CMTBC honours National Indigenous Peoples Day by furthering the College’s commitment to support Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism

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News/CMTBC honours National Indigenous Peoples Day by furthering the College’s commitment to support Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism

June 20, 2023

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. CMTBC is honouring the day by furthering the College’s commitment to support Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism in BC’s health care system.

In September 2022, the CMTBC Board made a commitment to action to address the consequences of intergenerational abuse and trauma of Indigenous peoples. CMTBC is honouring that commitment in a number of ways:

Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility, and Anti-Racism Standard of Practice

CMTBC has made significant progress in developing an Indigenous Cultural Safety, Humility, and Anti-Racism (ICSHAR) Standard of Practice. The standard will set out clear expectations for how registrants are to provide culturally safe and anti-racist care for Indigenous patients.

CMTBC recruited and is working with an ICSHAR Advisory Group to develop the standard. The advisory group consists of practicing RMTs who are Indigenous, work with patients from Indigenous communities, or have expressed a strong interest in participating in the development of the new ICSHAR standard.

Joe Gallagher (k’wunəmɛn) of Tla’amin Nation, Principal at Qoqoq Consulting Ltd., has contributed to the group’s work.

The standard is being adapted with permission from the Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-racism practice standard that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC and BC College of Nurses and Midwives developed after extensive consultation with Indigenous registrants, members of the public, and partner organizations.

Education and training on Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism

As an important part of supporting Indigenous cultural safety and humility and addressing Indigenous-specific racism and discrimination, CMTBC Board and staff continue to receive ICSHAR education and training. In addition to education and training sessions outlined in a feature story that was published in the 2022 CMTBC Annual report, Board and staff members participated in a session on April 28, 2023 with Joe Gallagher and Sulksun (Shane Pointe), proud member of the Coast Salish Nation and the Musqueam Indian Band, and Knowledge Keeper.

The following photos were taken at the April 28 session:

Joe Gallagher and Sulksun (Shane Pointe) in dialogue with CMTBC Board and staff members.

Joe Gallagher.

From left to right: Kristen Burrows (RMT Board member), Cameron Barker (RMT Board member), Jennifer Lie (RMT Board member), Eric Wredenhagen (CMTBC Registrar & CEO), Barbara Martin (Public Representative Board member), Jonathan Norton (RMT Board member and Chair), and Joti Dhesi (Public Representative Board member).

Sulksun (Shane Pointe), Knowledge Keeper.

CMTBC staff are also participating in an event on June 21 for National Indigenous Peoples Day organized by College of Physical Therapists of BC. Spelexilh Anjeanette Dawson, traditional wool weaver, knowledge keeper, storyteller, and Indigenous Educator from Squamish Nation, and Len Pierre, professor, consultant, TEDx Speaker, social activist, change agent, and traditional knowledge keeper from Katzie First Nation, will facilitate the event.

Safe Spaces on Boards and Committees project

As part of the CMTBC Board’s commitment to action, the College is involved in the Safe Spaces on Boards and Committees project, led by Qoqoq Consulting Ltd. and the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. This is a collaborative research project that aims to develop standards of accountability for addressing Indigenous-specific racism, eliminating white supremacy, and upholding cultural safety in board and committee work in health regulation. CMTBC has been actively involved in the research project, which runs over six sessions between May and October 2023.

Cultural Safety and Humility resource on CMTBC website

The Cultural Safety & Humility section of the CMTBC website is a resource for registrants to support meaningful engagement and learning with respect to Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism. The resource includes:

An Introduction and Commitment to action, which includes a commitment to action from the CMTBC Board on addressing the consequences of intergenerational abuse and trauma of Indigenous peoples.
A Timeline that provides a history of institutional and systemic racism directed at Indigenous Peoples.
An Applications to Practice page that provides RMTs with guidance on how principles of cultural safety and humility can be applied to massage therapy practice.
Selected Resources for learning more about cultural safety and humility.

The Timeline and Applications to Practice pages were created in partnership with a cultural safety consultant, along with elders and artists of the Syilx/Okanagan Nation.

CMTBC encourages registrants to review the Cultural Safety & Humility resource on the CMTBC website.

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