Dr. Maria Eriksen

As an outspoken voice for the advancement and equality of women, Dr. Maria Eriksen is a social advocate who has been involved with various initiatives since the 1970s women’s movement. Her most recent project is tackling a huge issue facing immigrants — both men and women — in Alberta: recertification of qualifications for immigrant workers so they can join the workforce.

Eriksen remembers what one immigrant told her about the experience Canadians value most in immigrants: “The first degree you have to get in Canada is one of humiliation.”

The sentiment painted a grim picture of what Ericksen believes we need to change, especially for immigrant women.

“A lot of women who come here are very well educated, but because of their family situations, their families will say the husband should get his credentials first,” she says.

“You think of the countries they come from and how it’s not easy to get an education, but they did. And then here, they’re lucky if they can be a janitor in one of our corporate buildings.”

Eriksen is the chair of the Immigrant Access Fund Society of Alberta (IAF), a non-profit organization that offers microloans to foreign-educated professionals so they can get the training and credentials to work in their fields in Canada. Without the financial history to borrow traditionally from the bank, immigrants can, through IAF, borrow up to $5,000 to cover expenses. Most of the time, the applicants are physicians, pharmacists, accountants, engineers and nurses.

“One of the things that immigrants really have going for them right now is that Canada desperately needs them,” Eriksen says, pointing out the shortage of skilled workers in the province. Conceived of in 2005, the IAF has issued 147 loans in the last year. Eriksen says it’s a start: “It’s helping them to help themselves.”

Earlier this year, Eriksen was made an officer of the Order of Canada for her lifetime dedication to making social change in her community. As a psychologist, she first got passionate about women’s issues working at the Calgary General Hospital and witnessing the dire circumstances of the women she treated.

She was also the founding member and chair of the Famous Five Foundation, is the endower of a scholarship through the Calgary Sexual Health Centre (which she played a major role in forming) and also gives back through the Maria K. Eriksen and Harold Hanen Fund at The Calgary Foundation.

Taking her vision for change beyond the local community, Eriksen also sits on the board of directors of the new Alberta Global Forum, an initiative that brings together community leaders, citizens and students to debate on issues that affect the province.

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