Beyond the apology: action plan
As one of the country’s influential spokespersons of health care, it is CFNU’s duty and responsibility to uphold reconciliation and safety for Indigenous people in our care.
The CFNU has been working towards building a trusted advocacy role for Indigenous Peoples since Jordan River Anderson from Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba was hospitalized from birth with a rare medical condition. He lived for over two years in a hospital because governments did not do the right thing and simply argued about who should pay for his care. It is not acceptable that Indigenous people continue to face racism when looking for health care today. The way forward for us, beyond the apology for our historical lack of action and the current risks of racism faced by Indigenous people, is to continue our efforts to lay a strong foundation for future generations. Indigenous people deserve excellent care by nurses, and we commit to doing better.
On June 3, 2025, the CFNU apologised to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples for the harms Indigenous Peoples have faced historically and currently face in health care.
We also know that an apology is meaningless without action.
Commitment to reconciliation
On June 6 2025, members of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions resolved to immediately start work to meaningfully contribute to reconciliation, while being accountable to Indigenous Peoples and to members. Close to 1,200 union members who attended convention committed the organization to concrete efforts to address racism against Indigenous patients in the health care system.
The resolution commits the CFNU to create a clear work plan, including:
- Amplifying the Indigenous voices calling for health funding equity for Indigenous community health care services and supporting the implementation of self-determined health systems in partnership with Indigenous communities.
- Calling upon the federal government to make amends by equitably funding First Nations, Inuit and Métis health by 2026.
- Advocating for implementation of the TRC Calls to Action #23 to increase the number of Indigenous nurses working in the health care field by supporting Indigenous-specific positions.
- Advocating for the development of safe, culturally supportive environments for Indigenous nurses, including anti-racism policies.
- Working with Member Organizations to ensure nurses can access Indigenous cultural competency training and nursing curriculums include Indigenous cultural competencies.
- Developing communication and support tools for members to understand and uphold Joyce’s Principle.
Indigenous Nurse Advisory Committee
The CFNU consulted with an Indigenous Nurse Advisory Committee to provide direction and advice on how to do the work around the apology in a good way, particularly for Indigenous nurses who may also face racism at work.
Recommendations to the government
In the written submission for the pre-budget consultations in advance of the upcoming 2025 federal budget, August 28, 2025, the CFNU put forward the following recommendation:
Recommendation 2: That the government commit to creating the conditions for nurse recruitment through standardizing the registration process for internationally educated nurses across the country, supporting nursing student training programs through the development of national paid preceptorships and increasing support for Indigenous nurses and registered psychiatric nurses.
Indigenous nurses have faced systemic discrimination, oppression and violence throughout the history of Canada, as is outlined in our 2025 report Beyond Equity: Taking Action to Address Indigenous-Specific Racism in Nursing. To redress these wrongs, we recommend that the government work with Indigenous leaders, provinces and territories to increase the number of Indigenous nurses through the creation of Indigenous-specific positions and by requiring hospitals and health care employers to implement robust anti-racism policies. 
