Honouring Indigenous Leadership, Knowledge, and Sovereignty

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day—a time to honour the histories, cultures, languages, and leadership of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Turtle Island. The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) recognizes the enduring strength and vitality of Indigenous communities and affirms our shared responsibility to uphold the inherent rights and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.

This day is more than a celebration. It is a call to action for public health institutions to move beyond acknowledgment and toward concrete, sustained partnerships rooted in truth, trust, and accountability. Indigenous Peoples have long led community-based responses to health challenges, guided by relational worldviews, cultural practices, and deep intergenerational knowledge. These approaches are foundational to any vision of health equity in Canada.

Yet colonial structures continue to create and perpetuate health disparities. The legacies of residential schools, environmental dispossession, anti-Indigenous racism in health systems, and the failure to uphold the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission persist. Real Truth and Reconciliation requires confronting these harms and supporting Indigenous-led health governance at every level.

CPHA recommits to learning from Indigenous health leaders, advocating for policies that respect Indigenous data sovereignty and land stewardship, and challenging the systemic barriers that undermine well-being. We encourage our members and partners to reflect on their role in advancing Indigenous rights and to take meaningful steps in solidarity.

Public health cannot be just unless it is decolonized. On this National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honour Indigenous Peoples’ enduring contributions to community wellness—and we pledge to walk the path of Truth and Reconciliation with humility and resolve.