The School of Health Policy & Management and the Faculty of Health are honoured to present the 2019-2010 Indigenous Lecture Series on Indigenous Health and Decolonisation. These six lectures will bring Canada's most respected Indigenous leaders in healthcare to the York University campus to engage in a discussion of the pressing health issues facing Indigenous Peoples in Canada and how we, as an institution, can move forward in our process of decolonisation. Each of these lectures will consist of a 30-45 minutes presentation by the keynote speaker, followed by a 45 minutes facilitated discussion with 2-3 of our faculty members. A small lunch will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis.

On October 10th, 2019, we are honoured to host Dr. Lynn Lavallée as our second speaker.

Dr. Lynn Lavallée is Interim Director and Professor, School of Social Work and FCS Strategic Lead, Indigenous Resurgence, Ryerson University.

As an Anishinaabek Qwe registered with the Métis Nation of Ontario, Lynn Lavallée’s ancestral roots stem from the Anishinaabe and Métis (Algonquin, Ojibwe and French) from Sudbury, Temiscaming, Timmins, Maniwaki and Swan Lake regions. The family names from her mother’s ancestry include Labelle, Lafond, Godon, and McIvor and on her father’s side includes Gauthier, Pepin, Taylor, Richard, Caya/Cada and Lavallee/Lavalley dit Paquette.

Lavallée has extensive university administrative experience, which she feels has been necessary in advancing Indigenous knowledge in the academy and supporting Indigenous students, staff and faculty. Lavallée began her academic career in 2005 at Ryerson University in the School of Social Work and is currently the FCS, strategic lead, Indigenous resurgence after recently returning from the University of Manitoba where she held the position of vice provost, Indigenous engagement. Her areas of expertise include: Indigenous resurgence; Research ethics, including Indigenous ethics; Indigenous health and well-being; and Indigenous research methodologies