Métis Women BC Council

Carmen Carriere is the elected Chairperson for the Métis Women of BC (MWBC) and holds the portfolios for Women and Gender Equity and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Carmen is a proud Michif woman whose roots run deep in the Red River, where her father and grandparents were born. Some of her family names are Carriere, Hamelin, Parenteau, Vandal, Larence, St. Germain, McGillvray and the unnamed Cree and Anishinaabe women that populate her family tree.

Prior to being elected, Carmen was a secondary Social Studies and English teacher and an advocate for pediatric heart transplantation and children living with disability. Carmen was previously the elected Region 2 Women’s representative and a board member who served on the Surrey Delta Métis Association and the Vancouver Sea to Sky Métis Association. Carmen also sat on the Indigenous Feedback and Accountability Committee for the Fraser Health Authority and on the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee for the Vancouver School Board.

Carmen has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Bachelor of Education, both from the University of British Columbia. Carmen completed the Indigenous Women in Community Leadership program through the Coady Institute at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish Nova Scotia – a program that she now serves as a mentor for. Carmen enjoys writing non-fiction, reading, walking and spending time with her family. Carmen’s biggest and most proud accomplishment, however, is the raising of her four amazing children who are so proud to be Métis.

Mia Yule (she/her) is the Métis Women’s Representative for Region One and lives with gratitude on the territories of the Quw’utsun peoples. Her family comes from Pigeon Lake, Alberta and Jasper, Alberta and their names include Fraser, Brazeau, Beadry, Brabant, Lucier, and Chatelain. She is connected to the chartered communities of Metis Nation of Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley Métis Association.

She is passionate about the collective reclamation of cultural practices including material arts, and about nurturing connection, identity, and belonging within Metis community. She has been privileged to learn numerous traditional practices and her teachers include Lisa Shepherd, Jo-Ina Young, Kaija Heitland, Mara Kersey, Theresa Lewis, and Mara Cur.

Mia holds an Associate Degree of Arts in Psychology from Camosun College, a Bachelors of Social Work with an Indigenous Specialization from the University of Victoria, and is currently in the Master of Arts Social Dimensions of Health with the University of Victoria. She has worked in different helper roles in community and in roles addressing systemic issues.

Programming interests:
Cultural learning and access, community connection, advocacy, rights of children and youth, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, women’s rights, Elders, land-based cultural practice, governance, MMIWG2S, harm reduction, mental health, community planning.

Katy Carson is the Women’s Representative for Region 2 and the Vice-Chair of the Métis Women’s Council. Her family names are Ross, Short, Vivier, Delorme, and Thibault and her family comes from Duck Lake, SK, where they held scrip and St. Francis Xavier, MB, where her ancestors are buried.

Katy grew up in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory, in what is colonially known as Gibsons, BC and has lived on the territories of the Halq’eméylem speaking Peoples, specifically the stolen, occupied lands of the Qayqayt and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nations as an uninvited guest.

Previously, Katy has served as the Women’s Representative on the North Fraser Métis Association board. In her professional life, she contributes to Cultural Safety and Humility in the education and healthcare sectors.

Katy is delighted to represent the women of Region 2 and to have the opportunity to advocate for the needs of Métis women in BC.

Melissa is a dedicated advocate for Métis rights and culture, currently working with Lii Michif Otipemisiwak Family and Community Services.

A former Vice President of the Two Rivers Métis Society, Melissa has long been passionate about advancing women’s rights and promoting Métis history.

She is deeply committed to preserving and sharing the heritage of her people, with family names that include Graff, Sinclair, and Inkster. In her personal life, Melissa enjoys beading and drumming, celebrating the traditions that connect her to her roots.

A proud mother, she takes great pride in her son, Dakoda Kelm, who has been an active member of their Métis community and involved in governance.

Melissa’s work and personal endeavors are driven by a deep love for her family, her community, and her Métis heritage.

Wendy was born and raised in Nelson, and now lives on the Ktunaxa territory, also known as Cranbrook. Her family names are Gladue, Whitfod, Knott and Hourie. She comes from a family of five brothers and four sisters, and she has one child.

Dawna Frizzi is from Williams Lake, on the Tsq̓éscen̓ First Nation territory. She is a mother of two, with the pleasure of having two bonus children. She is the family support worker for the Cariboo Chilcotin Métis Association in Williams Lake and manages two businesses.