ALIKA LAFONTAINE, MD is an award-winning physician, innovator, public speaker, and one of Canada’s leading advocates for social change. He is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta and a rural anesthesiologist. Named Maclean’s top Health Care Innovator of 2023, Dr. Lafontaine was the first Indigenous doctor and the youngest physician to lead the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) in its 156-year history.
With a mixed Indigenous ancestry of Metis, Oji-Cree and Pacific Islander, Dr. Lafontaine is a Canada’s Top 40 under 40 recipient, former host of the podcast, The Healthcare Divide, and Chairs the board of the Downie Wenjack Fund, a national charity focused on reconciliation.
