This year, we received nearly 50 heartfelt submissions honouring the extraordinary First Nations mothers and mother figures who uplift families and communities across BC. Each story reflected deep love and strength, which made it incredibly difficult to choose just four winners.

Our 2026 Mother's Day Honourees are:

• Ocean Hyland – Ts'simtelot, Coast Salish (Tsleil-Waututh) and Stó:lō (Xwchiyo:m), nominated by Charlene Aleck
• Crystal Kruger, Lower Similkameen Indian Band, nominated by Mika (Michelle) Bernier
• Betty Spence, Tl'etinqox-t'in, nominated by Penny Aynbinder
• Arlene Paul, Nuu-chah-nulth, nominated by Karl Paul

Thank you to everyone who entered our contest. We thoroughly enjoyed reading about so many wonderful First Nations women and are very glad to know how loved and appreciated they are for their invaluable contributions to the lives of their families and communities.

Ocean Hyland, nominated by Charlene Aleck

I'd like to introduce to you my daughter Ocean Hyland - Ts'simtelot from Coast Salish - Tsleil Waututh and Stō:lō - Xwchiyo:m (Cheam). She grew up in Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast before moving to Tsleil Waututh on the North Shore. She currently lives in her partner's territory of Qualicum.

I'd like to nominate Ocean because she carries the true backbone of a Matriarch. She is a devoted mother of two young sons and an artist who practises digital art, paintings, murals, woodworking and jewellery. She is also a loving auntie and daughter.

While being an active student of our languages and traditions, Ocean is also a teacher-knowledge keeper. She weaves five dialects of our First Nations languages into her artwork: halqeméylem, hənqəminəm, hulquminum, sķwxwu7mesh snichim and pentl'ach. At home, she also speaks and passes our languages to her sons.

Keeping our sneweyeth — our ways of being alive and in practice — every way she can, she generously hands down those teachings in the most kind and gentle way.

Crystal Kruger, nominated by Mika (Michelle) Bernier

I would like to honour and celebrate a very special First Nations mother, Crystal Kruger. Crystal is a proud member of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band near Keremeos, BC, and currently lives on the Penticton Indian Band with her husband and three children.

Crystal is one of the hardest-working women I know. She works as an Indigenous Patient Navigator at Kelowna General Hospital, supporting Indigenous patients and families with compassion, advocacy, and cultural understanding during some of their most vulnerable moments. She is also a nurse, provides foot-care services, and works as a doula, supporting women through one of the most important journeys of their lives.

What makes Crystal truly exceptional is not only her dedication to her work, but the way she shows up as a mother. She sacrifices so much to provide for her children while continuing to uplift her community. She leads with strength, humility, and kindness, and her children are growing up watching what it means to be resilient, caring, and grounded in purpose.

Crystal is a true role model for young Indigenous women everywhere. She embodies what it means to walk in both worlds, honouring her responsibilities to her family, her community, and her profession, all while carrying herself with grace.

​ Betty Spence, nominated by Penny Aynbinder

I would like to nominate my mom, Betty Spence, who was born and raised in the Big Bar/Clinton area of BC and now resides in Kamloops. Our band is Tl'etinqox-t'in Government (Formerly named Anaham).

My mom is an inspiration not only to me but to the many people she has come across in her life. She faced many challenges growing up but she never let it reflect how she lives or treats others. After raising three kids, she returned to school to complete her teaching assistant course and later worked at our local schools as a teacher's assistant and Native liaison worker, building a further bond within the community and families she worked with.

I've watched her give her time, her energy, and her heart without expecting anything in return. Whether it's listening without judgment or offering comfort when words fall short, she has shown me what it means to truly show up for others.

Her influence extends far beyond me. She has been a foster mom, a second mom to many, and an “auntie" to countless children. Even in her retirement, she still makes an impact in many people's lives with her passion for quilting, making many quilts either for gifts or quilting projects or for people in need.

Because of her, I've learned resilience, empathy, and the importance of lifting others up. My reflection is not even a fraction of her strength and generosity, and her impact is not only part of me—it's part of every life she's touched.

That is her legacy, and it is extraordinary.

Arlene Paul, nominated by Karl Paul

I would like to honour our beautiful mother, Arlene Paul, the matriarch of our family. She has two children, seven grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren who love her deeply.

A Residential School Survivor, Arlene has lived 40 years in sobriety and has dedicated her life to her community and family. Her career has been wide-ranging. She has worked as an elementary teacher, BC Hydro employee, the first female firefighter in her community, and the right-hand woman to the Vancouver Coroner. She is also a linguistic knowledge keeper, a certified midwife, and served as a community health representative for 37 years.

Arlene is a hunter, fisherwoman, and cultural teacher whose wisdom and unconditional love guide five Nuu-chah-nulth generations. She is the most caring woman and is admired for her strength and kindness by everyone around her.