Share Your Story
The Need
Share the experiences of Indigenous people who sought health care services in the Champlain Region to illustrate and highlight deeply embedded racist and stereotypical attitudes in Ontario’s health care system.
What We Did
In partnership with the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, the OAC launched a research initiative titled Indigenous-Specific Racism & Discrimination in Health Care Across the Champlain Region. This project culminates five years of research and is supported by funding from Ottawa Public Health. The report intricately weaves personal narratives with an examination of the historical and ongoing impacts of settler-colonial policies. It concludes with a comprehensive set of 27 recommendations, organized into seven themes, each containing additional specific recommendations.
The OAC acknowledges the Indigenous individuals who live, work, and seek healthcare on the ancestral lands of the Algonquin/Anishnaabe and Ongwehonwe. We recognize that many have not received the kind of competent care that is a fundamental human right in this country. It is our hope that the stories presented in this report will contribute to establishing a new legacy for future generations.
Reports & Video
Additional Documents
Project Timeline
Initiation
In 2018, the Share Your Story (SYS) Project was launched to uncover local accounts of Indigenous-specific racism in healthcare throughout the Champlain Region. Our goal was to empower healthcare organizations to develop local solutions that enhance Indigenous confidence in the healthcare system.
Participant Engagement
From November 2018 to April 2019, over 200 individuals participated in the SYS project, sharing personal experiences or observations of racism. Most participants identified as Indigenous, while others included non-Indigenous healthcare professionals and family members who witnessed discriminatory practices. Some participants shared multiple accounts.
Findings
Among the 315 stories of anti-Indigenous racism collected in late 2018 and early 2019, 91% were identified by Wabano’s research interviewers as clear instances of anti-Indigenous racism, based on established criteria. Participants consistently indicated that negative stereotypes about Indigenous peoples significantly influence the treatment they receive from healthcare providers.
Current Status
On May 24, 2022, the comprehensive report was released. The OAC and Wabano called on the leaders of all political parties in the 2022 Ontario general election to sign a declaration prioritizing the eradication of racism in the healthcare system. Only Steven Del Duca, leader of the Liberal Party, committed to this initiative by signing the declaration.
