Parliamentary Secretary of Health, Colin Carrie, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, was present as three registered nurses were recognized for their dedication, initiative and high standard of excellence in serving Canadian First Nations and Inuit communities in Canada.

Lori Monture of Hagersville, Ontario; Sophie Pamak from Hopedale, Labrador; and Leslie-Ann Smith of Battleford, Saskatchewan were recognized with the 2012 First Nations and Inuit Health Branch National Award of Excellence in Nursing, presented annually by Health Canada in conjunction with National Nursing Week.

"It is with great pleasure and honour that I recognize Lori, Sophie and Leslie-Ann for their outstanding work in their respective communities," said Parliamentary Secretary Carrie. "Dedicated nurses are a cornerstone to the service Health Canada provides to support improvements in First Nations and Inuit health."

Registered nurses working in First Nations and Inuit communities play a critical role in helping the Government of Canada deliver on its commitment to address the gap in health status between First Nations and non-Aboriginal people in Canada. Nurses who work in these communities have tremendous responsibilities.

This year's event marks the tenth anniversary of the Awards. The National Award of Excellence in Nursing was established in 2003 as part of an initiative to recognize the contributions of nurses working in First Nations and Inuit communities. Each year, nurses working in First Nation and Inuit communities are nominated by their peers and fellow community members to receive this designation. Three winners (a Health Canada nurse, a First Nations-employed nurse and an Inuit nurse) are chosen to receive the National Award. In addition to receiving a statuette, each nurse will receive a bursary towards career development training.

For additional information on this year's Award recipients, please view the attached backgrounder.

Factsheet: Health Canada\'s Tenth Annual First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Award of Excellence in Nursing

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