Mi'kmaw elder's memoir chronicles 55 years of service in Elsipogtog First Nation
Inside the story of a matriarch who led her community in transforming health services
At 81, Claudia Simon is a respected Mi'kmaw elder who has dedicated her life to transforming education and health care in New Brunswick's largest First Nation.
Simon drew inspiration from her personal and professional life working in Elsipogtog First Nation, 55 kilometres north of Moncton, in My Meaningful Life as a Mi'kmaq Woman, a memoir she published in January.
"To get to my education and to do what I've done, it's been a struggle, a personal struggle," said Simon.
She speaks fondly of the years spent raising six children and remembers their grace, which she says allowed her to reach her educational goals. She would bring her children to a campground nearby while she attended summer courses at the University of New Brunswick, where she graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in Education.
In 1991, Simon began working at the Elsipogtog Health Centre, where she played a crucial role in the transition to community controlled health services and navigated one of the most significant health crises the community faced.
Elsipogtog was facing a major suicide crisis since 1992, that saw seven lives lost and 75 attempts over the year.
Before this, the Mi'kmaw community's health services were accessed through Canada's First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, which Simon said allowed Elsipogtog to take administrative control of services in 1993.
As they gained autonomy of their health services, Simon said it was clear they needed to transform rapidly in response to the ongoing crisis.
Professionals like psychologists, nurses, health workers and traditional healers were hired as Simon and her team sought out additional resources to grow these services and develop crisis management resources.
"It was just like getting up in the morning," said Simon.
"'It's a new day, a new challenge, how we're going to address this?' All right, when I get to work, we're going to call a meeting, we're going to try this something new, reach out to more people...."
Peter Levi, band manager with Indian Island First Nation and Simon's brother said she has had a "huge impact" on the community.
Former Elsipogtog Chief Susan Levi-Peters praised Simon's leadership, particularly how she navigated a male dominated environment in the early '90s.
"She had to bulldoze a lot of obstacles as she was doing this," she said.
"She developed a mental health program, a justice program, she brought the court system here, she did a lot of development."
Natasha Sock is the community's new director of health, and worked under Simon for 26 years.
"She's done so much for our community, her name echoes through everything that she has done," said Sock.
"I want to say thank you to her children for sharing their mom with us."
Memoirs of a matriarch
Simon's memoir also offers a glimpse into the personal life of a Mi'kmaw matriarch who not only shaped her community, but raised a family amid personal loss and hardships.
She said she seeks to shift the narrative about her life from a career woman to a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and aunt.
"By writing the book, [I aim] to bring myself out as a woman who went through so much and who came out of it," said Simon.
Simon said her grandchildren were a large inspiration to her writing a book, and she hopes it will bring further connection between herself and her grandchildren.
Kimberlee Francis, also from Elsipogtog and Simon's granddaughter, is following in her grandmother's footsteps, working in the health centre as community health education co-ordinator.
"I'm very excited to read it and see all the things that she's been through and just to have a little glimpse of her life," said Francis.
Simon's best piece of advice she hopes readers will learn? To be proud of themselves.
"There's a lot of times that people will not be proud of you, but you have to stay proud."
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