In a brightly lit surgical room around sunrise, Dr. Alika Lafontaine recounts why he chose to become an anesthesiologist as he fills syringes for his first patient of the day.

The 40-year-old doctor B次元官网网址� who on Monday became the first Indigenous and youngest president of the Canadian Medical Association B次元官网网址� says he wanted to be a surgeon for several years before he shadowed an anesthesiologist who told him he should consider that field instead.

B次元官网网址淎t around 3 a.m., there was a code call. We both rushed there,B次元官网网址� Lafontaine said in an interview earlier this month as he began a 24-hour shift at Grande Prairie Regional Hospital in northwestern Alberta.

B次元官网网址淚t was interesting watching my friend work, because within a few minutes of him walking into the room, suddenly, this scene of chaos became really calm. The patient had been stabilized. Everybody knew what they were doing,B次元官网网址� says Lafontaine.

B次元官网网址淚 want to be able to help out in situations that feel chaotic.B次元官网网址�

The new CMA president has spent the past year shadowing his predecessor, pediatrician Dr. Katharine Smart, who is based in Whitehorse.

Lafontaine B次元官网网址� who is of Cree, Anishinaabe, M茅tis and Pacific Islander ancestry B次元官网网址� is to now speak for the group, which has been advocating for Canadian health-care professionals and patients by engaging with governments, communities and other stakeholders for some 155 years.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 as old as Canada,B次元官网网址� he says.

He says he wants to celebrate becoming the groupB次元官网网址檚 first Indigenous president, but also wonders why it took so long.

B次元官网网址淎ny time you see B次元官网网址榝irst,B次元官网网址� what that triggers in general for people is that something could be different: B次元官网网址楳aybe this person will hear my problems differently,B次元官网网址� and thatB次元官网网址檚 a beautiful thing,B次元官网网址� he says.

Lafontaine says a lot of voices have been excluded from the table when it comes to the health-care system.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 gender inequity, and not just Indigenous-specific racism, but also racism against Black people and other persons of colour,B次元官网网址� he says.

B次元官网网址淥nce you create the space around the table to have those people sit, itB次元官网网址檚 really important to kind of carry that on.B次元官网网址�

Born and raised in Regina, the doctor had a middle-class upbringing with four siblings, a dad who was an educator and a stay-at-home mom.

His family also toured together in a popular R&B and rock band called 5th Generation.

His parents, who always encouraged education, were crushed when he was having language difficultyas a child and a teacher labelled him developmentally delayed.

Lafontaine says heB次元官网网址檚 been reflecting a lot about that label.

B次元官网网址淚 looked around and I saw colleagues that reminded me of how I felt when teachers told me: B次元官网网址楾hereB次元官网网址檚 just no hope for you,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� he says.

B次元官网网址淏ut those experiences where we feel like weB次元官网网址檙e broken B次元官网网址� they help us to appreciate the things around us that need a little bit of help.B次元官网网址�

He says the health-care system was already struggling to keep its head above water before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020 B次元官网网址� and the strain has only grown.

B次元官网网址 headlines about overrun emergency rooms, growing surgical wait times, staff and equipment shortages, and worker burnout have become common.

B次元官网网址淲hen systems are in crisis, health providers are ready to beat it. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what we trained for,B次元官网网址� says Lafontaine. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 not normal to always be in crisis. ThatB次元官网网址檚 one of the reasons why burnout is really accelerating.B次元官网网址�

Along with improving work environments, he says he also wants to advocate for a national standard of health care.

B次元官网网址淲e talk a lot about quality improvement and patient safety, but we still have 13 different provincial and territorial systems that have very different ideas of what that looks like,B次元官网网址� he says.

B次元官网网址淓specially in human resources, we have to look at making sure that we support our existing workforce, making sure that people donB次元官网网址檛 leave.B次元官网网址�

He says he wants to draw on his Indigenous identity while advocating for solutions.

B次元官网网址淎s someone who comes from a background where I know what it feels like to not have a voice, I can reach out in a different way. I can feel what people are feeling in a way that doesnB次元官网网址檛 burden the person whoB次元官网网址檚 experiencing the pain as much,B次元官网网址� he says.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the greatest things about culture is(it roots)you in your position with the world and each other B次元官网网址� It grounds you especially in times of stress and crisis.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擣akiha Baig, The Canadian Press