Clarification following a recent news article
In reference to recent news article about a preliminary report from the Committee for Action on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (C-AIDE), the McGill University Health Centre would like to clarify the following:
Nearly two years ago, the Board of Directors of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) took a bold and very positive move in forming the Committee for Action on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (C-AIDE, co-chaired by two members Ms. Seeta Ramdass and Dr. Anita Brown-Johnson). This decision followed a community message from MUHC President and Executive Director Dr. Pierre Gfeller on the fact that the institution could and must do better to make the MUHC a welcoming, equitable and inclusive environment.
Though challenged by the pandemic, C-AIDE has been working to document a sociocultural portrait of the MUHC's workforce and both the lived experiences and perceptions of its teams and patients regarding EDI issues and opportunities.
As of this date, C-AIDE has not completed its report. Its findings and recommendations are in draft form and not yet anchored by a fulsome discussion and conclusion. A presentation about the final report is tabled for the September 23 public meeting of the Board. Questions will be welcomed. Commenting beforehand would do a disservice to those who participated and to the Committee, whose work is incomplete.
For the record, the MUHC commissioned this report and will stand by the collective, evidence-based, community-informed recommendations. It was a crucial step in order to gain an appreciation of what actions could help embed the principles of EDI at every level of the institution, and we are proud of this initiative. It should allow us to do something about them and seize important opportunities, too, for our future success.
Thus, the MUHC stands by the Committee's work and looks forward to receiving the final report.