News
Uplifting Indigenous peoples and honouring their contributions
2025-06-05
This June we invite you to join us as we acknowledge National Indigenous History Month and celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st.
This is an opportunity to uplift Indigenous peoples, honouring their ongoing contributions, stories, achievements, and resilience, while learning about their unique cultures, traditions, and experiences. Acknowledging National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day reflects the College’s Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility (the Declaration), which the CFPC signed in 2022 in collaboration with the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC).
National Indigenous History Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of Indigenous peoples across Canada. This June the CFPC celebrates those contributions, focusing on the important work and achievements of CFPC members in the field of family medicine.
These include members of the CFPC’s Indigenous Health Committee (IHC) such as Dr. Mandy Buss, who champions culturally safe care as a way to strengthen comprehensive primary care; Dr. Janelle Syring, who is shaping an Indigenous approach to educational leadership as a Clinical Educator Fellow at the University of British Columbia’s Centre for Health Education Scholarship; and Dr. Ojistoh Horn, who, in 2024, delivered a compelling testimony to the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, advocating for the passage and swift implementation of Bill C-226.
Dr. Mandy Buss
Dr. Janelle Syring
Dr. Ojistoh Horn
As leaders at the CFPC, we are continuing our own journey of learning and understanding.
Dr. Carrie Bernard
“My learning has been deepened by the work of Dr. Lisa Boivin, a member of the Deninu Kue First Nation in the Northwest Territories. She is a bioethicist and interdisciplinary artist who creates paintings, poetry, and image-based stories to bridge gaps between bioethics and Indigenous teachings. She is a Sixties Scoop survivor, and I was fortunate to learn from her during some of most challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic.I purchased one of her paintings, Sharing BioEthics: “A circle surrounds a clinician in a white coat and bioscientific tools of medicine, such as a stethoscope and x-rays. In the Dene circle of medicine, plant medicine and Dene medicine stories are represented by a medicine bundle, strawberries and antlers. In the space where the circles intersect, the two healers also connect in a new space of relationship and possibility. In this new circle of medicine, neither knowledge or perspective is lost.”1
When caring for patients this work reminds me that my medicine does not exist in isolation; rather it exists in relation. In relation to the earth, in relation to culture, in relation to histories, and in relation to others seeking to help my patients.
In my work at the CFPC, Dr. Boivin’s wisdom continues to inform my growth. The people I connect with invariably have different perspectives to share. Sometimes our views align and sometimes they diverge. Just as Dr. Boivin’s work reminds me that I am a better clinician when I am open and curious rather than certain and rejecting, it also reminds me to take these attitudes to my work on the Board and as President of the CFPC. Her work helps me to be a better colleague, leader, and follower. I invite you to join in this journey of learning through her art.”
Dr. Michael Allan
“As CEO, I not only get to hear Elders open events and welcome participants to national conferences with wisdom and encouragement, I am often fortunate enough to sit at the head table where I can chat and learn from them throughout the day. However, my teachers include students, patients, and many different people. Over 30 years ago, while paddling through northern Ontario, I visited an Indigenous community. There I saw the effects of generations of trauma and poor government supports manifest as a community struggling, particularly the teenagers. Then, I met a leader helping the Indigenous youth connect with their heritage and history. While I had felt despair and hopelessness after only three days, this young man found optimism and inspiration every day, year after year. Sometimes when I feel challenged by my work, I am motivated by my memories of his strength and perseverance. At times it can be overwhelming to think of how much there is to learn, but it’s important to remember just how many great teachers there are.”For over 10 years the IHC has provided guidance for reconciliation efforts, created educational resources, and hosted cultural safety education sessions at Family Medicine Forum. Ongoing support for this important work is a priority. The CFPC, with the IHC's guidance, will also host virtual talking circles again this September to align with the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, to provide a platform for learning, conversation, and reflection.
Please stand with the CFPC in honouring all Indigenous CFPC members for their unique contributions, perspectives, and transformative ideas in health care and beyond.
For generations, many Indigenous communities have celebrated their culture on or near the summer solstice. We encourage staff and members to learn about the First Nations, Inuit, or Métis histories, stories, and cultures near where they live and to participate in local events celebrating National Indigenous Peoples’ Day on June 21st.
Sincerely,
Carrie Bernard, MD, MPH, CCFP, FCFP
President
Michael Allan, BSc, MD, CCFP, FCFP
Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer
- Crawford A. Dene and Western medicine meet in image-based storytelling [image caption]. CMAJ. 2018;190(36): E1085-E1086. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/190/36/e1085
