About Fancy C. Poitras

I am a public policy professional with nearly fifteen years of progressive experience in the government and not-for-profit sectors, working on Indigenous issues, Indigenous relations, labour force programming, social issues, and health and wellness policy and programming. Past employers include Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (now Indigenous Services Canada); Employment and Social Development Canada, First Nations Health Authority, City of Burnaby, and Providence Health Care. I also currently sit on the YWCA Metro Vancouver City Shift Strategic Advisory Committee and  I previously sat on the Boards of Dying With Dignity Canada and Lumara Grief and Bereavement Care Society (formerly Camp Kerry Society).

I am a member of Mikisew Cree First Nation (Treaty 8).  As the daughter of a Cree and Métis father and a mother of British and Scottish ancestry, I have moved between different worlds throughout my life, a journey which has opened my eyes and kept me on my toes.  I grew up in Denendeh among my Thebacha and Tłı˛cho˛relations, surrounded by a culturally, socially, and economically diverse population, and these experiences taught me to build and live a world view that is inclusive, safe, and strategic. I have learned over the years that I can and do get things wrong though, and I try to grow, learn, and adapt based on those experiences, so that I can improve personally and professionally.  I bring this philosophy with me into every venture I begin.

But just in case you were thinking, “Wow, she sounds serious!”, you should know that I am given to humour and jocularity, detailed pranks, and have a talent for “reading the room” before delivering good-humoured verbal or written knockouts. In spite of this, or because of it, you can be assured that your professional needs will be met with a balance of respect and wit.