Indigenous health

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued several calls to action to help recognize and rectify some of the wrongs committed to the Canadian Indigenous population in the past and which continue to affect Indigenous peoples today. The AMA developed the AMA Policy Statement on Indigenous Health to support the calls to action on health from the TRC’s final report. The policy aligns well with the AMA’s mandate of being leaders in the health care system. The policy was approved by the AMA Board of Directors in July 2017 as a means to support the TRC calls to action on health, and for the AMA as an organization to support improvements in accessing quality care for Indigenous populations. Download the AMA Policy Statement on Indigenous Health.

The AMA formed the Indigenous Health working group to determine how to best address the TRC calls to action. This working group included Indigenous physicians, Indigenous members of the public and physicians with experience working with Indigenous populations. The Indigenous Health Committee has since been established to promote and operationalize the recommendations in the AMA Policy Statement on Indigenous Health. Learn more about the Indigenous Health Committee.

News

University of Alberta professor scoops prestigious Killam Prize for work on Prairie history of women and Indigenous people

June 2, 2020

Edmonton Journal | Liane Faulder: A University of Alberta scholar has won the 2020 Killam Prize in the Humanities, one of the country’s most prestigious academic awards. Sarah Carter’s work focuses on the history of women and Indigenous people on the Prairies. She has written several books on how government policies of the past deliberately hampered and excluded women and Indigenous people from agriculture and from homesteading.

Questions and comments

  • Please contact Dr. Lyle Mittelsteadt, Assistant Executive Director (Professional Affairs), AMA, if you have questions or comments regarding the AMA Indigenous Health Policy Statement.
  • Please contact Shannon Rupnarain, Assistant Executive Director, Public Affairs, AMA, if you have questions or comments regarding the public affairs component of the AMA Indigenous Health Policy Statement or require information regarding the Indigenous Health Committee function and/or membership.

The AMA advances patient-centered, quality care by advocating for and supporting physician leadership and wellness.