Close X
    Thursday, September 19, 2024
    ADVT 
    National

    Canada's physicians formally apologize for harm to Indigenous communities

    Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Sep, 2024 04:11 PM
    • Canada's physicians formally apologize for harm to Indigenous communities

    The group representing Canada's physicians has formally apologized for the harm medical professionals caused to Indigenous Peoples, saying it is "deeply ashamed" and "owning its history" of racism, neglect and abuse.

    At an apology ceremony in Victoria attended by representatives from the First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, the Canadian Medical Association says it is sorry that it has lost the trust of Indigenous communities and has committed to righting its wrongs.

    The association says its research has found a history of harm caused by the Canadian medical profession, including "Indian hospitals, forced medical experimentation, forced sterilization and child apprehensions."

    The group also says research has turned up systemic racism in the way physicians and others have dealt with Indigenous community members as well as the use of "outdated, racist terms," creating an environment of "unsafe" and segregated health care.

    The association says both actions and inactions by Canadian physicians created deep mistrust by the Indigenous community towards health care systems, leading to further harm to members.

    Dr. Alika Lafontaine, the organization's first Indigenous president in its 157-year history, says in a video message ahead of the apology that "recognizing truth is essential to support healing, improve Indigenous health and reconcile the ties between health professionals and Indigenous patients."

    The group also says it is committed to tracking physicians' progress in addressing the harms caused, which includes providing regular updates about the association's Indigenous health initiatives.

    Prev Next

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Documents show dozens of harassment, violence cases at CSIS. It deemed only 8 founded

    Documents show dozens of harassment, violence cases at CSIS. It deemed only 8 founded
    When Canada's spy chief wrote a secret letter to the public safety minister last December — the week after a report emerged that two young women in the service had been sexually assaulted by a senior colleague — it came with a warning. David Vigneault, then director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, told Dominic LeBlanc that he expected "more cases to surface in the coming weeks," and that he had to be "transparent" about this with the minister 

    Documents show dozens of harassment, violence cases at CSIS. It deemed only 8 founded

    RCMP investigating body found by rural road near Calgary after fire

    RCMP investigating body found by rural road near Calgary after fire
    RCMP say they've put significant resources toward investigating the death of a person found after they responded to a fire by a rural road east of Calgary. Mounties were called early on Wednesday morning to a report of a fire on the side of a rural road in Rocky View County.

    RCMP investigating body found by rural road near Calgary after fire

    Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver

    Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver
    No timeline has been set for the length of the negotiations, but Joe McCann, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they are willing to stay there as long as it takes, even if talks drag on all night. 

    Talks on today over HandyDART strike affecting vulnerable people in Metro Vancouver

    2 in hospital in double stabbing in Surrey

    2 in hospital in double stabbing in Surrey
    Surrey R-C-M-P say they are investigating a double stabbing that sent two men to hospital. R-C-M-P say officers responded to a report of a fight on September 10th at an intersection where they found two man being stabbed. 

    2 in hospital in double stabbing in Surrey

    Kelowna coin collection theft

    Kelowna coin collection theft
    The Kelowna R-C-M-P says it is looking for the rightful owner of a rare coin collection that was recovered during a traffic stop. They say the collection holds several collector's coins from over the years and police are certain someone in the community is missing them.

    Kelowna coin collection theft

    Mounties say there's no evidence Lytton wildfire was arson, cause unknown

    Mounties say there's no evidence Lytton wildfire was arson, cause unknown
    Mounties in British Columbia say there's no evidence that the devastating fire that swept through the community of Lytton more than three years ago was arson. Police have concluded their investigation into the June 2021 wildfire, saying they can't pinpoint the cause of the blaze that killed two people and wiped out much of the village and part of the First Nation, a day after a Canadian temperature record of 49.6 C was set in Lytton.

    Mounties say there's no evidence Lytton wildfire was arson, cause unknown

    PrevNext