The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation invites us to continue our journey toward reconciliation by learning, listening and deepening our understanding. Over the past year, we have taken steps forward by acknowledging truths, expanding our learning and humbly building action into our work.

Guided by conversations and wisdom shared by our First Nations, Inuit, and Métis partners and Indigenous Strategic Advisor, we are using four streams – acknowledgement, relationships, cultural capability and action – as a practical framework for planning, accountability and change across our work.

Acknowledgment

• We are deepening our understanding of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples’ rights, histories and nation-to-nation relationships, and reflecting this learning in how we plan, communicate and convene.
• We are taking a distinctions-based approach in our work, including how we acknowledge lands, peoples and rights.
• We support OCAP-aligned (Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession) data stewardship with Indigenous partners to ensure those rights are upheld.
• We further understand and identify the ongoing impacts of colonization, residential schools, community displacement, and the loss of intergenerational transmission of language, culture, knowledge and skills, while recognizing that these impacts have affected First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in distinct ways.

Relationships

• We are building relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners and interest holders with cultural humility, respect and a willingness to listen and respond to their priorities. We will continue to build and expand these relationships over time.
• We are creating openings for dialogue and collaboration, including partner conversations, in-person gatherings, and convening activities that help shape Health Workforce Canada’s work.
• We are working toward meaningful engagement and co-development in initiatives that affect First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, communities and the systems that serve them.
• We are applying what we hear from partners to strengthen areas of work where Indigenous perspectives are essential, including rural and remote health workforce planning and education-to-workforce pathways.

Cultural Capability

• We are strengthening cultural capability across the organization through shared learning, including foundational learning for staff as well as cultural safety and data stewardship.
• We are beginning to make practical changes in how we work, so that our engagement, communications, data practices and convening activities contribute to culturally safer outcomes for staff and partners.
• We are working to become a more capable and respectful organization in our relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis partners, while advancing inclusion, equity and accessibility across our work.

Action

• We are beginning to build action into our planning, moving forward on the learning and changes already underway.
• We are applying a strengths-based approach by listening to Indigenous partners, working to reflect Indigenous priorities in our work and supporting space for Indigenous voice, identity, language, culture and community connections.
• We are using what we learn to influence how Health Workforce Canada convenes partners, develops tools and resources, stewards data, and connects work across areas such as rural and remote health workforce planning and education-to-workforce pathways.
• We will be holding ourselves accountable by regularly returning to these four streams – acknowledgement, relationships, cultural capability and action – to reflect on how our learning is changing the way we work.

We remain committed to learning, acknowledging truths and taking intentional steps to become better partners. This work is ongoing, and we will continue to listen, reflect and apply what we learn in how we plan, convene, communicate and act.