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Dr. Stanley Vollant - Vice President
Innu (Montagnais)
Laparoscopic Surgeon, Mont Fort Hospital
Director, Aboriginal Program, University of Ottawa

Dr. Vollant is a proud Innu (Montagnais) from his community of Pesamit (Betsiamites) located in the northeast part of the province of Quebec along the St-Lawrence River. Raised within his first nation community, he received his primary education that included strong grounding in Innu tradition and language. He then continued his high school and post-secondary education in Quebec City. He earned his medical degree from the Université de Montréal in 1989 and at the same university, he completed his specialized medical degree in general surgery in 1994.

He started his career at the regional hospital of Baie-Comeau in 1994, where he was named the chief of General Surgery. During this period he was involved in healthcare for his community. In 2003, he became a member of the Department of Surgery, in Chicoutimi, at the Chicoutimi Hospital. It is here that the significant portion of his practice was devoted to laparoscopic surgery.

During his tenure in Quebec, his professional involvement included a term as President of the Quebec Medical Association (QMA) and participation as a board member of the Canadian Medical Association. As the President of the QMA, he represented 8,000 physicians in the province of Quebec. A major concern for Dr. Vollant has been the health of First Nations people.

Between 2001 and 2006, Dr. Vollant was a member of the Quebec Council on Health and Welfare, a member of the Quebec Ethics Commission of Science and Technology (2001-2005), and a member of federal Ministerial Advisory Council on Rural Health (2000-2003). He is still a current member of the Science Advisory Board of Health Canada and a councillor of the Health Council of Canada.

His role as an advocate in aboriginal health has been recognized by several awards. He was named a Distinguished Aboriginal Role Model by the Governor General in 1996 and was awarded a certificate by the American Board of Surgery in 2000 for achieving high standards. In 2004, he was the recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award.

In the fall of 2006, he accepted the position of Director of the Aboriginal Program at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. In addition, he continues to practice laparoscopic surgery at the Montfort Hospital in Ottawa.  

Dr. Vollant is actively involved in many initiatives and committees on recruitment and retention of aboriginal health workforce. He wants to give back the chance that he had earlier in his life to other aboriginal youth and to improve the health status of aboriginal people.