Message from the President – October 2024

As we settle into the Harvest season, I hope everyone has found some time to spend with friends and family. It has been a very busy few months since our meeting in July. A new school year has begun—some of us have children in school, our medical students and residents are well into the academic year, and many clinicians are busy revamping their lectures and teaching. We are all continuing our work towards improving the health of our peoples.

The staff at IPAC have been very busy planning two important projects. First, IPAC staff and members have been visiting medical schools across Canada, meeting Indigenous program staff, residents, and students. We are listening to the needs and concerns of each school, exploring ways to facilitate mentoring relationships and improve opportunities for our learners to work alongside Indigenous physicians. Second, IPAC members will be attending the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress (PRIDoC) in Adelaide, Australia, this December. This gathering, held every two years, provides an opportunity to meet colleagues from other continents, learn about their peoples, history, and cultures, and appreciate the diverse approaches to improving health care in Indigenous communities.

On September 18, 2024, many Indigenous physicians gathered in Victoria, BC, to bear witness to the Canadian Medical Association’s apology for harms to Indigenous people. Following the direction of the Kwakwaka’wakw people at the Mungo Martin House, participants from across the continent placed medicines and stories into a ceremonial bundle. This bundle, currently cared for by the CMA President, symbolizes our collective commitment to holding the CMA accountable to the spirit and intention of this apology.

In other news, Bill S-5, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act amendment recognizing our Right to live in a healthy environment, and Bill C-226, an act to develop a national strategy to address environmental racism and injustice, are two pieces of Canadian legislation that highlight many issues underlying the poor health of our people and the ecosystems we live in. As Indigenous physicians, I encourage you to use your strong advocacy to amplify the voices of our people, especially in the context of this and other legislation affecting our health.

The Autumn Equinox has passed. Hopefully, our Mother Earth will prepare herself for a good rest under a thick blanket of snow and ice. Please take time to do the things that make you well, and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the year.

Niawen go:wa,

Dr. Ojistoh Horn, President