Dr. Michael Ouellette’s Executive MBA in Indigenous Business and Leadership project, Private Health on First Nation Lands, resulted in the development of a business proposal evaluating the idea of a medical imagining clinic on First Nations land.

Dr. Ouellette is of mixed Cree heritage and is a medical doctor serving Indigenous people in Northern Ontario. He believes that economic self-sufficiency is paramount for healthy First Nations in Canada. The confluence of health and economic well-being brought him to SFU to provide him with tools to integrate his passion for healthcare into a broader societal context.

Dr. Ouellette’s capstone project explores private health opportunities as a tool for Indigenous self-sufficiency, sovereignty and reconciliation. He makes the case that both Indigenous peoples and Canadians would benefit from Indigenous participation in private healthcare.

Beedie School of Business Associate Dean, Andrew Gemino shares this praise for Dr. Ouellette’s work, “His final project was exemplary primarily because it combined expert analysis from three different domains: one being issues related to constitutional law and sovereignty of First Nations, one being the business of delivery of medical services in Canada and the third being the development of a business strategy in light of the changing legal landscape with regard to privatized medical services. To complicate matters, the project was being written while the landmark decision on the Cambie Surgery Centre was being handed down. Michael amended the paper in order to keep it up to date with the outcomes of the court case. Michael is one of the few people who could have developed a paper that evaluated the business idea of a medical imaging clinic on First Nation’s land from these three important perspectives. His contribution was both timely and impactful to our First Nations communities.”

Dr. Ouellette reflects, “My capstone project was the confluence of my experience as a First Nations physician and the learning garnered through my MBA program.  Credit must be given to my professors, academic supervisor, advisor, and classmates.  My capstone was the culmination of two years of learning through the unique lens of Indigenous Business and Leadership.  I want to express my gratitude for the tools I gained through the completion of my MBA, and to all those who made this MBA such a rewarding and rich experience.  I aspire to work with First Nations as more than a physician in the future, and also as a partner in their path to self-sufficiency."

Dr. Ouellette continues his work as a physician while he explores business opportunities to empower Indigenous peoples.