A lifelong learner, Grace Poulin returned to school at age 40 to achieve a Registered Nurse diploma. Following retirement, she obtained an undergraduate degree in the Indigenous Learning Program at Lakehead University, which led to a Master of Arts in Canadian Studies Native Studies from Trent University in 2006. Because there was no prior scholarly research, Grace chose WWII Aboriginal Servicewomen in Canada as her thesis topic.

In June 2008, Grace partnered with the Ontario Native Women's Association and Veterans Affairs Canada to organize a reunion of WWII Aboriginal servicewomen, in Thunder Bay, ON. The event successfully reunited former servicewomen from across Canada.

Currently, Grace is involved in a project with Lakehead University Professor lolehawk Laura Buker, Sto:lo First Nation and Anishinabe Elder Isabelle Mercier to produce a documentary based on her book, Invisible Women: WWII Aboriginal Servicewomen in Canada.

"Invisible Women" in the News

Local News Aboriginal women honoured for war service at reunion
Tb News Source
Web Posted: 6/5/2008 8:17:45 PM

The contribution of native women to the Canadian war effort during WW II inspired a local author to research and document their stories and Thursday a reunion was held in the city to recognize their service.

The Ontario Native Women's Association and Veterans Affairs Canada hosted the WW II Aboriginal Servicewomen Reunion at the Prince Arthur Hotel and ten women who had volunteered for Canada's Armed Forces during the war, attended. A memorial service was held and guest speakers read the biographies of 20 Aboriginal servicewomen.

The reunion was inspired by the book Invisible Women: WW II Aboriginal Servicewomen in Canada by Grace Poulin who says she discovered there was very limited information available about the Aboriginal women who served in the war so she searched and found about 30 veterans, spoke with many of them and wrote the book based on the stories of 18 of them.

"I hope this brings it to mainstream society's attention that Aboriginal women did serve this country during World War II and still are in the military today," Poulin said. She says the next step in the process is to develop a documentary about the women.