Marking Canada Day by reflecting on our country’s past and challenging the systems impacting the health and way of life of FNIM communities and its members

Dear colleagues and community members,

Canada Day means different things for different people. For some, it’s a celebration of our collective achievements and the rights, freedoms and opportunities this country has provided our family and friends. For others, the day is a painful reminder of Canada’s colonialism, assimilation and the injustices facing First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

With the recent discovery of hundreds of unmarked burial sites on now sacred grounds of former residential schools across Canada, including the most recent discovery of 751 unnamed graves — many of them children — uncovered last week in Saskatchewan, this July 1 offers an opportunity for us to pause, reflect and learn more about Canada’s past and the policies and systems that have enabled, and continue to enable, the genocide of our FNIM brothers and sisters.

The Canadian government’s residential school system has stolen First Nation, Métis and Inuit children and broken families. FNIM women and girls are disproportionately affected by all forms of violence. FNIM people are overrepresented in Canada’s criminal justice system as both victims and people accused or convicted of crime. They also face inequities in the healthcare system, which are a direct result of the colonial structure that has historically displaced and sought to assimilate Indigenous peoples’ culture and traditions.

Acknowledging and educating ourselves on these injustices is part of the path to reconciliation. The more we learn, the better allies to FNIM community members we can be. This Canada Day, I encourage everyone in the MGH family to take it upon themselves to learn more about the role that Canada’s history played in the genocide of FNIM culture. A few resources are shared below:

•  Familiarize yourself with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the 94 Calls to Action made by the commission and the stories of residential school survivors in their own words. 
• Follow the steps outlined by the On Canada Project in their Settlers Take Action project, which provides concrete actions non-Indigenous people can take in their personal journey towards truth and reconciliation.
• Learn about FNIM cultural contributions by reading books from Indigenous authors, watching films featuring FNIM culture, like those in the National Film Board’s selection of Indigenous Peoples in Canada films, or taking an online course such as ones from University of Alberta or the University of Waterloo. 
• If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, please refer them to the Indian Residential Schools Crisis Line which operates 24 hours: 1-866-925-4419.

No matter how you choose to mark Canada Day this year, I hope you’ll take the time to reflect on and challenge the systems that impact the health, well-being and way of life of our FNIM brothers and sisters. By doing this, we can help build a brighter, more inclusive Canada for all.

With gratitude,

Sarah Downey

President and CEO, Michael Garron Hospital