The organization representing Canada's doctors has issued a formal apology for the harm the medical profession has caused to Indigenous people.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) issued its apology Wednesday at a ceremony in Victoria attended by First Nations, Métis and Inuit representatives.
CMA president Dr Joss Reimer said the organisation was “deeply embarrassed” by the “deplorable” racism, discrimination and physical and psychological harm Indigenous people have faced as a result of the actions and inaction of doctors, both historically and today.
“To the Indigenous peoples living in Canada, we apologize, we are sorry, we are sorry for losing your trust and for the harm that you, your ancestors, your families and your communities have suffered,” he said.
“We recognize that there are implications for future generations. “The history of the AMC belongs to us and we are committed to correcting our mistakes and rebuilding our relationship on a basis of trust, responsibility and reciprocity.”
The association has conducted a review of its records on the treatment of indigenous peoples as part of its commitment to reconciliation.
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Dr. Paula Cashin, a CMA board member and Mi'kmaq physician, said the investigation revealed how the association helped to entrench and systematically maintain anti-Indigenous racism in Canada.
Examples include the racially segregated “Indian hospital” system, where “Indian patients received substandard and dangerous care.” “Patients were subjected to abuse, experimental treatments, and forced and coerced sterilizations,” he said.
“Medical experiments were conducted on Aboriginal children in residential schools, including the effects of malnutrition and denial of necessary care,” Cashin said.
“Medical experiments have been conducted on Aboriginal adults, including studying the effects of nutritional interventions and testing experimental vaccines and treatments for tuberculosis. “We still don't know the full extent of medical experimentation on Aboriginal children or adults.”
The group acknowledged that medical providers were “responsible or complicit” in the abduction and adoption of Indigenous children in the “early 1960s” and the arrest practices that continue today.
The association also acknowledged doctors' involvement in systemic racism through the use of “outdated racist terms” and the acceptance of “racist, colonial and paternalistic attitudes towards Indigenous peoples.”
He said many indigenous people have suffered mistreatment and lack of care, leading to ongoing health problems and deaths today.
Jimmy Durocher, a Métis elder and former president of the Métis Nation of Saskatchewan, said the AMC's apology and acknowledgement of historical wrongs is a crucial first step toward true reconciliation.
“The legacy of colonization has left scars on our people that are still visible today. While Canadians believe that health care is a fundamental human right, Indigenous peoples face ongoing discrimination from health care professionals in Canada. This is a truth. “We need to know the truth before we can achieve reconciliation,” he said.
“It will take a long time because a lot of damage has been done to our people.”
Former CMA president Dr. Alika Lafontaine, who was the first Indigenous person to lead the organization in its 157-year history, said the path forward will require the work of the CMA and Indigenous communities and “bridge builders” between them.
“If it's driven by one party, Indigenous peoples demanding attention and action to change unjust and inequitable behaviors, policies or laws, or non-Indigenous peoples doing everything they can to do the same, one side will eventually break apart,” he said.
The association said it would review its code of ethics and professionalism in the future to combat racism and discrimination, and support efforts to increase the recruitment and retention of Indigenous doctors.
It also commits to monitoring doctors' progress in addressing harm, including providing regular updates on its Indigenous health initiatives.
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