First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples continue to experience unacceptable health disparities. Canada must do better, guided by Indigenous Peoples.
Canada’s Indigenous health gap
The legacy of colonialism and systemic racism continues to impact the health of Indigenous Peoples, who face a dire lack of access to care, particularly in remote communities. They are also more likely to experience poverty, food insecurity and barriers to housing and education — major contributors to chronic illnesses and other health issues — and are faced with ongoing discrimination and racism in the health system.
Indigenous Peoples and health care by the numbers
67.2 years
1 in 5
<1%
Watch The Unforgotten, a five-part series about Indigenous health in Canada
The CMA’s work on Indigenous health
In September 2024, the CMA apologized for its role, and the role of the medical profession, in past and ongoing harms to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples in the health system.
The apology is an important step on our path toward reconciliation in health care, guided by the CMA’s Indigenous Guiding Circle (IGC), a group of First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, Elders and Knowledge Keepers from across the country.
The IGC also co-created the CMA’s Indigenous health goal, which aims for measurable, ongoing improvements in Indigenous health and wellness, supported by a transformed health system.
Realizing reconciliation in health care
An apology without action is just words.
The CMA’s ReconciliACTION plan outlines how we are advancing health and well-being alongside Indigenous Peoples. This includes providing significant funding for Indigenous-led organizations, engaging in partnerships with them, supporting Indigenous doctors and learners, and sharing resources with others across the medical profession on their own journeys of truth and reconciliation. We are also revising the CMA’s Code of Ethics and Professionalism to strengthen provisions related to anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination specifically, as well as discrimination in all other forms.
On Parliament Hill, the CMA continues to stand with Indigenous Peoples to break down barriers to good health — advocating for clean water and Indigenous-led, land-based approaches to the climate crisis, among other issues.
Get more information about the CMA’s work on Indigenous health and reconciliation