Journeys North, Journey’s End

Kue Young came to Canada from Hong Kong for university and devoted his subsequent years working with, and among, the northern and Indigenous communities.

This book traces the personal journeys he undertook and provides the context and background to his rather unusual and winding career path. It is part memoir, part political and historical discussions, and part a primer on Northern, Indigenous, and Global Health. Although he travelled widely in the course of his career, this book is decidedly not a travelogue.

Kue’s life’s work can be described as understanding and improving the health of northern peoples and communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, in Canada and other circumpolar countries and regions. His story is an inspiration for Canadians to look beyond their own communities, learn about and from other peoples and cultures, and seek opportunities to make the world a better place for all. This book would be of particular interest to students and practitioners who work in, care for, or are curious about Canada’s North and its Indigenous peoples.

Kue Young was born in Hong Kong and came to Canada to attend McGill University, graduating with a medical degree. His work as a doctor at the Sioux Lookout Zone led him down a life-long journey into Indigenous health, as a practitioner, administrator and researcher, later becoming director of the Zone. He volunteered with CUSO, a Canadian international development agency, working as a health consultant overseas, which developed his interest in Global Health.

From 1983 on he became a full-time academic, rising through the ranks at the Universities of Manitoba, Toronto, and ultimately, Alberta. Much of this time he was engaged in research into Indigenous and Northern health in Canada and the circumpolar countries, focusing on the prevention of emerging chronic diseases such as diabetes, and strategies to improve health system performance. He also led a program at the University of Toronto devoted to the training of the next generation of Indigenous researchers. He made his final career move in 2013, and served as Dean of the School of Public Health at University of Alberta from 2013 to 2018, retiring at the age of 70. He lives in Fernie, British Columbia.