Indigenous health research leader Kue Young launches memoir

By Danica Hidalgo Cherewyk

Dr. Kue Young looked around at the crowd gathered in the John Buhler Research Centre Atrium on the University of Manitoba’s Bannatyne campus on March 16.

He was surrounded by friends, former colleagues and former students, many of whom have since become faculty members at UM. They were on hand to mark the launch of his memoir, Journeys North, Journey’s End, which traces his journey from Hong Kong to Canada.

Young, a former head of UM’s department of community health sciences from 1998 to 2001, is a leading figure in Indigenous health research in Manitoba, across Canada and internationally.

He retired in 2018 after serving as dean of University of Alberta’s School of Public Health and now lives in Edmonton, Alta. He published the book in 2025.

Celebrating a career and legacy

Dr. Josée Lavoie, dean of the College of Community and Global Health, and Emőke Szathmáry, UM president emeritus and professor emeritus, spoke at the event.

Szathmáry said Young has established research centres in Manitoba and around the world, as well as teaching programs designed to attract and retain Indigenous students. Those students, she said, have gone on to become health-care workers and to help their non-Indigenous peers learn about cross-cultural health care.

“Journey's North, Journey's End retains the plain prose that marks Kue’s style, and it also retains his customary irreverence, especially when he's commenting on academic administration,” Szathmáry said.  

“Kue has lived his life ensuring that those with the least have the best evidence-based health care that can be given to them ... May one of his many legacies be that he inspired others to do as he has done....”

Dr. Lisa Lix, Canada research chair in methods for electronic health data quality and professor in the College of Community and Global Health, emceed the event and moderated the question-and-answer period.

Working with and for Indigenous communities

Young addressed the audience and reflected on his time at UM.

“U of M was where I got started with my academic career,” he said. “I owe it to so many mentors here who taught me, advised me and helped me develop as a researcher. And I also want to thank generations of students – some former students are here today....”

He then read an excerpt from his book. 

“I can summarize my life's work as describing, understanding and improving the health of northern peoples and communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous in Canada and other circumpolar countries and regions,” he read. 

“I think I did well with describing and understanding – but improving remained unfulfilled. I believe telling the story could play a role in inspiring 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.”