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Dr. Jamaica Cass is one of the appointees to the Order of Ontario. The Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory doctor is being recognized for her leadership and impact she continues to make in Indigenous health and medical education. (Indigenous Inferprofessional Primary Care Team) jpg, KI, apsmc
An Amherstview physician whose work is helping reshape Indigenous health care and medical education across Canada says her appointment to the Order of Ontario is something she views not as a personal milestone alone – but as an opportunity to amplify a broader mission.
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Dr. Jamaica Cass, a proud member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, is among 30 people being awarded the province’s highest civilian honour for 2025. The appointments were announced by the Hon. Edith Dumont, lieutenant governor of Ontario and chancellor of the Order of Ontario, on Tuesday and recipients will be formally invested at a ceremony in Toronto later this year.
For Cass, this recognition comes with both gratitude and responsibility.
“I don’t take this kind of recognition lightly,” she said in an interview with Kingstonist. “I’m very aware that it carries responsibility with it. I see it as creating visibility for the work that I do – and hopefully that visibility brings more opportunities to continue driving change.”
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The Order of Ontario recognizes individuals whose exceptional achievements and service have helped build a stronger province and country. Cass is being honoured as a nationally recognized leader in Indigenous health and medical education, making history as Canada’s first Indigenous woman who has earned both a medical degree and a Ph D.
Yet her path toward this achievement began far away from academic accolades – shaped by poverty, instability, and systemic barriers along her journey.
A childhood shaped by hardship and resilience
Cass grew up in Belleville, about ten minutes away from Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory where she currently practices medicine. Raised by her single Indigenous mother alongside three siblings , she reflects on how economic hardship marked much of her early life.
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A welcome emailis on its way. Ifyou don’tseeit , please checkyour junkfolder.Thenext issueof The Kingston Whig-Standard’s Noon News Roundupwillsoonbeinbox.>We encounteredan issue signing you up. Please tryagain>Articlecontent>>Thishasnotloadedyet, butyourarticlecontinuesbelow.>Articlecontent.>“We were living so far belowthepoverty level, Icouldn’tevenseeit,” shesaid.“Therewere timeswe were unstably housedanddealingwith food insecurity-allofthose things.”>Those challenges directlyaffectedhereducation. Frequentmoves made it hardfor herto builda consistentacademic foundation.>“Ialmostfailed Grade9science-notbecause Iwasn’tcapable,” shesaid.“Itwasbecause Ihadmovedsomuchthat Ihadn’tattendedanyoneschoollongenoughtobuildtheknowledgebaseorstudyskills.”>Atone point, a teachersuggested sheshouldmove toa loweracademicstream.The ad has not been loaded yet;”I rememberbeing told,’This isn’tforyou-you shouldprobablydropdowntoappliedlevelscience,'” shesaid.”Evenat13or14yearsold,”thatdidn’ tsitrightwithme. Iknewtheproblem wasn’tthat I wasn’tsmart enough.”This has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.You can learn more about Dr. Jamaica Cass’sachievements through therealizationof systemicbarriersfacedbymanystudents.”That’s oneofmanystructuralbarriersthatwasn’tacademicatall, butstillchallengedmyabilitytosucceed,”shesaid. Despite thosechallenges, supportiveteacherslaterplayedapivotalrole. Yearsaftergraduatingfrom Moira Secondary Schoolin Belleville-now Eastside Secondary School-Cassreturned tospeakto studentsandreconnectwith twoscienceteacherswhohadhelped nurtureherinterest. “Itwasincrediblymeaningfultotellthemthatwhat theydo matters,” shesaid. Casswenton topursuescienceat Queen’s University, completinga Ph Dinbreastcancermolecularbiology, andlaterearnedhermedicaldegreeat Tulane Universityin Louisiana. This has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Today, shepracticesasaprimarycareandobesitymedicinephysicianon Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, servingherhomecommunity. Sheisalsoafacultymemberat Queen’s Universityin Kingston, wheresheisthedirectorof Indigenous Healthwithin Departmentof Family Medicineandleaderofthe Indigenous Health Enhanced Skills Program. In addition, sheistheinauguraldirectorof Queen’s-Weeneebayko Health Education Program, aninitiativeestablishing Canada’sfirst Indigenous-led Facultyof Health Sciencescampusin Moosonee, Ontario. Theprogramaimsto trainhealthprofessionals within northerncommunitieswhileimprovingaccesstoculturallyappropriate care. Bridging worlds to shiftthe narrative 7 This hasnotloadedyet, buyourarticlecontinuesbelow. Cassaidherserves manyroles-clinician educator, Mentor, andpolicyleader-butallareguidedbythesamepurpose. “I mightbeseeingpatientsoneday, teachingormentoringstudentsthenext”, shesaid.”Butit allhasthesamegoal: making safercare happenandimprovingaccesstolearningandhealthcarefor Indigenouspeople.” A keymessage she hears consistently, she said, is theneedforaction. “Communitieswantaction, andtheywantaccountability. Therehavebeenso man yreportsandconsultations. Wealreadyknowwhatneedsto happen; whatpeoplewantnowisimplementation.” “I see myself as abito afbridge,”shesaid.“Itrieto help institutionsunderstandwhatcommunities need while alsohelping communitiesengagewithsystemsways thatleadto solutions.” 8 This hasnotloadedyet, butyourarticlecontinuesbelow. Cassaalsohopesrecognitionlikethe Orderof Ontariocanhelp shiftpublic understanding. “People would besurprisedtolearnaboutthestrengthandresiliencethatexists,” shesaid.“Weoftenonlyhearaboutdeficitsandproblems, butthere are incredible successeshappeningwithin communities.” Shesaidgreaterself-determinationwouldunlock evenmore progress: “Ifcommunitieshadgreatercontrolineducation. healthcare, andgovernance, wewouldseeevenmorepositivechange.” Accordingto Queen’s Health Sciences, Casshasalreadybeena drivingforcebehindsystemicchangethroughgovernance, curriculumreform, andnationalbestpracticeguidelines, increasing reconciliationandimproving Indigenousrepresentationinmedicine. 9 Thishasnotloadedyet, butyourarticlecontinuesbelow. Shealsoholds nationalleadership roles, includingservingonthe Medical Councilof Canadaandhelpingguide Indigenousmedicaleducationstandards, andistheauthorofseveralarticlesexaminingaccountabilityin Indigenoushealthandtheimportanceofindigenous-lededucation. Recognition-and whatcomesnext Cass hasreceivednumeroushonours overher career, includ ingthe King Charles III Coronation Medal, butshesaidthatthe Orderof Ontariostands out becauseitsbroadpublicrecognition. “Visibilitymatters,”shesaid.“Ifthisrecognitionhelpsbringmoreattentiontothework-andmoreopportunitiestobuildbridgesandmovesolutionsforward-that’swhatmakesit meaningful.” In announcingthisyear’srecipients, Dumontsaidtheappointees“representtheverybestofourprovince.” 10 This hasnotloadedyet, butyourarticlecontinuesbelow. Articlecontent Through their exceptional dedicationand achievements they have made profoundcontributionsthathavetouchedlives across Ontarioandbeyond,”shesaid. Cassjoins agroupof30recipientsfor2025, includ ing Kingston-bornformer NHLcoachandbroadcaster Don Cherry. Since itscreation1986, moren than900peoplehavebeenappointedtothe Orderof Ontario. Nominationsforthe Ordero f Ontari o for2026arecurrentlybeingaccepted until March31 ,2026. Michelle Dorey Forestell isa reporter forthe Kingstonist. The LJIisfunded throughthefederalgovernment.Source link
