CASLPO News

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30 marks both the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day in Canada. It’s a solemn time to reflect on the legacy of residential schools and honour the children who were taken from their families, many of whom never returned. It is also a call to action for all non-Indigenous people to learn, listen, and take part in reconciliation. 

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was created to investigate and document the history and lasting impacts of Canada’s residential school system. The TRC gathered thousands of stories from survivors, families, and communities affected by residential schools. Survivors shared painful accounts of abuse, neglect, and cultural loss. These stories helped Canadians understand the truth about what happened and shaped the Commission’s 94 Calls to Action — recommendations to governments, institutions, and individuals to advance reconciliation.

Several Calls to Action directly connect to CASLPO’s role as a health regulator:

• Call to Action 20 urges the federal government to address the distinct health needs of Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Aboriginal peoples.
• Call to Action 22 asks health providers to recognize and respect Aboriginal healing practices, working collaboratively with Elders and healers when requested by Aboriginal patients.
• Call to Action 23 calls for increasing the number of Aboriginal professionals working in the health care field, supporting their retention in Aboriginal communities, and ensuring all health providers receive cultural competency training.

CASLPO is committed to advancing these goals. Our work includes:

• developing guidance for AUDs and SLPs to address the unique health needs of the Indigenous, Métis, Inuit, and off-reserve Indigenous peoples. 
• engaging registrants who serve these populations and conducting research on culturally-inclusive services (in addition to the guidance offered in CASLPO’s Guide for Equitable and Inclusive Services). 
• seeking partnerships with communities, Elders, and Knowledge-Keepers to ensure this work is grounded in lived experience and cultural knowledge; and
• exploring ways to increase Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit representation within the professions, supported by demographic data collected over the past three years which indicates that there are not many registrants who identify with these ancestries. 

Earlier this year, we hosted an Indigenous Elder, who provided guidance on peacebuilding in health care. You can watch the recordings here. Our Board of Directors also learned about Jordan’s Principle and the importance of supporting timely care to Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit children — and our Board and Committees have incorporated the Seven Sacred Teachings/Seven Grandfather Teachings into specific Territory Acknowledgements to recognize the history and teachings from the people who have cared for Turtle Island since before living memory.

Reconciliation requires ongoing commitment. Learning about the history of residential schools is one step we can all take. We encourage you to visit the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website for educational resources and opportunities. The Ontario College of Pharmacists also has a comprehensive resource page on its website to support Indigenous cultural competency here.

Support for Survivors and those affected by residential schools is available 24/7: https://chiefs-of-ontario.org/priorities/irs-resources/