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Indigenous-specific anti-racism


​Honour and take action​​​​

Red Dress Day​ – May 5


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M​ay 5, 2025, marks the 15th anniversary of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ People, also known as Red Dress Day.

This name comes from a powerful art project and movement that raises awareness about the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people that represents an epidemic of gender-based violence in what is now called Canada.

Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people​ have had their truths denied and as a result, the rate of unnatural deaths for Indigenous women is more than five times greater than for non-Indigenous women.

As part of our work to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism in the B.C. health-care system, BCCNM recognizes Red Dress Day. As a health regulator we acknowledge that we have been complicit in upholding colonial systems and structures that deny safe, timely, and effective care to Indigenous Peoples and we pledge to take swift action and continue our work to make the health-care system culturally safe for Indigenous Peoples. 

Related resources: Red Dress Day 2025: Working Together to End Violence Against Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQIA+ People. You can also visit National Indigenous Women's resource centre to explore the list of resources and join in organizing additional actions in your communities on and around May 5.​​​​

Moose Hide Campaign Day – May 15​


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The Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led, B.C.-born movement that started to engage men and boys in ending violence against women and children. It has since grown to be a national campaign to speak out about gender-based and domestic violence. This year, on May 15, the Moose Hide Campaign is hosting a series of events to help deepen our understanding of gender-based violence and to show support for the campaign. Registration for the events can be found here. ​​​

Bear Witness Day – May 10​​​​


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Bear Witness Day is Spirit Bear's birthday and honours the memory of Jordan River Anderson through the full and proper implementation of Jordan's Principle, a child​-first principle and legal rule named in memory of Jordan River Anderson. It ensures First Nations children receive the services and supports they need, when they need them.

2025 is the 20th anniversary of Jordan's Principle. BCCNM acknowledges and honours this day and reflects on the past with a look ahead to the future of shaping culturally safe care for all. 

Visit Bear Witness Day | First Nations Child & Family Caring Society to learn more and learn how you can get involved.  ​​​​

Taking action to dismantle Indigenous-specific racism

On Nov. 30, 2020, Health Minister Adrian Dix released findings from an independent review into the extent of Indigenous-specific racism in BC’s health-care system. The findings released in this report, titled In Pla​in Sight, showed the devastating impact Indigenous-specific racism has on health outcomes for Indigenous people in B.C. The release of the In Plain Sight report underscored the urgent need for all partners in the health-care system to take swift and decisive action to dismantle the systemic racism that has led to such poor health outcomes for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (Indigenous) Peoples.

BCCNM's commitment

In 2017, the previous B.C. nursing and midwifery colleges were four of 22 B.C. health professions to pledge their commitment to making our health system more culturally safe for First Nations and Aboriginal people. BCCNM continues this commitment. ​

On May 11, 2021, BC's four largest health regulators issued an apology to the Indigenous people and communities who have experienced racism while engaging with these health regulatory colleges and with the health professionals they regulate. The four colleges published a one-year update on their progress​ on the commitments laid out in the apology and then in June 2023, BCCNM, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC, and the College of Pharmacists of BC published a two-year​ update on their progress toward those efforts.

Future updates will be published by each college individually. All the BCCNM commitments made as part of this collaboration have been folded into our ongoing work to address Indigenous-specific racism in the health-care system. ​

Indigenous-specific roles at BCCNM

BCCNM’s commitment to Indigenous-specific anti-racism echoes throughout the organization, with specific goals relating to hiring. As set out in the Redressing Harm plan, our goal is to transparently address the underrepresentation of Indigenous staff and contractors by establishing meaningful targets for recruitment, and by developing a dedicated strategy for increasing recruitment and retention of Indigenous people with lived experience to leaders, staff and contractor roles.

​Questions or feedback? 

We want to hear from you. Email us at culturalsafety@bccnm.ca​

​Related​ news

Date
Title​
​Sept. 27, 2024

​Redressing Harm report: update 2024​​​

​Sept. 24, 2024

​Indigenous cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti-racism e-learning series: final modules now available​

​Sept. 3, 2024

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day 2024​​​

​June 20, 2024

New Indigenous cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti-racism e-learning series​​​​

​May 30, 2024

​National Indigenous History Month & Indigenous Peoples Day​​

​April 4, 2024

​Celebrating Indigenous Nurses Day​​​

​March 8, 2024​

​Acknowledge. Practice. Share: Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility, and Anti-Racism Practice Standard​​

Feb. 6, 2024

Honouring the legacy of Keegan Combes

​​​
2023 news
Date
Title​

​Dec. 1, 2023

Registrant feedback: Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility & Anti-racism standard

​Sept. 28, 2023

Progress update on 2023-24 Redressing Harm plan​​​​

June 21, 2023

Two-year update: colleges report on progress towards dismantling racism in health care​​​​

April 19, 2023

BCCNM releases 2023-24 Redressing Harm plan

April 19, 2023

Results of complaints process review

​​
2022 news
Date
Title​
Sep. 29, 2022

BCCNM's commitment to ​action: One year update

Sep. 12​, 2022​​

BCCNM marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with launch of new learning resource

​Sep. 7, 2022

BCCNM initiates review of complaints process​​

​Aug. 11, 2022

Remembering Keegan: lessons and learnings​​

July 14, 2022

BCC​NM appoints new Chief Officer, welcomes Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility Consultant​​​​​​

​June 21, 2022​

​​​BCCNM, CPSBC mark National Indigenous Peoples Day with video series to support culturally safe care

​May 11, 2022​

​​​One year on: colleges report on progress in dismantling systemic racism​

Jan 28, 2022​

BCCNM board approves new Indigenous cultural safety and humility practice standard​


2021 news
Date
Title​

​Nov 22, 2021

​Survey: new cultural safety and humility practice standard​​​

​Oct 6, 2021​

BCCNM launches Action Plan to address Indigenous-specific racism in health care​

​Sep 29, 2021

​BCCNM observes National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

​​May 11, 2021

Racism in Health Care: An Apology to Indigenous People and a Pledge to Be Anti-Racist​​

​May 4, 2021​

Addressing Indigenous-specific racism with a new cultural safety and humility standard​​​​

2020 news
Date
Title​
​Nov 30, 2020​

Addressing​ Indigenous-specific racism​​​

​Nov 30, 2020

Statement of Intent – Cultural Safety & Humility in BCCNM Standards​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

CBC interview with Registrar & CEO Cynthia Johansen

Oct. 19​​, 2023

Cynthia sat down with CBC to discuss how the college is tackling Indigenous-specific racism in health care. Cynthia Johansen | BCCNM Registrar & CEO


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info@bccnm​.ca
604.742.6200​
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We acknowledge the rights and title of the First Nations on whose collective unceded territories encompass the land base colonially known as British Columbia. We give specific thanks to the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking peoples the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) and sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations and the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh-ulh Sníchim speaking Peoples the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), on whose unceded territories BCCNM’s office is located. We also give thanks for the medicines of these territories and recognize that laws, governance, and health systems tied to these lands and waters have existed here for over 9000 years.

We also acknowledge the unique and distinct rights, including rights to health and wellness, of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples from elsewhere in Canada who now live in British Columbia. As leaders in the settler health system, we acknowledge our responsibilities to these rights under international, national, and provincial law.​