About Me

My family members have always been politically active from the 1870 to the 1885 Resistence, where my great-great uncle, Damase Carrière was executed by colonial troops at Batoche. Damase’s widow and children lived with my great grandparents for a time after Damase was executed and before my grandfather was born - this has been a part of my family’s oral history from when I was very young. My Carriere and Hamelin families both received Scrip which was never honoured. I am also a descendent of strong Métis and First Nations women, whose stories are often not as widely known. My grandmother, Yvonne Hamelin, survived Residential School and went on to use her hands to make beautiful things such crocheted items and embroidery. My grandfather, Joseph Carriere, who was a gentle and generous man, started out as a Métis bootlegger in his younger years during prohibition prior to marrying and having a family. Before moving his young family further west, Grandpa ran a trucking business delivering bread in and around Winnipeg.

This narrative has informed who I am and why I am proud to be Michif. My life experiences, futhermore, have continued to shape my outlook through my education and personal and professional involvements. I was privileged to received both my Bachelor of Arts in History and my Bachelor of Education from UBC. But most importantly, I am a proud mother to my dog Casey and my 2 daughters and 2 sons. My experience spans working as an advocate, a writer and a former secondary Social Studies and English educator. I continue to volunteer my time as an advocate with the Children’s Organ Transplant Society and with several Indigenous Health Advisory groups. I have also been a volunteer advocate with the Children’s Heart Network, the Canadian Donation and Transplant Research Program, while I have also done cultural sensitivity training with the UBC Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health. I am currently Region 2 Women’s Representative for Métis Women BC.

Back in the 1990’s, I had the privilege to work with Métis scholar and activist Dr. Howard Adams as one of the founding board members of the original Vancouver Métis Association. Howard was a strong advocate and mentor for both my sister and I, always encouraging us as he announced the arrival of the “Carriere sisters” when we entered the room. Together, we worked on cultural awareness and education initiatives for our Métis community, which Howard was passionate about. I now once again sit as a board member of the new MNBC chartered community, the Vancouver Sea to Sky Métis Association, and am proud to be carrying on Dr. Adams legacy.

Outside of these involvements, I enjoy good books, movies, the pure joy of Netflix’s Queer Eye, writing, walking along the beach, yoga, planting a vegetable garden in the spring and a good cup of tea. I believe in curiosity and asking questions, advocating for all - especially those who need someone to come alongside - and that there is always more to know and learn. I believe my lived experience with supporting my father who lives with a disability and in advocating for my daughter who lives with a chronic health condition, has given me valuable experience and insight into systems that are often difficult to navigate. I believe in the power of women, men, two-spirt, and gender diverse and non-binary persons to promote the needed social, economic and environmental justice – we are the builders of nationhood and hold the community together.