MONTREAL – Kona Williams has been named Canada’s first First Nations pathologist, and she hails from Montreal’s Kahnawake community.
She was recently appointed a forensic pathologist at one of the most extensive forensic science facilities in North America, the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Ontario.
Williams’ job is to look a little deeper into tragedy.
“Everything that I do, I’m very aware that this is going to mean something to somebody,” she said.
It’s a job that has many facets: Williams can sometimes be found in the morgue doing autopsies and conducting post-mortem examinations.
“Other days, I have time to do my paperwork, sort of writing reports, looking at microscopic slides, interpreting results from various tests that we ordered,” she said.
“It is an absolutely fascinating specialty.”
Perhaps even more fascinating is Williams’ First Nations background and how it shapes her work.
“Having people who instinctively understand those communities and those cultures makes it so much better for us to learn from them, and for them to deal with other members of the community,” said Toby Rose, Ontario’s deputy chief forensic pathologist.
Beyond finding answers, Williams has unwittingly taken on another job: inspiring an entire community.
“She’s a great role model and the fact that she has just taken it upon herself to aim high and accomplish what she wanted to do makes us all proud,” said Joe Delaronde, a spokesperson for the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake.
“I might be the only one right now. In ten years, I don’t want to be the only one,” Williams said.
“So if I can encourage other people to go to medical school, to go to residency, be a surgeon, be a forensic pathologist, that would be probably a really good day for me.”
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