FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Shared Health’s Anti-Racism Policy Misses the Mark on Addressing First Nations Specific Racism, Says Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin

Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg, MB (May 6, 2026) – Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM) is highlighting the need for changes to the “Addressing Racism Towards First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples Policy” released by Shared Health, raising concerns that the policy does not accurately reflect meaningful involvement from First Nations Rights Holders.

KIM, a northern First Nations–governed health organization, says meaningful partnerships with First Nations organizations, communities, and governments are essential to creating policies that effectively address systemic racism in health care.

“Addressing racism in health care cannot be done in isolation or treated as a box to check,” said Michelle Monkman, Interim CEO of KIM. “While engagement may have taken place within the Provincial Disrupting Racism Steering Committee the policy does not reflect the voices of northern First Nations citizens at the grassroots and community levels. First Nation leadership must be directly involved in developing policies that impact the health, wellness and overall life expectancy of their citizens.”

While Shared Health references engagement through the committee, the document itself does not clearly outline how First Nations partners were involved in its development or how their input shaped the final policy. KIM notes that meaningful, transparent, and continuous First Nations-centred engagement and co-design is critical to building trust and ensuring meaningful change. It is well documented that First Nations people face significant barriers to care including overt and systemic racism from the Manitoba health system.

KIM has identified several key concerns with the current policy:

• Limited evidence of meaningful engagement: While Indigenous organizations were represented in broader processes, the final policy does not reflect key perspectives or the priorities of northern First Nations Peoples.
• Lack of clarity on distinctions-based approaches: The policy references First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples as a single pan-Indigenous group, rather than recognizing their different experiences and realities. Nor does the document honour the Sacred Treaty obligations of Manitoba as a representative of the Crown in providing health services to First Nations Peoples.
• Complaint decision-making process: For complaints against medical staff that advance to the formal investigation stage, the policy presents that final review and decisions for action are under the sole purview of the Provincial Chief Medical Officer (CMO) without clearly presenting options for patients who wish to contest the CMO’s final decision. This raises serious concerns about transparency, accountability and impartiality.
• Insufficient First Nations specific anti-racism training: The document takes a pan-Indigenous approach, presenting requirements for health care staff to complete two anti-racism courses rather than ongoing mandatory distinctions-based education. Specific First Nations anti-racism training is imperative to addressing the unique systemic and jurisdictional challenges faced by First Nations patients, families and communities.
• Problematic language: The policy oversimplifies key issues like cultural safety, describing it as creating an environment “free of racism and discrimination”. This overlooks the very real experiences of First Nations patients within Manitoba’s health system who continue to face devastating outcomes as a direct result of discrimination from the institutions that are supposed to care for them. Additionally, the definitions of Indigenous groups within the policy relating to Métis and Inuit Peoples use a strengths-based approach highlighting their resilience and cultures. This is in stark contrast to the definition of First Nations Peoples which uses deficit-based language, and the colonial descriptors of “Indians” under the ‘Indian Act” without acknowledging the rich and varied Nations who have lived in what is now known as Manitoba since time immemorial.

KIM warns that without meaningful revision; the policy risks perpetuating the very inequities and stereotypes it seeks to eliminate.

“A policy intended to address racism must be grounded in First Nations knowledge, reflect the realities of First Nations lived experiences, and be developed in true partnership,” Monkman added. “Had there been deeper collaboration, many of these concerns could have been addressed. It is ironic that this policy does not recognize the distinct cultural and linguistic First Nations groups in Manitoba, while Shared Health, the Regional Health Authorities and the Manitoba Government continue to provide lip service through land acknowledgements.”

KIM is calling on Shared Health to undertake a First Nations-led revision of the policy that prioritizes:

• Distinctions-based and strengths-based framework and language
• Transparent and ongoing First Nations engagement
• Inclusion of First Nations-led services and expertise
• Stronger accountability and governance mechanisms that include First Nations Peoples
• Comprehensive, First Nations specific ongoing anti-racism training

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The full policy is available at: https://provdoc.sharedhealthmb.ca/wp-content/uploads/310.110.121.pdf

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Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. (KIM) is a northern First Nations-led aggregate health organization that works to transform health and wellness services and improve health outcomes for First Nations people.