As a non-Indigenous ally, HealthCareCAN has a responsibility to work with our members and Indigenous partners to address the health and social gaps that exist for Indigenous people – including the systemic racism they face in the health system – and implement the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
For the past several months, HealthCareCAN has been meeting with our members to better understand the approaches they are taking to address racism and improve the health system for Indigenous people, and to identify ways we can support and amplify this work. Through these conversations, we have learned about the initiatives our members are implementing, informed and co-designed by the Indigenous communities they serve, to create a health system that incorporates traditional Indigenous approaches to health. These efforts seek to amplify Indigenous voices, educate staff on Indigenous traditions and practices, and increase the representation of Indigenous people within the health workforce. We and our members approach this work with humility, knowing that we must continue to learn and listen to Indigenous voices, integrating the understanding we gain in all that we do.
On this National Indigenous Peoples Day, we recommit to this important work, and to continuing to collaborate with our Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners alike to develop and implement concrete actions to address racism toward Indigenous people in the health system.
HealthCareCAN is the national voice of healthcare organizations and hospitals across Canada. We foster informed and continuous, results-oriented discovery and innovation across the continuum of healthcare.
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Media contact:
Alexandria Rowe
Communications and Member Services
ARowe@healthcarecan.ca
855-236-0213/613-241-8005 ext. 221 │ Cell: 613-220-1023