SASKATOON — Moon Time Connections (MTC) Founder, Saskatoon’s Nicole White, was one of the 2024 recipients of the in a ceremony held in Calgary Oct. 18.
The Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case were created to commemorate the groundbreaking Persons Case, which thanks to the efforts of five Alberta women in 1929declared that the word “person” included both men and women, changing the course of history for women in Canada.
These awards recognize individuals who have made invaluable contributions towards the goal of gender equality in Canada.
White has dedicated her life to social justice. In addition to founding Moon Time Connections — a flagship project of True North Aid and the only national Indigenous-led period equity organization in Canada supporting Northern Indigenous menstruators — White, a queer Cree Métis woman, has made groundbreaking contributions to Saskatchewan’s legal history by advancing queer rights.
White advocated for the inclusion of “gender identity” in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, which transformed the lives of gender diverse individuals across the country. In 2004, she successfully challenged the provincial government leading to the legalization of same-sex marriage. In 2021, Nicole’s tireless advocacy during her pregnancy resulted in the removal of the requirement for parents to be biologically related to be listed on their child’s birth certificate, aptly named “Alice’s Law” in honour of her daughter.
Gov. Gen Mary Simon presented the award.
Since founding Moon Time Connections in Saskatchewan in 2017, White has led the organization through exponential growth, expanding to include chapters in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia that together have distributed over four million period products to menstruators in remote and northern areas from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
In 2023, MTC was selected by Food Banks Canada to participate in the WAGE-funded , supporting both the education and product distribution arms of the project. This funding led to the creation of the Moon Time Facilitator Training Program - empowering First Nations, Inuit and Métis with vital, culturally relevant menstrual education To date, 80 Moon Time Facilitators in eight provinces and all three territories have been certified.
Next weekend, Moon Time Connections Saskatchewan is holding its eighth annual “” where volunteers come together to organize, count and box donated period products to be shipped north. This year’s Packing Party will be held Oct.r 26 and 27 at 520-46th St. E. in Saskatoon, Treaty 6 Territory. Interested volunteers are asked to register their attendance.
Nicole White Bio
Nicole White is a queer Cree Métis woman and mother from Saskatoon. She dedicates her life to social justice, amplifying rights of women and girls through professional and volunteer work. As Project Lead for Enough Already Saskatchewan, she provided training and resources to prevent workplace sexual violence in province-wide businesses and non-profit organizations.
With an academic background in Indigenous Social Work from the First Nations University of Canada, Nicole While’s advocacy started during her undergrad when she was hired as a Pride Centre Coordinator for the University of Saskatchewan Students' Union.
She then founded Moon Time Connections (MTC), a flagship project of True North Aid, a national Indigenous-led period equity group supporting Indigenous menstruators across Turtle Island with access to menstrual products and education. Over the course of seven years, with expanding chapters in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia, MTC distributed over 4 million period products to schools, midwifery organisations, health care centres, Friendship Centres, shelters, and food banks.
White made groundbreaking contributions to Saskatchewan’s legal history by advancing queer rights on three significant occasions. In 2004, she successfully challenged the provincial government, leading to the legalization of same-sex marriage and her name being cited in the Supreme Court of Canada ruling.
In 2021, through her persistent advocacy during her pregnancy journey, "Alice’s Law" was passed, removing the requirement for parents to be biologically related in order to be listed on their child’s birth certificate.
Additionally, Nicole White advocated to include “gender identity” in the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code, transforming the lives of women, lesbians, and queer individuals across the country.
- Submitted by Moon Time Connections
