A Super-hero deserves a cape.
The cape award pays tribute and respect to those midwifery heroes who work quietly within our many and diverse urban, rural, and remote communities across Ontario and who do so with 'honour, equity, humility, justice and inclusion'.
The award says; "We see you. We honour you. We thank you."
Two midwives are honoured each year. Two beautiful capes have been commissioned as awards to recognize each midwifery hero. The cape is meant to be prominently displayed by recipients in a place of their choosing during the year of their award. The name of the recipients and the year received are sewn onto the capes as permanent tributes. The capes will be handed on year after year to subsequent heroes. As more Midwives are honoured and their names added, the capes become blossoming works of art.
A Quick Summary:
- The award is meant to be grassroots and fun. This is a midwife-to-midwife award.
- There is no nomination process, honourees have to be chosen by a secret search committee of midwives in order to receive the award.
- There wont be any obvious consultation about potential recipients. Its all about the stealth.
- The names of the two midwives to be honoured will be kept confidential until they accept and its announced officially.
- There are no organizational or corporate sponsors, no ownership of the award.
- An anonymous private sponsor has committed to fund and oversee the awards.
- Community authenticity lies at the soul of the award.
- All awards are to be presented in the month of February . It makes for a good day in a tough month.
- Capes may be transported via courier/post to ensure that location in the province is never prohibitive of anyone considered for the award.
Inclusion Criteria:
- There is no limitation on focus of the practice of the recipient. Innovation sustains the profession.
- Recipient must have worked as a General Registered Midwife or Aboriginal Midwife for at least one year, minimum half-time, in the past 24 months.
- Although the award has been established in the honour of an Indigenous midwife, the awards are not at all intended to be solely for Indigenous midwives: the awards should reflect the diversity within our profession and highlight midwives who represent a broad range of practice focus, communities and specialties.
- One or more of these inclusion criteria may, in rare instances, be waived in cases where a candidate's exceptional work truly reflects the spirit of this award.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Nominations, letters of support, or lobbying will never be accepted.
- The recipient must have no disciplinary history from their governing authority.
- No biological or chosen family member, past or present, can receive an award from the outgoing recipient.
- The recipient cannot receive the award from someone who has been in their own practice or satellite practice currently or within the last 5 years.
- The recipient cannot currently or within the last 5 years been on the Association of Ontario Midwives Board, unless as a representative of the Indigenous community.
- The recipient cannot currently or within the last 5 years been on the College of Midwives of Ontario Council, unless as a representative of the Indigenous community.
- The recipient cannot currently or within the last 5 years been on the Canadian Association of Midwives Board unless representing the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives (NACM) on the Board.
- The recipient cannot currently or within the last 5 years been on the Toronto Birth Centre Board.
- The recipient cannot currently or within the last 5 years been an employee or consultant of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care or the Ministry of Community and Social Services or any Midwifery Transfer Payment Agency, or other funding body.
- The recipient cannot currently or within the last 5 years been on active teaching Midwifery Education Program faculty - excepting adjunct professors and sessional teachers.
- One or more of these exclusion criteria may, in rare instances, be waived in cases where a candidate's exceptional work truly reflects the spirit of this award.