CIHI and the Office of Joyce’s Principle to work together for safer health care for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples

Press Release

March 9, 2026 —

In January 2026, the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and the Office of Joyce’s Principle signed a memorandum of understanding formalizing their relationship, which is purposefully grounded in respectful, meaningful and reciprocal collaboration. The agreement will contribute to collaboratively advancing their shared goal of making health care safe for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

The Office of Joyce’s Principle facilitates the implementation of Joyce’s Principle. Joyce’s Principle was created in response to the preventable death of Joyce Echaquan, the result of racist and discriminatory care in a Canadian hospital — one of a pattern of such events in Canada. Joyce’s Principle calls on governments to honour their responsibility to offer culturally safe and equitable health care to Indigenous Peoples. It also calls on governments to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ rights to access their traditional healing and medicinal practices and to enjoy the best possible physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

Through this collaboration, CIHI and the Office of Joyce’s Principle commit to sharing knowledge, networks and resources to support each organization in its respective mandate; to advancing cultural safety in Canada’s health systems; and to upholding the right of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples to health care that is equitable and free of Indigenous-specific racism.

The agreement provides an important opportunity for both organizations to combine efforts where there is clear alignment to improve access to culturally safe care, eliminate Indigenous-specific racism in health systems and hold systems accountable for the harm caused to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples from coast to coast to coast.

As part of its efforts to advance cultural safety in Canada’s health systems, CIHI is partnering with First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders to co-develop a national, distinctions-based set of Cultural Safety and Indigenous-Specific Racism indicators that will support health systems to measure change, report transparently, and strengthen accountability and relationships within the systems.

This collaboration with CIHI marks a decisive moment in our journey toward health systems that are truly respectful of Indigenous Peoples. By aligning our cultural safety indicators, we are strengthening the voice of First Nations and Inuit in Quebec within the national dialogue, while highlighting our distinct realities in this Francophone context across the rest of Canada. This approach is reciprocal: by sharing our knowledge and lived realities, we help enrich the pan-Canadian conversation and adapt tools to diverse Indigenous contexts. — Jennifer Petiquay-Dufresne, Executive Director, Office of Joyce’s Principle

Through this collaboration, we honour the memory of Joyce Echaquan, whose experience brought into sharp focus the reality that systemic racism exists in our health systems and causes harm to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. At CIHI, we are committed to advancing cultural safety and eliminating Indigenous-specific racism as part of our responsibility to hold health systems accountable. We recognize that we cannot do this work alone and that meaningful progress requires guidance, trust and partnership. We are honoured to formalize this collaboration with the Office of Joyce’s Principle, whose strengths and guidance will support CIHI toward building greater accountability and supporting health systems where First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples receive equitable, respectful and culturally safe care. — Dr. Anderson Chuck, President and CEO, CIHI
About the Office of Joyce’s Principle

The Office of Joyce’s Principle was mandated by the Council of the Atikamekw of Manawan to ensure the recognition, the promotion and the adoption of Joyce’s Principle. The objective of this initiative is to guarantee access to health and social services that are safe, equitable and free of Indigenous-specific racism or discrimination for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

The mandate of the office is political, strategic and community-driven. It is rooted in the Council of the Atikamekw of Manawan’s desire to exert self-determination, while creating a lever for impact that will benefit all Indigenous Peoples. The Office of Joyce’s Principle acts as a catalyst for concrete changes among public institutions, Indigenous communities and all interest holders.

IHT5