Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Focus Groups

In Ontario, every person should have the ability to achieve their health potential regardless of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. The College of Naturopaths of Ontario acknowledges the historical and ongoing harm caused by racism and discrimination, both systemic and overt. Many groups have been racialized and discriminated against, including Black, Indigenous, Jewish people, Islamic people, and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community among others.

Change is critically necessary to eliminate existing inequities based on race, religion, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation among many others. Change contributes to continuing to best serve and protect the public interest. As individual organizations and key stakeholders in the health system, health profession regulators play a critical role in driving that change. We advocate for and are committed to actioning essential change to eliminate racism. We strive for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, embodied in Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

To help bring about much-needed change and to allow us to look at our regulations, by-laws, policies and programs, we need fresh eyes and experienced individuals to assist. To this end, we’re establishing a series of focus groups that represent racialized and discriminated communities. The purpose of the focus groups will be to support our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as it reviews existing and new programs and policies. Your support is sought by providing the perspectives of your community to ensure that we aren’t engaging in systemically racist and discriminatory activities.

As a person who joins one or more focus groups, you can expect to receive periodic communication from us seeking your honest opinion on how work being undertaken by us might impact the community. These opinions will form part of the College’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Council’s deliberative and decision-making processes.

Initially, we’ll establish several focus groups; however, the groups being created are an initial start to this process. The list of groups is not intended to exclude any person or groups but to provide a vehicle for dialogue. The EDI Committee welcomes your feedback on the groups themselves.

An individual may identify with more than one group and therefore wish to join more than one focus group. The groups currently being established include:

• Indigenous Community Focus Group (individuals who identify as Inuit, Métis or First Nations and those who support them).
• Black Community Focus Group (individuals from the Black community and those who support them).
• Asian Community Focus Group (individuals who have origins of the peoples of the Far East, including but not limited to China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand and those who support the community).
• Middle Eastern and South Asian Community Focus Group (individuals who have origins of the peoples of the Middle East and South Asia, and those who support the community).
• Francophone Ontarian Community Focus Group (individuals who identify as francophone Ontarian and those who support the community).
• Jewish Community Focus Group (individuals who are of the Jewish faith and those who support the community).
• Islamic Community Focus Group (individuals who are of the Islamic faith and those who support the community).
• LGBTQ2S+ Community Focus Group (individuals who identify as LGBTQ2S+ and those who support the community).

To join a focus group please click here to access the enrolment form and provide the information requested. Both Registrants and members of the public are invited to join and provide their support for these important initiatives.

If you have any questions, concerns, feedback, or suggestions for additional focus groups, please email general@collegeofnaturopaths.on.ca.