Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, has released the following statement on the fourth annual B.C. Indigenous Nurses Day, April 10, 2025:

“Today, April 10, is Indigenous Nurses Day, an opportunity to acknowledge, honour and celebrate Indigenous nurses for their incredible contributions to health care in British Columbia.

“We recognize the unique knowledge, experience and determination of generations of First Nations, Métis and Inuit nurses who have advanced Indigenous health care. Bringing expertise that is rooted in interconnection with the environment, community, and culture, Indigenous nurses are a crucial part of our health-care system, providing culturally safe and appropriate care to people in communities across the province.

“Indigenous nurses show ongoing dedication in creating and supporting culturally safe health services, programs and connections that increase Indigenous representation and access to evolving, team-based health care. Their contributions are essential to further develop and improve the quality of life, well-being and health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples in B.C.

“This day is an opportunity to recognize the work to dismantle harmful colonial practices and systems and to continue to move forward on commitments to provide Indigenous-specific cultural safety, trauma-informed practices, and anti-racism initiatives in our health-care system, upheld with the In Plain Sight report and B.C.’s Health Human Resources Strategy.

“It is with deep gratitude that we celebrate the achievements and contributions of First Nations, Métis and Inuit nurses, and reflect on the legacies of Canada’s first Indigenous nurses.

“Charlotte Edith Anderson Monture, a Kanien’kehà:ka woman who was Canada’s first Indigenous registered nurse, served in the First World War as a nurse and was the first Indigenous women to vote, is a founding point of reference as we move forward on this path.

“The life and work of Rose Casper, a St’at’imc woman and the first Indigenous nurse in Western Canada, who attended the Kamloops residential school and nursed for more than 50 years, is also a beacon of inspiration for Indigenous nurses, educators, and students helping to transform our health-care system.

“This is a day for Indigenous nurses and their allies to come together to preserve the cultural integrity and traditional knowledge they hold, and recognize their tenacity, courage, and activism to meet the health-care needs of Indigenous Peoples.

“Thank you to all Indigenous nurses for your amazing work and for ensuring access to integrated, trauma-informed, culturally safe health care for all.”