CANADIAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION POLICY STATEMENT INDIGENOUS RELATIONS AND RECONCILIATION

“The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) is the independent national voice and trusted advocate for public health, speaking up for people and populations to all levels of government” (CPHA.2019)

The adaptation to the policy made by the CPHA speaks of reconciliation establishing the term as a commitment to maintain and build mutual respect between the indigenous population and the rest of people. It refers to a long process of healing, building and learning taking into account the needs, experiences and priorities of the indigenous parties involved.

Health is spoken of as a fundamental right of human beings, with this, the association adopts the issue of public health as health insurance for all, based on the principles of social justice, attention to human rights and equity, evidence- informed policy and practice, and addressing the underlying determinants of health.

The public health approach is based on building healthy relationships with unworthy communities based on principles of trust, respect, commitment, and equity. By building relationships with indigenous partners, CPHA recognizes and respects the diverse knowledge systems of indigenous peoples, equally their customs will be valued and considered in setting policy objectives.

In essence the stated policy objective of the Association is to build a future in which reconciliation is meaningfully integrated into all aspects of its work and the Association establishes and maintains relationships with Indigenous Peoples based on the mutual respect, trust and dialogue.

In this adaptation to the policy, the CPHA plays a fundamental role where its staff and volunteers actively participate in building relationships with the communities involved, assuming commitments based on truth, reconciliation, inclusion and other actions that allow and lead to fulfillment of the established objectives.

You can review the entire document to learn about the commitments and role of the association as well as the principles and objectives of the policy.