The CFPC’s Cultural Safety and Humility Journey
In November 2022, the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) signed the Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility in Health Services Delivery for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis People in Canada with our partner, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC).
The Declaration formalizes the CFPC’s commitment to a proactive approach to identify and pursue efforts that will result in addressing the systemic racism experienced by Indigenous people in their interactions with the health care system. These efforts are strongly aligned with the relevant recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The Declaration formalizes the CFPC’s commitment to a proactive approach to identify and pursue efforts that will result in addressing the systemic racism experienced by Indigenous people in their interactions with the health care system. These efforts are strongly aligned with the relevant recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
To learn about our journey toward cultural safety and humility:
- Read the timeline below to learn how the CFPC actively worked toward Indigenous health equity prior to signing the Declaration, and our journey toward cultural safety and humility after signing it
- See the Declaration Action Plan that helps move the CFPC in a positive direction
Timeline of the CFPC’s work in Indigenous health and cultural safety prior to November 2022
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November 2022
Signed the Declaration with IPAC -
October 2022
Updated the CFPC land acknowledgement guideline to encourage personal reflection and historical/contextual factors -
July 2022
Co-Sponsored the Pacific Regional Indigenous Doctors Congress (PRIDoC) (intended for 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic) -
May 2022
Engaged in consultations on the establishment of the Anti-Racism Task Force during the CFPC’s annual Leaders’ Forum -
February 2022
Hired a clinician educator for Indigenous health -
January 2022
Published the Outcomes of Training Project final report, naming Indigenous health as one of the areas specified for curriculum enhancement -
November 2021
Screened the film of “The Unforgotten” and facilitated a discussion for Family Medicine Forum (FMF) attendees -
November 2021
The Indigenous Health Committee (IHC) presented at FMF -
September 2021
Screened of “The Unforgotten” and facilitated a discussion for CFPC staff for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation -
September 2021
Screened "The Unforgotten" and facilitated a discussion for family medicine learners and physicians on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation -
April 2021
IHC members presented on the Indigenous Health Supplement at the Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research Conference -
2021
Advocated for Indigenous health in the 2022 federal budget -
January 2021
Partnered with the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Medical Council of Canada, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Royal College) to establish the National Consortium of Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME) to reform medical education and contribute to delivery of culturally safe care -
November 2020
The IHC presented at FMF -
November 2020
Released the CanMEDS–Family Medicine Indigenous Health Supplement, authored by members of the IHC -
October 2020
Released the statement to acknowledge the preventable death of Joyce Echaquan and the systemic racism in the health care system -
2020
Encouraged and reimbursed the CFPC’s staff to complete Coursera’s “Indigenous Canada” course -
2017–2022
Prioritized Indigenous health and cultural safety in family medicine within the CFPC Strategic Plan (2017–2022) to make sure that Indigenous health receives greater attention in medical education and training-
Worked with the IHC to improve coverage of Indigenous health in the new conjoint Accreditation Standards
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Promoted Indigenous health in the CFPC’s Red Book, the specific standards for family medicine residency training programs
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Raised the profile of Indigenous health in the CanMEDS-FM framework of competencies
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2016–2017
Learned about Indigenous community needs through visits by the CFPC President, CEO, and Executive Director to communities in Alderville (Ontario), Chisasibi, (Quebec), and Winnipeg (Manitoba) -
2017
Launched the Rural Road Map for Action, a plan to enhance equitable access to health care and improve patient outcomes in rural and remote communities in Canada; this includes specific recommendations for increasing the recruitment of Indigenous medical students and enhancing cultural safety training to improve patient care -
March 2017
Deepened our interorganizational collaboration with IPAC and the Royal College; these groups met at an all-day gathering to discuss ways of extending and embedding this collaboration to deliver real outcomes for Indigenous communities -
2017
Established the Indigenous Family Medicine Resident Award -
2016
Emphasized the issue of systemic racism in family medicine by producing the fact sheet Health and Health Care Implications of Systemic Racism on Indigenous Peoples in Canada and offered relevant educational sessions at FMF -
2014
Established the Indigenous Medical Student Scholarship
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2012
Established the Indigenous Health Committee (formerly known as the Aboriginal Health Working Group) -
Declaration of Cultural Safety and Humility Action Plan
The CFPC’s Declaration Action Plan will be updated every November to reflect feedback from stakeholders and partners, new activities or directions, and completed actions.
We welcome feedback on these activities. Please send feedback to [email protected].
Read the action plan.
Work since the implementation of the Declaration
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May 2025
Community of Practice (CoP) for the Integration of Indigenous Health to Medical Education Curriculum established. Facilitators: Elder Simon Brascoupé, Dr. Janelle Syring, Dr. Alison Baker, and Dr. Chelsea Monell. -
November 2024
Ian McWhinney Keynote Address at FMF delivered by Dr. Danièle Behn Smith: “Unlearning and Undoing Systemic White Supremacy and Indigenous-Specific Racism in Settler Healthcare Teams.” -
November 2024
IHC members Dr. Veronica McKinney and Dr. Mandy Buss presented, “What Work? Whose Work? Cultural safety in our health care system,” alongside Dr. Danièle Behn Smith and Dr. Jamaica Cass, at FMF. -
November 2024
IHC members Dr. Mandy Buss, Dr. Ojistoh Horn, Dr. Veronica McKinney, Dr. Leah Seaman, and Dr. Janelle Syring presented, “Reflecting and Engaging: Advancing Indigenous health medical education” at FMF. -
October 2024
Updated the Indigenous Health Case Study Compendium to include the addition of a facilitator’s guide. -
June 2024
Published infographics based on the CanMEDS-FM Indigenous Health Supplement. -
April 2024
IHC members met at Dakota Dunes in Saskatchewan for a visioning retreat to set a vision and three-year work plan for the ongoing work of the IHC. CFPC leadership also attended to continue conversations and work in support of the College’s Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility Action Plan. -
March 2024
Updated Indigenous health pages of the CFPC website, including a timeline of actions related to TRC Calls to Action, the Declaration of Commitment, and updated resources. -
February 2024
Hosted a Virtual Talking Circle on TRC Calls to Action 18 to 24. -
January 2024
Established a National Advisory Hoop to inform the creation of a Curriculum Renewal Guide for Indigenous Health. -
November 2023
FMF event, “Declaration of Commitment: One Year In – Update” -
November 2023
IHC members Dr. Ojistoh Horn and Dr. Veronica McKinney presented “Breaking the Inertia: Developing characteristics of Indigenous allyship” at FMF -
September 2023
Launched the Virtual Talking Circle Event Series with “The CFPC’s Declaration of Commitment to Cultural Safety and Humility” -
September 2023
The CFPC Human Resources team hosted Reconcili-ACTION workshops for staff to learn foundational knowledge about First peoples in Canada -
June 2023
Released the Indigenous Health Case Study Compendium -
April 2023
IHC members Dr. Sarah Funnell and Dr. Darlene Kitty presented at the Rural and Remote Medicine conference on Indigenous health and strengths-based approaches to care
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February 2023
The IHC began collaboration with and the Foundation for Medical Practice Education on a small group problem-based learning module on Indigenous health -
February 2023
IHC members Dr. Mandy Buss and Dr. Veronica McKinney co-hosted Canadian Family Physician podcast with Dr. Nick Pimlott -
December 2022
Distributed physical copies of the CanMeds-FM Indigenous Health Supplement to learners across Canada -
November 2022
The IHC presented ” Two-Eyed Seeing - Competencies, Cases and Collaborations in Indigenous Health” at FMF
