https://www.cna-aiic.ca/fr/blogs/ic-contenu/2025/09/30/commemoration-de-la-10e-journee-nationale
September 30, 2025 — The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) hosted the first Anti-Indigenous Racism Knowledge Sharing Event on September 29, 2025, to mark the 10th anniversary of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This virtual event brought together nurses, other health professionals, policy-makers, and community leaders to share knowledge, experiences, and strategies to create more equitable and culturally safer health systems.
Significance of September 30
Between the late 1800s and 1996, the Canadian federal government funded and operated over 130 residential schools across the country, leading to intergenerational trauma, loss of culture, and significant health disparities. At their peak in 1931, there were 80 schools operating simultaneously. The last residential school, Kivalliq Hall in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, closed in 1997. This history is recent, with approximately 80,000 residential school survivors still alive today.
September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We mourn the children who never returned home and we show solidarity for the survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. We recognize the ongoing suffering and negative impacts of this dark period in Canada’s history.
CNA’s journey to reconciliation
CNA recognizes its responsibility as our journey to truth and reconciliation unfolds. We are committed to taking a meaningful approach to achieving systemic change through education and the development of our reconciliation framework. We pledge to do so under the guidance of Indigenous governments, organizations, and community health leaders.
As part of CNA’s mandate to upholding the health-related Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action and the United Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, several efforts have been taken and are underway:
- In summer 2024, CNA staff and the board of directors completed part 1 of a cultural awareness course, offered by NVision Insight Group, focused on addressing truth and reconciliation.
- In autumn 2024, CNA hired an Indigenous policy analyst who is a Labrador Inuk, registered nurse of 10 years, and policy expert.
- In summer 2025, CNA staff completed part 2 of the NVision course.
- On September 29, 2025, CNA hosted our first Anti-Indigenous Racism Knowledge Sharing Event.
- Throughout 2025, CNA, in partnership with NVision, developed a 40-minute module (as part of a larger existing cultural awareness course) on anti-Indigenous racism in nursing. It will become available to CNA members in the near future.
- CNA is in the process of developing a reconciliation framework, in partnership with NVision, that will foster a holistic, organization-wide approach from development to implementation. This framework will be released alongside CNA’s 2026 strategic plan and will guide our organization and its membership on our journey to reconciliation.
All off the above have been the result of collaboration with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, including Indigenous nursing leaders.
These collaborative efforts underscore a steadfast dedication to dismantling systemic barriers and advancing culturally safer care within the nursing profession and across health systems. The development of the tailored education module and the commitment to engaging with Indigenous perspectives reflect CNA’s recognition that reconciliation is an evolving process — one that requires ongoing reflection, dialogue and partnership.
By embedding these initiatives into organizational practice and policy, CNA aims not only to honour the histories and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, but also to ensure nurses and nurse practitioners are under the “truths” to inspire transformative change for present and future generations in health systems across Canada.
Yours in nursing,
Dr. Valerie Grdisa, RN, PhD
CEO, Canadian Nurses Association