The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is holding a ceremony in Victoria on Wednesday to publicly apologize for the harm the medical profession has caused to Indigenous peoples.
“With this apology, we hope to build trust and support with Indigenous peoples, communities and organizations. We also hope to inspire medical students, physicians and medical organizations to embark on their own path to reconciliation, both professionally and personally as Canadians,” the CMA said in a press release.
CBC will broadcast the ceremony live beginning at 1 p.m. PT on the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋiʔnəŋ-speaking peoples of the Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations.
Dignitaries from First Nations, Inuit and Métis will attend the event alongside CMA representatives. The official apology will be delivered by CMA President Dr. Joss Reimer.
“We apologize with all modesty and in the hope that we can build trust and, in alliance with indigenous peoples, improve their health and achieve a better future,” Reimer said in a statement.
Another speaker is Dr. Alika Lafontaine, former president of the CMA and the association’s first indigenous leader.
The following film will also be shown during the ceremony: The Unforgotten, A short film about Métis elder Sonny MacDonald, who was abducted from his community and suffered abuse and torture at the Charles Camsell Indian Hospital in Edmonton after being diagnosed with tuberculosis at the age of seven.
On its website, the CMA recognizes the “unacceptable health disparities” faced by Indigenous people due to the legacy of colonialism, residential schools and systemic racism in Canada.
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