Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Dear Colleagues,
September 30th marks Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time to reflect on the devastating legacy of Canada’s residential school system and the ongoing impact of anti-Indigenous racism.
There are a number of events in which you can share in learning and commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. On Sept. 29, the Yellowhead Institute is holding a virtual panel discussion with Indigenous leaders including DFCM’s Dr. Janet Smylie on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action and the barriers to their completion. Women’s College Hospital, The Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health and the Temerty Faculty of Medicine are hosting a hybrid event on action and accountability on Sept. 30 (register via Zoom here). The Woodland Cultural Centre offers a virtual tour of the former Mohawk Institute Residential School throughout the month.
Understanding and awareness are important, but we hope that you will not stop there. For meaningful reconciliation with the Indigenous community to happen, education must be paired with action. There are many ways to show your commitment to justice and solidarity with Indigenous people.
One simple step is to wear an orange shirt on September 30 in honour of lost children and survivors of residential schools. You can buy orange shirts from Indigenous creators like Native Arts Society, Treaty 1850 and aaniin. Another way is to support Indigenous entrepreneurs, artists and organizations. You can also donate to DFCM’s Indigenous Health Fund, which will help us work together to address the unmet primary health care needs of the 24,000 Indigenous peoples in the city of Toronto who currently don’t have a primary care provider, among other things.
Participating in evidence-based cultural safety training is another vital action. The San’yas Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) Training Program, in which learners at DFCM are engaged, provides knowledge and skills for working with and providing service to Indigenous people and communities. Providers who have taken San’yas are more likely to be recommended to friends and family members by standardized patients compared to providers who did not take the training. Specialized ICS training such as San’yas is needed to rebuild and transform the health system so that it is fair for Indigenous people and free from discrimination.
It is our hope as a department that as we reflect on Canada’s colonial history, we will also honour Indigenous cultures, identity and rights and make a commitment to tangible action and change.
