Dear Members,
As you know, the federal government has introduced a new statutory holiday on September 30th called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day is intended to be a time for Canadians to spread awareness of and reflect on the tragedies experienced by Indigenous people as a result of the country’s former residential school system. It is also meant to commemorate the intergenerational harm these schools have caused to Indigenous families and communities, honoring those who have been affected by this injustice.
To date, it has not been added to Ontario’s list of public holidays under the Employment Standards Act but as a federal holiday, you will see federally regulated private and public sectors like most federal Crown corporations (e.g. Canada Post), national banks, federal public service and Parliament (like the Senate, House of Commons) close on that day as they commemorate this very important day of reflection.
September 30th is also Orange Shirt Day, an opportunity to create meaningful discussion around the effect of Residential Schools and the legacy they left behind. #EveryChildMatters should not only be a hashtag on social media but it should be a constant reminder that the truth about what took place in residential schools is only starting to be discussed publicly. There is more to do and a lot more to learn. On September 30th, consider wearing an orange shirt and ensure you are buying directly from Indigenous businesses. To learn more about Orange Shirt Day visit https://www.orangeshirtday.org/.
As the health care sector, the horrors we have seen over the past year related to the recovery of the remains of children at Residential Schools is a stark reminder that our system is built on and benefits from colonialism. Increasing awareness of both historical context and connections to the current environments and conditions that Indigenous peoples face in health care is an essential foundational step in moving forward together, and to ensuring that the voices of Indigenous peoples are heard.
AFHTO, along with our partners on the Primary Care Collaborative, remain committed to our own journey of Truth and Reconciliation and will be undergoing training by completing the Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) Program offered by the Indigenous Primary Health Care Council.
This program will better help us understand our roles as individuals in supporting primary care providers to decolonize health care, and will be grounding for ongoing future policy work, leading toward a path where we can finally prioritize health, safety, and happier lives for Indigenous communities.
If you have not yet done so, we encourage your team to make a commitment to learn and take action by reflecting and starting your own journey towards Truth and Reconciliation. Here are some tools and resources to help you get started:
- The Indigenous Primary Health Care Council (IPHCC) Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) Program
- The IPHCC toolkit on Guidance for Creating Safer Environments for Indigenous People
- Reports from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
- Cancer Care Ontario’s Indigenous Relationship and Cultural Safety Courses
- University of Alberta’s online course on Indigenous Canada
- San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety Training
We know many of you are undergoing your own learning and we would love to hear what you are doing so we can share your collective wisdom. Together with our allies, we will continue to listen, learn, grow, and do better. We look forward to this journey with our partners, our members, and our communities.
Thank you,
Your AFHTO Team
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