College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba apologizes to Indigenous people

The regulatory body that oversees registered nurses in Manitoba has issued a formal apology to acknowledge its role in racism against Indigenous people and pledged to do better.

“This apology is long overdue,” Deb Elias, registrar of the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba, told a crowd of health care providers and dignitaries from First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities who gathered to witness the apology.

“As the largest health-care profession in Manitoba, registered nurses have been part of the problem and must be part of the solution in ensuring safe care for everyone.”

The announcement coincided with National Nurses week, which began Monday and will conclude May 17.

In an interview, Elias said the apology was delivered after lengthy consultations with an Indigenous advisory group that formed last December.

The apology is a necessary step to allow the college to foster relationships between the health system and Indigenous patients, she said.

“At its core, I would like them to hear that we are committed to making things better and doing things within our regulatory mandate to address Indigenous-specific racism and to call it out,” Elias said.

“Even though ample evidence of the harms of systemic racism affecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members and nurses has long been available, we have not acted consistently, responsibly or with a level of urgency or commitment required.”

The college is developing an action plan to advance reconciliation among its members, which it intends to launch before the end of the year.

The plan will outline “concrete steps” to improve health-care outcomes for Indigenous Manitobans. They include increasing Indigenous representation in college government structures and initiatives; conducting a review of college policies and language; and assessing Indigenous education programs.

It is also increasing its outreach with Indigenous nurses, communities and organizations, Elias said.

The registrar stressed the apology and action plan are part of a process that seeks to guide future generations of registered nurses in the spirit of reconciliation.

Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin, a First Nations-led health care organization, issued a statement acknowledging the apology.

“An apology must lead to action. We are here to ensure this moment results in meaningful system change that protects First Nations people from further harm and creates accountability across health-care regulation,” said Michelle Monkman, the interim chief executive officer.

“This apology matters because nurses account for the largest representation within the First Nations health workforce and play a critical role in the delivery of care within the nations.”

The statement noted there are other regulatory bodies that oversee nurses in Manitoba. Monkman called on the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba to take similar steps.

First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba also released a statement, calling the apology an “important step in recognizing the truth of the experiences that many First Nations people in Manitoba have carried for generations.”

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba issued an apology in January 2023 that acknowledged racism is among the social determinants of health that harm health outcomes.

The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing also took such a step in December 2023, when it acknowledged that both Indigenous patients and nursing students had faced racism for generations.

The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions apologized for systemic racism in 2025.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca