Canadian Medical Association Apology to Indigenous Peoples

The upcoming National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day where Canadians reflect on the legacy of hurt created by the residential school system, and its impact on Indigenous people.

In advance of this day, the Canadian Medical Association delivered a national apology to Indigenous Peoples, from BC’s provincial capital, acknowledging the role of the Canadian health care system in implementing harmful barriers and perpetuating the difficulties experienced by Indigenous People when accessing health care - on systemic and individual levels, in the past and in our current moment. CMA president, Dr Joss Reimer, in humility offered the association’s apology for the role the CMA played in maintaining Indigenous racism in healthcare in the hope that trust can be built, and that in allyship w/ Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous health can be advanced and achieve a better future. Many provincial medical associations attended, including Doctors of BC.

Doctors of BC acknowledges the continuing need to address anti-Indigenous racism in health care and is making every effort to take meaningful and tangible action in creating a culturally safe health care system for all.

We are committed to developing a Truth & Reconciliation plan in partnership with Indigenous leaders that considers the historical role of Doctors of BC and the profession, and the role we will play moving forward. And through the work of the Joint Collaborative Committees, we are collaborating with Indigenous partners to provide opportunities for physicians to learn and share the truth of Canada’s oppression of Indigenous people, and the ongoing impact of this oppression.

We are committed to this process as BC’s professional association, as the CMA is on a national level. As physicians, our calling is to care for others and provide a space for our patients to feel safe…this can’t be achieved without ensuring culturally safe health care is provided to Indigenous Peoples.