SASKATCHEWAN — Canadians are invited to join in a special ceremony Wednesday, Sept. 18 when the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) will publicly apologize for its role, and the role of the medical profession, in the past and ongoing harms to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in the Canadian health system.
The ceremony will be held on the traditional territory of the lək̓ wəŋiʔnəŋ speaking people of Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations on Vancouver Island.
The CMA will be livestreaming the apology ceremony online. The livestream will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time and will be offered in English and French. Registration for the livestream is not required but viewers with a YouTube account can sign up for a reminder notification on the day of the event.
For more details on the apology, including a link to the livestream, an agenda, a list of speakers and wellness resources, please click .
"Our research has uncovered the use of outdated, racist terms, the disrespect and disregard for Indigenous Peoples both implicit and explicit in systemic racism, as well as the devastating impacts of Indian hospitals, forced medical experimentation, forced sterilization and child apprehensions,” the CMA says.
“The apology statement will outline our role in these harms, through actions or inactions, recognize the impact on Indigenous Peoples and underscore our commitment to support Indigenous-led solutions to improve health outcomes. Our findings will be shared in greater detail on Sept. 18."
A group of invited guests are gathering in person for the apology ceremony on Sept. 18. People interested in viewing the ceremony online can access the CMA’s livestream and a schedule of events at . There will be simultaneous interpretation in French. A recording will be available the following day on the CMA YouTube channel.
