President's Letter
Dear Members,
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, an annual event intended to celebrate and learn about the rich history and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The AMA has chosen this month to unveil a new land acknowledgement statement, which demonstrates our deep respect for the Indigenous Peoples who have come before us and the land that hosts us.
The new land acknowledgement statement was developed over the past year by the AMA’s Indigenous Health Committee with support from our Public Affairs team. The goal of the new statement is to recognize and honour the Original Peoples, the settlers who have come to call this place home and our relationship to each other and the land where we all live together. It speaks to our understanding that the land is not inanimate, but is alive and is a relation. The Indigenous Health Committee helped us ensure the new statement named all of the distinctions-based Indigenous Peoples, as an act of allyship against pan-Indigeneity and a way to ensure their unique stories, traditions and cultures are honoured. We are grateful to the committee for their guidance and for their willingness to share their lived experiences.
The new land acknowledgement statement represents an important element of the AMA’s commitment to meaningful reconciliation. The AMA Board and senior management team have reiterated our intent to advance the AMA Policy Statement on Indigenous Health and will continue working with the Indigenous Health Committee to explore further initiatives and actions to move us toward that goal.
This month, and every month, I hope you will join us in learning more about Indigenous health and in reflecting on how you can play a role in improving health access and outcomes for all our patients.
As a quick reminder, if you’re interested in hearing more about our discussions with government and the latest information related to the Physician Comprehensive Care Model (PCCM), consider attending the next Inside Scoop virtual town hall on Monday, June 24 at 6 p.m. While we won’t be able to provide granular details (many key pieces are still being discussed), we can share what we know so far about the new model and how it might change the primary care landscape within Alberta. Please register to attend (member login required) and accept our (optimistic) apologies for a potential conflict with Game 7!
Regards,
Paul Parks
President, Alberta Medical Association