Dr. Janet Tootoosis. Photo courtesy of YouTube.
Two Aboriginal women are among the ten members of a new board of directors that will oversee the operation of the province’s single health authority.
Dr. Janet Tootoosis is from the Poundmaker First Nation. She is a family doctor in North Battleford, who owns and operates a health clinic.
The other Aboriginal appointment is Rosalina Smith, who was born and raised in Pinehouse Lake. She is currently a school principal in the northern community.
Health Minister Jim Reiter made the announcement in Regina this morning, saying the board represents a broad cross section of the province, including the north.
The board will begin its work immediately in an advisory role, but will not be officially in place until the fall. Part of its job will be selecting a chief executive officer to run the single health authority.
The current 12 regional health authorities will remain in place until the fall, when the new single board takes over.