Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 

September 2024

September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a federal statutory holiday created through legislation to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s call to action number 80. This day is intended to honour First Nations, Inuit and Métis residential school survivors, the children who never returned home, their families and communities.   

The reconciliation process requires us all to reflect on the history and impact of residential schools, and what we still need to learn.  In the words of The Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair, Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the hope for a national day was that Canadians would “take a day out of their lives to lend their ears and their hearts to survivors, to listen to them, and to resolve to do better.” 

As I reflect on my own reconciliation journey, I am reminded that there are so many opportunities to learn and unlearn. I will never be able to walk in the shoes of those who were and continue to be impacted by residential schools; however, I can take time, including on September 30, to reflect and to make a commitment to continue to understand the complexity of reconciliation.   

The Senate released a report in July 2024, titled, Missing Records, Missing Children. Until I read this report, I had never given much thought to how families and communities accessed residential school records – especially those who still seek answers about what happened to their children who went missing when attending residential schools or to identify who are the children in unmarked graves across this country.  The report highlights the challenges that Indigenous people and their communities have locating and accessing residential school records and makes recommendations to improve access. Getting answers is such an important part of healing for survivors and their families and should not be so difficult – yet it is.   

A colleague asked me if I knew the difference between the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. My honest answer was that I did not.  What I have since learned is that while both occur on the same date, Orange Shirt Day preceded the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which was established in 2021.   

Orange Shirt Day is inspired by Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor who told her story of  her first day of residential schooling. At six years old, she was stripped of her clothes, including the new orange shirt her grandmother bought her, which was never returned. The orange shirt represents the efforts made by the residential school system to deny children of their Indigenous identity.  Wearing an orange shirt visibly reminds us that “Every Child Matters” and represents the time of year that children were removed from their homes. I would encourage all to read Orange Shirt Day: September 30th (Revised 2023 Edition) to learn more about this history behind the Orange Shirt movement.    

I hope that each of us takes time on September 30 to reflect and, going forward, to be part of discussions at the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia on the importance of our commitment to reconciliation.  As a regulator, we are one of many important parties in the journey towards reconciliation, and we are committed to support learning and to change our own behaviours to inspire public trust and ensure our regulatory systems are safe and relational. 

Dianne Millette
Registrar & Chief Executive Officer
College of Health and Care Professionals of BC 

See Justice Murray Sinclair’s full speech at the 2022 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The Orange Shirt Day Shirt Day Society website has a reconciliation hub with resources, including videos about Orange Shirt Day and Canadian History and the Residential School System.  

Learn more about CHCPBC’s commitment to cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism.

Comments on this message or any other CHCPBC content can be submitted to the communications department at gro.cbpchc@snoitacinummoc. 

The first 60 days 

August 2024

In the short time since the amalgamation to create the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC (CHCPBC), we have been settling into our role as the regulator of nine health care professions.  

The 12-member Board met shortly before amalgamation day to approve the items that were essential to set up the new regulatory college. On June 25, the Board began with Knowledge Keeper Gary Johnston who opened the meeting, sharing his wisdom of the expanse and diversity of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish Nation).  The Board then approved: 

• The College’s bylaws  

• The appointment of the Registrar, and the Deputy Registrar 

• Finance and Governance policies 

• Terms of reference for the five regulatory committees and three board support committees 

• The budget for the College’s first year of operations 

• The reports of the Chair and CEO. 

 What you can expect from your new regulatory college:   

• How will CHCPBC maintain profession-specific understanding and capacity? CHCPBC acknowledges the importance of profession specific expertise to the regulation of professions.  You will see this reflected on both the staff side, in the form of professional practice advisors, and in the Professional Practice & Standards Advisory Committee, which informs profession-specific decisions and will include registrants from each health profession we regulate. 

• Are fees going to increase? Registrant fees are unchanged at this time. The College will be considering the fee model for the new organization in the coming months. We will advise registrants of any changes to the fee structure when that information becomes available. 

• Are standards for my profession changing? The standards and ethical requirements for your profession are unchanged. You have access to professional practice support to assist you with any questions about regulatory requirements in your practice. Professional practice advisors are available to answer your questions – by phone at 1-877-742-6715 (press #3 for practice support) or via the Contact Us form. 

• Are quality assurance requirements changing? The requirements of your quality assurance (continuing competence) program are unchanged. All program elements and submission due dates that applied to your profession prior to amalgamation remain in place. 

• How can I provide input into the regulation of my profession? There will be more opportunities for you to engage with your regulatory college. We will be seeking your input and feedback to inform our communications activities and to enhance our regulatory decision making.
  
  
• Will there be a continued commitment to reconciliation, and equity, diversity and inclusion? Yes. In fact, the Board solidified this commitment at a Coast Salish blanketing ceremony.

Priorities since amalgamation  

In the time since the official amalgamation on June 28, three of our key areas of focus have been: 

• Continuing to refine the organizational design, and to support our staff to transition to new roles and/or new teams and fill human resource gaps.  

• Collecting and reviewing legacy policies and processes to understand and begin to create a consistent approach to the core areas of regulation: licensure, quality practice and investigations. 

•  Ensuring that any risks to the public are identified and mitigated. 

It has certainly been exciting times as we work towards the amalgamation and are now officially regulating nine professions, including audiologists, dietitians, hearing instrument practitioners, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, physical therapists, psychologists and speech-language pathologists.  

While our response times may be delayed during this time of transition, I am confident that our efficiency will continue to improve in the weeks and months to come. CHCPBC is here to support you in the delivery of safe and ethical care to your patients and clients.  Please reach out to me at any time at gro.cbpchc@ettellim.ennaid. 

Dianne Millette
Registrar & Chief Executive Officer
College of Health and Care Professionals of BC 

Comments on this message or any other CHCPBC content can be submitted to the communications department at gro.cbpchc@snoitacinummoc.