The transcript for this witness testimony is currently in production by our volunteers. It will be available soon here on this page and as a downloadable PDF.

Summary

Gilbert provides compelling testimony about the current state of midwifery in Canada and its impact on children’s safety. She traces the history of midwifery from its roots as a millennium-old practice where women supported women through natural birthing processes to its current medicalized state within the healthcare system. She expresses deep concern about the influence of pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers on midwifery practices, noting that the 25th anniversary Congress of Quebec midwives was sponsored by three pharmaceutical companies and an insurance company. Gilbert describes how midwives are now required to follow strict protocols that often conflict with natural birthing practices, including mandatory testing, pharmaceutical interventions, and the administration of vaccines during pregnancy. She highlights the silencing of dissenting voices within the midwifery community, particularly regarding COVID-19 policies and experimental injections for pregnant women. Gilbert shares her personal journey through midwifery education, describing it as traumatic and designed to suppress individual thinking and intuition. She discusses the fractures within the midwifery community between those who embrace medicalization and those who seek to preserve traditional practices. Her testimony reveals how political agendas, including LGBTQ+ policies and inclusive language requirements, have further divided the community. Gilbert calls for midwives to reclaim their sovereignty and return to their primary responsibility of protecting pregnant women and babies through natural, informed birthing choices.

Credentials

Julie Maud Gilbert brings a unique perspective to the discussion of children’s safety in Canada through her extensive training and experience in midwifery. Born to a mother who valued natural birthing practices, Gilbert’s early life experiences shaped her commitment to preserving the traditional, woman-centered approach to childbirth. After working as a doula and witnessing the constraints placed on birthing choices, she pursued formal midwifery education at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières from 2012 to 2016. During her studies, she witnessed firsthand the transformation of midwifery from an ancient practice supporting women’s sovereignty to an increasingly medicalized profession.\n\nGilbert provides compelling testimony about the current state of midwifery in Canada and its impact on children’s safety. She traces the history of midwifery from its roots as a millennium-old practice where women supported women through natural birthing processes to its current medicalized state within the healthcare system. She expresses deep concern about the influence of pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers on midwifery practices, noting that the 25th anniversary Congress of Quebec midwives was sponsored by three pharmaceutical companies and an insurance company. Gilbert describes how midwives are now required to follow strict protocols that often conflict with natural birthing practices, including mandatory testing, pharmaceutical interventions, and the administration of vaccines during pregnancy. Her decision not to practice after graduation reflects her deep commitment to maintaining the integrity of natural birthing practices and her concern for the well-being of mothers and babies.