KIM Responds to CRNM Apology with Call for Continued Action 

MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB ( May 13, 2026) – Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin (KIM) would like to acknowledge the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba (CRNM) for the historic apology offered today to First Nations, Metis and Inuit citizens. KIM is looking forward to our continued partnership with the College as we transform the way health care is delivered to the northern Nations we serve.  KIM is committed to realizing substantive systems change and addressing First Nations-specific racism.  To achieve this, we cannot do it alone.  

“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. Public health and safety must benefit everyone equally, including First Nations citizens,” said Michelle Monkman, Interim Chief Executive Officer of KIM. 

“Today was emotional for many of us,” said Caroline Chartrand, Senior Nurse Advisor at KIM. “As First Nations nurses, we have been advocating for change, cultural safety and accountability for a very long time.” 

We are optimistic that this apology will build the desire for all registered nurses and nurse practitioners in what is now Manitoba to be active allies. It should also encourage deeper learning about our shared history, the colonial systems in which they operate, and the impacts of systemic racism and oppression on the well-being of First Nations people. 

“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.  We now ask whether other regulatory colleges, including the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba and the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba, are prepared to take similar steps toward meaningful reconciliation and change,” said Monkman. 

Through KIM’s advocacy with regulatory bodies like CRNM, we can make real progress in ensuring that the voices of First Nations Rights Holders guide positive changes that reflect our shared goals of culturally safe, person-centred health care within the local, provincial and federal levels.