We continue to prioritize activities to embed the principles of cultural safety and humility into the College’s culture, governance, and operations.
Examples of current initiatives include:
- Developing a learning session for registrants in the Fall
- Collaborating with BC Health regulators to explore the development of Practice Standards for Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility
- Planning a gathering for OTs that self-identified as Indigenous and showed interest in providing insights and perspectives on regulatory issues
It is critical that we undertake these important activities in a way that is both culturally safe and meaningful, and as such, we continue to make connections with Indigenous Elders and consultants for advice and guidance.
The College recently worked with Sage Paul, an Indigenous artist from W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip) First Nation, to create five custom pieces of digital art titled Respect, Knowledge Keeper, Land Acknowledgement, Ambassador, and Current.
Drawing upon Recommendation #10 of the In Plain Sight report, the College commits to visibly include Indigenous artwork and territorial acknowledgements in both our physical and online spaces to help foster culturally safer environments for Indigenous peoples.
Given the College’s office is privileged to be located on the traditional territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) peoples, including the BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁ,UTW̱ (Tsawout), W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), and W̱SÍḴEM (Tseycum) First Nations, it was important that COTBC supported the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council’s ask that “all government institutions, private companies, and individuals operating within W̱SÁNEĆ territory … help the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation in their efforts to revitalize W̱SÁNEĆ culture and re-establish a W̱SÁNEĆ presence on W̱SÁNEĆ lands.”
While we finalize the new cultural safety and humility section of our website where this artwork will be posted, we are excited to share this piece with you. Titled, Land Acknowledgement, Sage Paul states that she designed this image “to be a collection of elements representing the movement and growth of our land.”
Read a full description of this digital art, as well as to learn more about the Artist. Watch for website updates where we will share four additional captivating, inspiring, and thought-provoking pieces created by Sage Paul.
