, MA
Chief Executive Officer, Métis Nation British Columbia
Colette Trudeau’s bio
Colette Trudeau, M.A., is a proud citizen of Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) and serves as their Chief Executive Officer. With over 15 years of dedicated service to her Nation, Colette has demonstrated a strong commitment to public service, gradually ascending through various leadership roles overseeing Operations and Administration, Digital Government, Women and Gender Equity, and Youth. With experience in developing and managing programs for Indigenous communities within a dynamic organization, she prioritizes community-driven approaches and social innovation.
As CEO, Colette has led by example, fostering strong relationships through collaboration and consensus-building. Colette’s curiosity and passion for learning are evident in her extensive involvement in various committees and boards. Her commitment to community leadership is exemplified through her previous roles as an elected school trustee in Maple Ridge–Pitt Meadows and a board member for Mamele’awt Qweesome Housing Society. She has also been a representative of the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Council, the 4Rs Young Leaders Initiative, the Unified Aboriginal Youth Collective, and the Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada, to name only a few. Her tireless efforts to create positive change are also reflected in her recent appointment as a Lay Board Member with Engineers and Geoscientists BC.
Colette completed her Master of Arts in Executive Leadership at Royal Roads University and has earned various post-secondary credentials in Leadership, Human Resources, and Business Management. Committed to contributing to initiatives that drive meaningful change, Colette advocates for the inherent rights of Métis people in British Columbia under section 35 of the Constitution.
Description
Written by Derek K Thompson – Čaabať Bookwilla | Suhiltun , Director, Indigenous Engagement
What does it mean to be Métis, and how are Métis people defining culture, wellness, belonging, and identity in an era of truth and reconciliation? Understanding who the Métis are helps us create better awareness and appreciation of the term Indigenous, and how the Métis are creating the space and opportunity to take care of each other within this context.
It is important for doctors and health-care providers to learn about culturally sensitive and safe standards and appropriate care guidelines when working with Métis people. Acknowledging Métis identity within health-care systems will support efforts to address disparities and barriers faced by Métis people. It is equally important for us to consider how we can individually and collectively strengthen our understanding of who Métis people are here in B.C. and across the country.
Please join me for this important and timely conversation with Ms. Colette Trudeau, Chief Executive Officer for Métis Nation British Columbia. Colette and I will engage in a meaningful dialogue about her unique perspectives on what it means to lead a provincial Métis organization, what it means to be Métis in this modern era, and what it means for the Métis to take care of each other.
Moderator
Derek K Thompson – Čaabať Bookwilla | Suhiltun, Director, Indigenous Engagement
What Will I Learn?
You will learn from a unique perspective on what it means to lead transformative change from a Métis perspective in relation to the processes of truth and reconciliation.
Continue Learning
“The time to make things happen is now. The time to seek out our individual and shared power is now.”
Discover more about REDI’s Indigenous Speakers Series here
Find REDI’s Indigenous-Specific Resources here