It is a difficult time in our country. In 2020, a pandemic resulting from a virus changed so many aspects of our personal and professional lives. And yet a more insidious social and public health threat has fully revealed itself in recent events. We are heartbroken at the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops residential school, a tragedy linked to institutionalized and systemic racism and our nation's shameful history of colonialism. And this week we learned of the senseless and devastating deaths of a family in London who were killed for being Muslim. These unimaginable and tragic events are rooted in racism and reinforce how privilege and power can be abused.
Right now, we grieve with Indigenous and Muslim communities. To OCFP members who identify as Indigenous or members of a Muslim community, we want to assure you of our solidarity. We also know that many others continue to face racism, harassment, and social exclusion because of race, religion, gender and sexuality.
As Family Physicians in Ontario, it is important we recognize systemic racism as a powerful social and structural determinant of health inequities. We need to continue to use our voices to condemn and combat racism everywhere it exists, including within our medical institutions and practices. We can support our patients by understanding and addressing the underlying social, economic and structural factors that limit their health outcomes. We can serve our patients by practising with humility and providing a culturally safe environment. We can work collectively to increase the recruitment, retention, and support of Family Physicians from underrepresented/minoritized populations.
The OCFP is on a journey towards addressing racism and inequities as articulated in our soon-to-be-released 2021-2024 Strategic Plan. With the input of members and stakeholders, the Board of Directors made an intentional commitment in a strategic direction: “To enable equitable healthcare for Ontarians.” We will do this by supporting Family Physicians to provide equitable care and to recognize and address social determinants of health and other structural barriers to health care, and by building our internal organizational capacity in anti-oppression.
We know we do not have all the answers, and we know we cannot do this alone. We welcome input from you, our members, about how we can be more visible in advancing anti-racism efforts and equity-centred solutions, and how we can better support you. We are committed to deeply listen, learn, and reflect, so that together, we can fully live into our vision of “Leaders for a Healthy Ontario”.