On September 30, Canadians mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day honours First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Survivors, their families, their communities, and those who never returned home from residential schools.
Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing legacy of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process, as it starts with acknowledging the truth.
This day coincides with Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led grassroots commemorative day intended to raise awareness of the individual, family, and community inter-generational impacts of residential schools, and to honour the concept of “Every Child Matters.” The orange shirt is a symbol of the stripping away of culture, freedom, and human rights experienced by Indigenous children over generations.
CRPNM’s Commitment
Ensuring cultural safety and humility has been identified as a strategic priority for the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba (CRPNM).
We formalized our commitment to this strategic priority to the TRC recommendations, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) calls for justice in 2022 by signing on as a partner to the Winnipeg Indigenous Accord. We demonstrate our accountability as an Accord Partner by reporting on our goals and progress each year.
Reconciliation requires education and dialogue about the history and legacy of residential schools, Treaties, and Indigenous rights, as well as the historical and contemporary contributions of Indigenous peoples to Canadian society.
The College’s staff and Council members have participated in cultural safety training, and we have implemented the Health Equity and Cultural Humility jurisprudence module. This learning module provided our registrants with an opportunity to learn about health equity and cultural humility and to explore the impact of bias in professional practice and the delivery of health care services. In 2025 we will implement an Indigenous Cultural Safety jurisprudence module developed in collaboration with our Indigenous community partners and the health regulatory community in Manitoba.
We are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and the advancement of reconciliation efforts into the College’s organizational culture and amongst its members. Our journey has begun but we have so much more to learn and do.
This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, explore the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and stories of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Manitoba and Canada. Please join us in this day of reflection and learning. Whether you want to read, listen, watch, or try, start your learning journey today.
Province of Manitoba | Manitoba Indigenous ReconciliationOrange Shirt Day (gov.mb.ca)
Did You Know?
The Registered Psychiatric Nurses Foundation (RPNF) is responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Call to Action – Recommendation #24 by offering an Indigenous Studies Grant.
This grant is awarded to a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in Canada who can show evidence of engagement in Indigenous cultural learning relevant to the TRC’s Call to Action. Activities include, but are not limited to, formal coursework, attendance at ceremony, or ongoing learning from Indigenous communities.
Click here to learn more.
