May 5 is Red Dress Day, also known as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S). BCCNM recognizes Red Dress Day, which honours the memories of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people across Canada, and pledges to continue our work to make the health-care system culturally safe for Indigenous Peoples.
Visit the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center to explore the list of resources and join in organizing additional actions in your communities on and around May 5.
Each year on May 10, we recognize Bear Witness Day. 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.
As we continue the important work of reconciliation, BCCNM acknowledges and honours this day and reflects on the past with a look ahead to the future of shaping culturally safe, timely, and appropriate care for all.
Visit Bear Witness Day | First Nations Child & Family Caring Society to learn more and learn how you can get involved.
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 Plain 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, Métis and Inuit (Indigenous) Peoples.
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. We invite you to review these reports.
We want to hear from you. Email us at culturalsafety@bccnm.ca.
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