Canada's history of mistreating Indigenous people is dark and ongoing. The effects of colonialism and residential schools still devastate Indigenous communities today. As a result of intergenerational trauma and poor living conditions in residential schools and now on reserves, Indigenous people face a disproportionate amount of health-related issues. However, due to inherent and usually unconscious biases rooted in white supremacy and ignorance, many Indigenous people cannot safely access the healthcare that they need. 

Take, for example, Brian Sinclair (pictured above). In 2008, Mr. Sinclair died in an emergency room in Winnepeg from a treatable bladder infection after being ignored for 34 hours. Based on harmful stereotypes, the hospital staff assumed that he was intoxicated and homeless and as a result, denied him attention. (Ignored to Death: Systemic Racism in the Canadian Healthcare System)

Indigenous people know that this cannot go on any longer. In the Truth and Reconciliation Comittee's Calls to Action, they call for the government to "[i]ncrease the number of Aboriginal professionals working in the health-care field". Indigenous presence in the healthcare system is a necessary step in addressing the inequty that Indigenous people face while simply trying to survive.

Thank you for taking the time to sign this petition!