Indigenous Peoples Day 2022

June 21, 2022

This year marks the 26th National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day for us to celebrate the diverse cultures of Canada’s First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Over the past year, the National Consortium for Indigenous Medical Education (NCIME) has continued efforts to support Indigenous-led solutions and leadership in medical education and health service delivery. With the support of our partners (the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Medical Council of Canada, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada), the NCIME and its priority area Working Groups: Admissions and Transitions, Anti-racism, Assessment, Curriculum, Faculty Recruitment and Retention, and Wellness and Joy in Work have fulfilled their deliverables for the 2021-22 year. We want to thank and acknowledge our Working Group members for their thoughtful contributions, invaluable experience, and expertise as we develop anti-racism learning tools and contexts that will create systemic change and instill cultural safety into medical education.

The Consortium provides leadership and support to our partners as they fulfil their collective responsibilities to respond to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice. The Consortium supports the implementation of Calls to Action 23 and 24 and is committed to transparent reporting on progress. The NCIME remains focused on creating change in the Canadian medical system by fostering leadership development in Indigenous medical learners, developing anti-racism policies and processes, closing gaps in education, and improving health outcomes.

We sincerely thank our fellow Indigenous physicians, medical students, health professionals, and patients whom we continue to learn from and for. We also sincerely thank our Elders and Knowledge Keepers for continuing to guide and ground our work. The NCIME remains focused on aligning and collaborating with leading national health care organizations on strategic priorities to advance Indigenous medical education and leadership.