Dr. Wesley Cote

Biography

Wesley Cote greatly inspires many youths growing up on the rez. Wesley is an Anishinaabe born on July 25th of 1978 and raised in Kitigan Zibi, and he is mainly known by his childhood nickname, “Doods.” He is a father of two children and is married to his high school sweetheart Marie-Cecile Nottaway, also known as Cezin. Both are strong, resilient, and successful parents. Cezin and Doods are both second-generation Indian Residential School Survivors. Cezin is the proud business owner of the former catering business, Wawatay Catering. He began his medical career in 2009 in the Pre-Health and General Arts and Sciences Program at Algonquin College. He then moved on to the University of Ottawa, where he began his bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences with a minor in Life Sciences and Sociology. When the time came to apply for his last stretch of schooling, Doods applied to three schools in Canada: Thunder Bay, Montreal, and Ottawa.

In 2014, he went on to master his medical degree at McGill and completed Family Medicine Residency at McGill in 2018. Doods is now a doctor specializing in family medicine and currently works in the beautiful reservations up in the Cree territory. Doods and Cezin have been through a lot and have stuck by each other through all of it. They give each other a shoulder to lean on and continuously support each other’s dreams.

Background

Growing up on an Indian reservation, most people are exposed to drugs, alcohol, and violence. Many Indigenous people will turn to these as a way to live with the trauma and harm caused by the settlers. Intergenerational trauma is not something Indigenous people “use” as a way to get out of things or to make their lives easier; it is indeed a hard thing to deal with. Wesley was exposed to party life at a young age. Surrounded by drugs and alcohol for many years, it eventually became a lifestyle. In December of 2000, they welcomed their first child into this world. Cezin and Doods knew they had to provide their child with a safe home and environment, so they built their home and moved in about a year after their son was born. Knowing that the drug industry would provide fast income, he decided to sell a drug strictly prohibited in Canada at the time, marijuana. He continued this lifestyle for many years, and in August 2005, he had his first daughter. Knowing that drug dealing provided good money, he continued until early in 2006 when the Kitigan Zibi Police and the Quebec Provincial Police raided his home. At that moment, almost losing his children, his life changed; luckily, they let Cezin keep them in her care, knowing she did not have any involvement in the drug ring. Doods was detained for a few nights until he was released on house arrest for two years; in 2008, he pleaded guilty to the drug charges. Spending almost all his time at home with his wife, he had much time to think. One night, while watering the local skating rink, he had a life-changing talk with Cezin. She told him that he could become much more than a rink worker and be anything he wanted. She would be there and support him through whatever he decided to do, but he needed to change his ways; that is when he decided to become a doctor. Still, on house arrest, he was allowed to attend Algonquin College in 2009, with conditions.

Dr. Wesley Cote is my dad; to be where he is today, he needed to make enormous sacrifices. He moved away from his rez, being gone for weeks at a time, and minimizing his social life to focus on education, it was not easy, but he did it and was very successful. I am beyond proud of everything my dad has done because he worked extremely hard to get where he is today. My dad wants to inspire children, especially those from the rez, now that he knows they are capable of pretty much anything. If he can go from being a drug dealer to a medical care worker, others are capable of so much beyond what they think they can do . He is often asked to go to schools and share his story for motivation, which makes him happy. My parents are my biggest inspiration, because they both have forever shown me that there are no limits to what you can do, and that it only takes hard work and dedication to get there. They are the most supportive people I know and I am very thankful to have them as my parents.

Wesley now works up North in the Cree territory. He is based in Mistissini but travels to Nemaska and Oujebougoumou when they need doctors. Doods has always wanted to help his people, and he can now do this by providing safe health care for them. He is grateful to those who have helped him throughout his journey. He worked hard to get where he is today, and I am glad he can settle down and do something he enjoys; he truly deserves it.