About Us

The Nurses Association of Nova Scotia (NANS) acknowledges that we live, work, and gather in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is governed by the Peace and Friendship Treaties, which did not involve the surrender of land or resources, but instead established commitments to ongoing relationship, respect, and mutual care. As nurses and nursing learners, we recognize that colonial policies and structures—including those embedded within our health-care system—have caused deep, intergenerational harm to Indigenous Peoples. The ongoing impacts of residential schools, systemic racism, and inequitable access to care continue to shape Indigenous health and well-being today. In alignment with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, particularly those related to health (Calls 18–24), we commit to moving beyond acknowledgment toward meaningful action. This includes learning from Indigenous knowledge keepers; fostering culturally safe, trauma-informed nursing practice; advocating for equitable access and outcomes; and working in partnership with Mi’kmaq and other Indigenous communities to challenge and dismantle systemic barriers within health care. We honour the strength, knowledge, and resilience of Indigenous Peoples past, present, and future, and we reaffirm our responsibility, as a nursing community, to provide care that is respectful, compassionate, and grounded in reconciliation.