First Indigenous president of the Canadian Medical Association begins term
Posted August 22, 2022 6:06 pm.
Last Updated August 22, 2022 6:51 pm.
Dr. Alika Lafontaine begins his presidency of the Canadian Medical Association today.
The 40-year-old is the first Indigenous and youngest president of the group that advocates for healthcare professionals and patients by engaging with governments, communities, and other stakeholders.
Lafontaine says the group has been operating in Canada for about 155 years old, which is as old as the country.
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He says he wants to celebrate becoming the group’s first Indigenous president, but also wonders why it took so long.
That’s why he wants to advocate for marginalized voices in health care.
Along with improving work environments, he says he also wants to advocate for a national standard for medicine that will be consistent across all regions.
He says the system is in crisis.
He wants to draw on his Indigenous identity while advocating for solutions.
