Celebrating 20 years of regulated midwifery in Fort Smith

The territorial midwives’ association is hosting an event in Fort Smith to celebrate two decades of regulated midwifery in the community.

The NWT’s Midwifery Profession Act came into force in 2005 and a program was implemented in Fort Smith shortly after funding kicked in. Before the act was introduced, those services were offered informally.

Lesley Paulette, a longtime advocate for the territory’s midwives, was among the first women to push for that legislation. In recognition of her lifelong dedication to the profession, she was recently appointed to the Order of Canada.

Next week’s event will coincide with the International Day of the Midwife on May 5. According to Paulette, preparations have been going on for weeks.

“It’s challenging because the midwives are all busy people, and the families that we’ve served over the years are all busy people also, with their children to raise. So we’re just grateful that people have been able to put a little bit of time into it,” she told Cabin Radio.

“It’s just really something for the community to get together and to celebrate a milestone. It seems like it was a long journey to get midwifery regulated and now we’re just celebrating the program in Fort Smith that has been here for 20 years and is still going strong.”

Another gathering is expected to take place in Hay River, which will mark the 10-year anniversary of becoming the second NWT community to establish a midwifery program. Details of that event are unclear at the moment.

In Fort Smith, soup and buns will be served at 113 Conibear Crescent, home to the Salt River First Nation’s drop-in program Our Babies Our Future. Paulette said the venue is designed for families with small children.

Lunch will be followed by an evening event at the Roaring Rapids Hall. A slideshow featuring photos of people involved in the organization and families who received midwifery care will be presented.

Salt River First Nation, Smith’s Landing First Nation, Fort Smith Métis Council, town staff and workers at health centres in Fort Smith and Yellowknife have been invited to “recognize them for the role they played in helping make this a reality.”

Paulette said the association wants to encourage northerners to consider training to become midwives. Launching a training program in the North – so people don’t have to travel south to pursue it – has been a topic of discussion for years, and it will also be part of the conversation at the event.

“We’re celebrating 20 years of the past but we’re really looking forward to a bright and vibrant future for our midwifery,” she said.

“It was a program that grew out of the community’s desire to have this service, and it’s been sustained over the years with the support of the community. Going forward we want to affirm that this is an important program for the community and look at what we can do to keep the program strong.”