09/30/2026
Today marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
At the Canadian Museum of Health Care, it is important to acknowledge how the Canadian healthcare system has harmed Indigenous peoples, both historically and today.
The museum sits on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy and the Huron-Wendat Peoples.
There is a long and brutal history of medical colonialism including the Indian Act, segregated “Indian Hospitals,” and the forced sterilization and experimentation on Indigenous peoples
Today, Indigenous peoples generally have less access to healthcare, face discrimination within the healthcare system, and higher rates of chronic conditions due to the social determinants of health.
The recognition of the need to change has resulted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action numbers 18-24 specifically calling out the discrimination and disparities in Canada’s healthcare system, and a formal apology from the Canadian Medical Association.
As well, there have been several new Indigenous-led healthcare organizations and networks created in the last 20 years. This includes but is not limited to the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association, the First Nations Health Authority, Anishinawbe Health Toronto, the Indigenous Primary Healthcare Council, and the National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health.
Many of these groups focus on creating clinics which practice traditional healing and account for the unique healthcare needs of Indigenous peoples, as well as bringing together Indigenous healthcare professionals and collaborating with the Canadian healthcare system.
It is essential to recognize the place of Indigenous peoples within Canada’s health history as well as the contributions of Indigenous doctors, nurses, other healthcare professionals, and those working to better the system.
