Indigenous health: time for action

David White

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RE: Indigenous health: time for change
Daniel McKennitt

Published on: 02 June 2017

Published on: (2 June 2017)
Page navigation anchor for RE: Indigenous health: time for change
RE: Indigenous health: time for change
Daniel McKennitt, Family Physician, N/A
Thank you to President Dr. David White for his president’s message Indigenous health: time for change (1).

Dr. White highlights the actions of the CFPC in response to the TRC 2015 calls to action. This is very important. For instance, Dr. White points out the collaboration between the CFPC Indigenous working group and the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada in producing a fact sheet around discrimination and racism of Indigenous people in the healthcare system.

As an Indigenous family physician, I would like to bring attention to further steps the CFPC and medical community may consider to address the TRC calls to action. For instance, in 2012 the Government of British Columbia appointed Dr. Evan Adams, a Coast Salish family physician, Deputy Provincial Health Officer for Aboriginal Health (2). The only such position of its’ kind to this day with Dr. Adams having jurisdictional legal powers, as well as, advocating for Indigenous people in British Columbia at the highest provincial level. This is very important. Indigenous people have long sought for self-determination, as well, research has shown it to be a protective factor for health (3). Subsequently, Dr. Adams has become the Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia. Interestingly, with the commitment to put Indigenous family physicians in positions of leadership, the people who identify as Indigenous in British Columbia have better health than other Indige...
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Thank you to President Dr. David White for his president’s message Indigenous health: time for change (1).

Dr. White highlights the actions of the CFPC in response to the TRC 2015 calls to action. This is very important. For instance, Dr. White points out the collaboration between the CFPC Indigenous working group and the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada in producing a fact sheet around discrimination and racism of Indigenous people in the healthcare system.

As an Indigenous family physician, I would like to bring attention to further steps the CFPC and medical community may consider to address the TRC calls to action. For instance, in 2012 the Government of British Columbia appointed Dr. Evan Adams, a Coast Salish family physician, Deputy Provincial Health Officer for Aboriginal Health (2). The only such position of its’ kind to this day with Dr. Adams having jurisdictional legal powers, as well as, advocating for Indigenous people in British Columbia at the highest provincial level. This is very important. Indigenous people have long sought for self-determination, as well, research has shown it to be a protective factor for health (3). Subsequently, Dr. Adams has become the Chief Medical Officer of the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia. Interestingly, with the commitment to put Indigenous family physicians in positions of leadership, the people who identify as Indigenous in British Columbia have better health than other Indigenous people in Canada (4).

I would encourage the CFPC, amongst others, such as medical association's, medical regulatory authorities, health authorities and provincial ministries of health, in sharing space with their Indigenous colleagues allowing for a way of true reconciliation.

'Reconciliation is not an aboriginal problem, it is a Canadian problem. It involves all of us.'

- Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair, Truth and Reconciliation Commision of Canada

Daniel McKennitt MD, CCFP, MPH
Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation
Treaty One
Turtle Island

1. White, D. (2017). Indigenous health: time for action. Canadian Family Physician 63: May; 413.

2. Ministry of Health - Government of British Columbia. Dr. Evan Adams named PHO for Aboriginal Health. Available at: https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/dr-evan-adams-named-deputy-pho-for-aborig... 2012. Accessed: May 31, 2017

3. Chandler, M.J., & Lalonde, C. (1998). Cultural continuity as a hedge against suicide in Canada’s First Nations. Transcultural Psychiatry, 35: 191-219.

4. Statistics Canada. Health indicator profile, by Aboriginal identity, age group and sex, four year estimates, Canada, provinces and territories, occasional (rate), CANSIM Table 105-0512; 2016. Available at: http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26;jsessionid=F7DCD797407CFC779D9064EC.... Accessed: May 31, 2017
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Competing Interests: None declared.