College Connection | Fall 2026
Indigenous allyship through the lens of cultural humility
College Connection | Fall 2026
Indigenous allyship through the lens of cultural humility
Providing veterinary care and allyship might have more in common than we think.
Veterinary professionals work in environments that depend on trust with clients and teams, built through listening and considering perspectives and experiences, sometimes different from our own. These are also central to practising Indigenous allyship. Cultural humility offers a lens that supports both veterinary professionalism and allyship.
It is important to reflect on the role of veterinary professionals in Indigenous allyship and consider what we can learn, what we can change and how our actions can support Indigenous Peoples.
If you’ ve wondered whether you’ re saying the right thing or asking the right questions, you are not alone. Cultural humility offers a helpful way forward. Through the lifelong practice of continuous learning and selfreflection, cultural humility invites us to understand personal and systemic biases and maintain respectful processes and relationships based on mutual trust.
For Indigenous allyship, this includes learning about histories of Indigenous Peoples while challenging the myths and stereotypes about Indigenous communities. Allyship is also the active practice of recognizing our privilege and taking steps to support Indigenous Peoples.
Being an Ally
Veterinary professionals serve diverse communities across Ontario. The College’ s Guidance on Professionalism for Veterinarians encourages reflective practice, including understanding the impact of biases and learning to address barriers and inequities faced by racialized, marginalized and underserved communities. It emphasizes communicating with inclusivity and cultural sensitivity and improving the ability to provide culturally responsive care.
Like professionalism, allyship becomes meaningful when it is reflected in our everyday work.
In what we learn:
• Expand your knowledge of Indigenous histories, and the ongoing impacts of colonization and residential schools
• Visit Native-Land. ca to find out more about the Indigenous communities whose lands you live or work on
• Seek Indigenous-led resources such as movies, books, podcasts, or local community events
In what we notice and reflect on:
• Recognize the diversity among the communities within First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples and avoid making assumptions about identities, beliefs or experiences
In what we change:
• Look at facility forms, policies, and client communications. Is the language inclusive and culturally sensitive? Are there any unintended barriers?
• Explain processes, costs, options and follow-ups clearly, making it easier for clients to navigate the unfamiliar or uncertain
Allyship is also a team practice. Everyone has a role to play whether it is through a respectful interaction when booking an appointment, a thoughtful consultation during an examination or the facility’ s culture of learning from feedback. All these actions contribute to allyship.
Taking the next step
The goal of allyship is not perfection or to do everything at once. Consider one new thing you can learn about the Indigenous community whose land you live or work on, a client scenario you can discuss, or a facility process that you can revisit with your team. If you’ re looking for a place to start, the following resources offer opportunities for further learning and reflection.
Suggested resources:
Residential Schools – Historica Canada
Learning Resources about First Nations, Inuit and Métis – Government of Canada
Reconciliation through Education – National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation
Public confidence in veterinary regulation cvo. org 6