Florence Blois

Florence is from wîhcêkaskosîwi-sâkahikanihk (Onion Lake Cree Nation) in treaty 6 territory where she was born and raised in her family’s log home. She is from the Carter, Whitford, Sinclair, McKay, and Desjarlais families. She is a passionate steward of the land and fosters a spiritual life with family and friends. Florence is an active member of her community and makes her home between Onion Lake and Edmonton. As an Elder Advisor for the Edmonton Institute for Women, she provides cultural support to the women and staff. She is a member of the Heart of Treaty Six Reconciliation network supporting reconciliation and Calls to Action based on the work of the Office of the Treaty Commissioner in building trust and commitment to cultural education and awareness of the past, present and future of Indigenous peoples. In 2008, she was elected as an OLCN band councillor and held portfolios in education, justice, health, housing, Ekweskeet drug and alcohol treatment center and OLCN oil and gas. During this time, she was a co-founder of the Cree Language and Culture programming for the school curriculum; a board member for the Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce and the Onion Lake Enterprise; assisted OLCN Economic Development office for an SGI location on-reserve; and worked with Onion Lake health and provincial health minsters in SK and Ottawa advocating for improved health services and restorative justice practices for the community. In her early years, she worked as a social worker for OLCN Indigenous Child and Family Services. She then opened her home to children and youth and became one of the first parent councillor homes for six years in the North West region. She was elected as president for the local and regional foster parent’s association. She was caveat with the province of Saskatchewan in opening a group hope for children and youth in Onion Lake. Today, she enjoys spending time with all her family and friends, sewing, painting, picking and making medicines.