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A northern Ontario doctor, who was the first Indigenous forensic pathologist in the country, is now a member of the Order of Canada.
Dr. Kona Williams is Mohawk and Cree and works at the Health Sciences North hospital in Sudbury.
“I’m still in shock,” she told CBC’s Morning North program, after the announcement was made publicly.
She said she received an email about it in the spring and originally thought it was a scam.
“I closed the email and thought about it and then went and replied,” she said.
She said she got the official call and almost “fell over.”
“I can think of so many other people who deserve this more.”
Williams graduated from medical school in 2009 and completed her residency training in anatomic pathology at the University of Ottawa in 2014. She later completed a fellowship in forensic pathology at the University of Toronto.
She was also appointed to the National Advisory Committee on Missing Children and Unmarked Burials. The committee is no longer active, but assisted Indigenous communities in locating, identifying and memorializing missing children who died in residential schools.
She also helped create the national group The Canadian Association of Forensic Medicine.
“We’ve been involved with that making sure that Indigenous people are sort of at the forefront of a death investigation when it happens,” she said.
She said the honour also highlights the importance of her profession.
“I hope people see the things that I do and my colleagues do and the good work that we’re doing every single day,” she said.
Williams said she continues learning, adding she’s currently working on her MBA.
“I don’t know where that’s going to take me,” she said.
“I’m certainly not going to quit my day job. I absolutely love what I do.”
“Williams … has transformed forensic practice through culturally informed leadership, national advocacy and system reform,” said a release from the Order of Canada.
“Her work strengthens death investigations, advances equity for Indigenous communities and modernizes forensic standards. As a national advisor and academic leader, she champions justice, representation and improved resources to missing Indigenous people.”
LISTEN | Dr. Kona Williams reacts to being named to the Order of Canada:
Morning North6:39Health Sciences North forensic pathologist, Dr. Kona Williams, named to the Order of Canada
Dr. Kona Williams of Sudbury, Canada’s first Indigenous forensic pathologist and now a member of the Order of Canada, joined us to talk about the honour.