(Ottawa, ON) February 8, 2023 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is grateful for the support and generosity demonstrated by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Thanks to actions like this, the LHF will continue to produce Cultural Reclamation Workshops to address the impacts of abuses and cultural losses on 7 generations of Indigenous Peoples and communities as a result of attending Residential / Day Schools, and/or being affected by the Sixties Scoop.

The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), organized in 1939, is an association for the science, practice, and education of psychology in Canada with a mission of advancing research, knowledge and the application of psychology in the service of society through advocacy, support and collaboration. The CPA is committed to being a partner, ally, and advocate in the healing, mental health, and wellness for Indigenous Peoples.

In 2018, the CPA responded to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation report with Psychology’s Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Report with a number of recommendations for Reconciliation for the CPA and the profession. The implementation of those recommendations is being stewarded by a Standing Committee of the CPA, its Knowledge Sharing Group made up of Indigenous psychologists and allies as well as Indigenous community Elders. The initiatives that have followed so far include a special issue of their quarterly magazine, Psynopsis, on Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (2022), and on Indigenous Peoples Mental Health and Wellbeing (2019), features and podcasts on Indigenous psychologists, students and issues, scholarships for Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students in psychology, fee waivers for Indigenous members and students attending their annual convention, free Indigenous Awareness course offerings to 100 CPA members annually, and support of the CPA Section devoted to Indigenous Peoples Psychology and their Knowledge Sharing Group.

Last year, the CPA took on a new initiative: creating Every Child Matters/Chaque Enfant Compte t-shirts, with the beautiful artwork of Betty Albert, which was sold at their annual convention in June. As part of the initiative, the CPA chose to commit the profits from each shirt to an Indigenous organization, and the Executives of the CPA’s Indigenous Peoples’ Psychology Section chose LHF to be the 2022 recipient, donating $5 per shirt, – for a total of $365.“The CPA is honoured to make this donation to the Legacy of Hope Foundation. The CPA stands as an ally with the LHF and with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. We are committed to initiatives and activity within the CPA and in the field of psychology that advance reconciliation and build respectful relationships,” said Dr. Karen Cohen, CEO, at the CPA.

“It is heartwarming to see Canadians who are medical professionals take this initiative to raise awareness about Indigenous issues, like the Canadian Psychological Association has done by creating and selling Every Child Matters shirts. We need more allies like this, especially within the medical profession where trust relationships have been fractured with Indigenous Peoples and trust broken. We are so grateful to the CPA for being an active partner, ally and advocate in working towards Reconciliation across Canada,” said Teresa Edwards, Executive Director, and In-House Legal Counsel at the LHF.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for almost 23 years. The LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and impacts on 7 generations of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) children, their families and communities from attending Residential and/or Day School. By developing understanding and addressing stereotypes, LHF gives Canadians the tools to address discrimination and the ability to build respectful relationships, which contributes to the equity and dignity of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

The LHF has almost 30 educational exhibitions that promote awareness of Indigenous history that are free to borrow and is working on making exhibitions available online. LHF also has curricula for K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, Workshops and Training, and Podcasts all aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of impacts from Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, etc. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding so as to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples.

Pour les demandes médiatiques, contactez :
Teresa Edwards, B.A., LL.B. JD. Directrice générale et conseillère juridique interne Fondation autochtone de l’espoir Courriel:info@legacyofhope.ca Téléphone:613-237-4806, poste 303