Rita Letourneau Gives Vocational Talk

Posted by John Borst

Our own Rita L gave us her vocational talk
(Rotary Club of Dryden, Ontario, Canada)
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Rita was born and grew up in Sioux Lookout of a First Nations mother and father from Quebec
She went away to school and graduated as a nurse...but has never practiced as such

She became interested in the administration of health care and moved back to Sioux Lookout where she met her husband Troy.
Approximately three years ago , she and Troy moved to Dryden where Rita is the CEO of Paawidigong First Nation Forum which is the health planning authority for 5 first nations in the area.
Her responsibilities there include overseeing or managing all the departments and ensuring that the organization meets all its requirements from programming, reporting, to financial, to Industry Canada, Board etc. as well as staff supervision, hiring/firing as well as consulting and being accountable to our funders and First Nations.
The organization serves five First Nations bands which include Wabigoon, Eagle Lake , Wabauskang, Lac Seul, and Lac des Milles Lacs.
Their mandate is to provide culturally appropriate and competent, comprehensive health services to the First Nations communities within the Dryden Tribal area
It consists of a Community Health Nurse , Diabetes Nurse educator implementing the Aboriginal Diabetes initiaive, Health Planning Authority
Some of the other programs include a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Child Nutrition Program , a Community Health program which supports the implementation & management of Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy funded programs and ensures program accountability infrastructure is maintained and reporting requirements are met , a Community Wellness program with a worker in each community , and an Aboriginal Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program