CMPA - Fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion
March 9, 2022
Dear members,
At the CMPA, we know how vital it is to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). We recognize that inherent racism and inequities exist in the Canadian healthcare system, of which we are a part, and negatively impact physicians and patients across the country.
We know enhancing and supporting EDI benefits our physician members and can have a positive impact on patient outcomes. We also acknowledge that we have significant work to do to continue to improve and support members and employees. This is why we are making EDI a key priority.
Our commitment
We are committed to working with and learning from our members, our Council, and our employees to better understand their experiences and explore opportunities for positive change and improvement.
We are taking important steps to implement a long-term EDI strategy, which will focus on 5 elements: our members, our governance, our employees, education, and advocacy.
Our commitment to supporting EDI will be continuous and informed by member and employee insights, experiences, and data.
Our progress
We are on a journey to enhance EDI, and we recognize that the scope of this work requires dedication and focus. We are beginning by concentrating on our members, governance, and employees. Here are some recent actions.
Members:
- To understand the EDI experiences and barriers facing Canadian physicians, we have begun consultations with members to listen and learn. Our goal is to enhance cultural inclusiveness and safe member service. Every voice tells a story, and, by better understanding the challenges our members face, we can begin to identify areas where we can do things differently.
- We created a new department, Physician Support and Wellness, in 2021. This department is working to increase our awareness of how micro-aggressions or trauma may impact a member’s response and ability to cope with a new medico-legal concern. They will also focus on identifying, understanding, and mitigating unconscious biases as we support members facing discrimination.
- We are developing and strengthening relationships with stakeholders, such as the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) and the Black Physicians of Canada (BPC). We are consulting with them and other organizations on how we can foster EDI as part of our next Strategic Plan. We look forward to exploring opportunities for collaboration and partnerships with stakeholder communities across Canada in areas where the CMPA can advance positive changes.
Governance:
- We have formed an EDI Subcommittee of Council and an EDI Management Steering Committee to support the development of a vision and a strategy, which foster EDI for our members, councilors, and employees.
- Council has engaged in comprehensive EDI and bias training and will be offered ongoing learning opportunities. With this increased understanding, Council will be better positioned to guide CMPA’s work and model effective governance practices to promote EDI and support members across the country.
- To enhance governance experience and inclusion for all Council members, we have incorporated simultaneous translation in both official languages in all Council and committee meetings.
Employees:
- We have engaged nationally renowned EDI experts, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), to help us build an ongoing and comprehensive EDI strategy. As part of this work, we are evaluating our internal policies and business processes, assessing our own diversity, and exploring ways to address gaps and remove barriers to a more equitable environment.
- All of our senior and executive leaders, people leaders, and physician advisors are completing EDI focused learning and training. We will continue to offer long-term training opportunities, increasing our capacity to assist our employees and our members.
As we move forward, we will explore opportunities to further support our members through risk management and practice improvement education and advocate for changes to healthcare from a medico-legal lens that support EDI at all levels of the system.
We take our social responsibility in Canadian healthcare seriously and are committed to listening to and learning from our members and will work towards continuous improvement in enhancing and fostering a more inclusive and equitable future.
Our commitment to you is ongoing, and we will continue to keep you informed of our progress.
Take care,
Lisa Calder, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Chief Executive Officer
