September 30 marks Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, established in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Call to Action #94. On this day, CASN honours the Survivors of the residential school system, as well as the children, families, and communities who continue to be affected by this traumatic legacy.
As the national voice for nursing education, CASN is committed to advancing the TRC Calls to Action by fostering inclusive and anti-racist nursing education. This includes educating nursing students, educators, and leaders about the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism, enacted through policies such as the residential school system.
CASN is also committed to critically examining the biases within Western empirical knowledge systems that inform nursing knowledge, higher education, and health care systems. By centring stories of strength, endurance, and resilience of diverse Indigenous societies and cultures in what is currently known as Canada, we seek to foster a more comprehensive and inclusive education experience, to improve the health of all who live on this land, and to reduce systemic health inequities that marginalize First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada.
As an organization, CASN strives to enable all knowledges and experiences to inform the advancement of nursing education. We are actively working to implement Calls to Action #18 through #24 by embedding reconciliation, equity, and Indigenous perspectives into our organizational culture, nursing education standards, and daily operations.
- Strategic Plan Priority 1 is committed to fostering reconciliation and equity, guiding all initiatives towards inclusive and culturally safe nursing education.
- CASN engages in meaningful dialogue with Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Holders, and communities to centre structurally marginalized voices.
- CASN supports Indigenous nursing leadership by amplifying Indigenous voices in national forums and fostering representation in education and research.
- CASN is working to establish Indigenous representation and meaningful, ongoing partnership within its committee structure to ensure that Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems are embedded in the work of the organization.
- CASN is working to decolonize education resources by integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems, land-based learning, and Oral Traditions into nursing curricula.
- CASN is working to expose the system of whiteness that informs all aspects of nursing education through undertaking critical self-reflexivity; intentionally restructuring of learning resources, policies, and processes; and honouring the plurality of perspectives that have been historically and intentionally denied a presence in nursing knowledges.
- CASN is working to name and challenge the system of whiteness that underpins white supremacist societies, including Canada, and that affects the social and structural determinants of health.
- CASN is revising accreditation standards in alignment with Call to Action #24, which calls on schools of nursing to ensure that students receive an education on Indigenous health issues, including the legacy of residential schools, Indigenous Rights and teachings, intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.
- CASN continues to partner with the Canadian Indigenous Nurses Association to systematically collect data to assess progress in increasing the number of Indigenous nurses and nursing faculty in Canada. The results of the annual survey have been published in a report each year since 2022, representing one step towards addressing Call to Action #23, which calls for an increase in the number of Indigenous health professionals.
- Over the past year, CASN supported nurse educators in advancing reconciliation, equity, cultural safety, and anti-racist approaches through professional development, national dialogue, advocacy, and educational resources.
“CASN is committed to advancing reconciliation, equity, cultural safety, and anti-racist approaches in nursing education. Through meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples, national dialogue, professional development, and the integration of Indigenous Health Knowledge Systems and diverse ways of knowing, we are helping to create inclusive learning environments that respect all perspectives. We are continually working to create venues to support nurse educators to examine systems of inequity; develop an appreciation of the impact of one’s own culture, positionality, and biases; and strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities. Through this work, CASN continues to decolonize nursing education, demonstrate action-oriented reconciliation, and uphold our commitment towards health equity in Canada,” said Jean Daniel Jacob, CASN Executive Director.
While CASN has made meaningful progress in advancing reconciliation, equity, and the integration of Indigenous perspectives into nursing education, we recognize that this journey is ongoing. There is still more work to be done to fully realize the transformative goals outlined in our Strategic Plan and the TRC Calls to Action.
CASN invites health care professionals and institutions to implement the TRC Calls to Action #18 through #24 in their workplaces and practices. We have developed several resources that offer direction to schools of nursing in responding to the TRC Calls to Action, with the recognition that efforts undertaken by schools of nursing must be done through reciprocal and respectful partnerships with local First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals and communities.
Office Closure – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
In honour of Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, CASN’s office will be closed. This closure allows our staff the opportunity to participate in activities that commemorate the day and reflect on the ongoing journey of reconciliation. We encourage everyone to take time to engage in meaningful learning, reflection, and community events that honour the experiences and resilience of Indigenous Peoples.
Special Message from CASN's Executive Director, Jean Daniel Jacob:
Related Resources (CASN)
Related Resources (External Links)
- September 16, 2026: From Roots We Rise (Edmonton, AB) – an in-person national youth gathering scheduled ahead of the main date on September 16, 2026
- September 21–25, 2026: Truth and Reconciliation Week 2026
- September 21–25, 2026: Lunch and Learns – daily webinars providing an immersive experience to unlearn the myths of colonial history in Canada, hosted by the University of Manitoba – National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
- September 26–27, 2026: Rideau Hall Open House (Ottawa, ON) – a special pre-event Doors Open weekend (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) featuring reconciliation-oriented interactive art activities and Indigenous artwork viewings
- September 30, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET: Remembering the Children (Ottawa, ON) – an event commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Parliament Hill
- Orange Shirt Day (webpage): By wearing an orange shirt on September 30th, you make a statement to support truth & reconciliation and commit to the enduring truth that “EVERY CHILD MATTERS”