A message from your CPSA Council President: 2021 year in review

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With December’s Council meeting now complete and my term as president coming to a close at the end of the year, I would like to take a few minutes to reflect on this past year at CPSA. 2021 was our first full calendar year living through the COVID-19 pandemic and our first full year holding Council in a virtual space. Although a virtual environment can come with challenges, CPSA Council members worked together to create a safe space for conversations that were, at times, very difficult, but nonetheless engaging and eye-opening.

One quote from my colleague, CPSA Registrar Dr. Scott McLeod, stands out as I look back on my time as CPSA Council president: “All you can do is try and make the organization a little better than when you started.”

Collectively, I think we did just that. CPSA Council was innovative and intentional, focusing on timely topics such as governance, diversity and inclusion, strategic planning and community engagement.

In our continued commitment to reconciliation, CPSA Council incorporated meaningful land acknowledgements, listened to the wisdom and stories of elders living in Alberta and recognized the importance of addressing complaints in a culturally-sensitive manner. We also established an Indigenous Health Advisory Circle and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee to guide us as we move forward with our EDI work. In a powerful statement, we elected an all-female Executive Committee for 2022, who will no doubt continue the outstanding work of CPSA’s Council into the new year.

CPSA Council took opportunities to connect with physicians and Albertans throughout the year; we hosted a nominees’ forum for candidates running for CPSA Council elections, welcomed three new public members and connected virtually with communities and partners across the province. In addition, we look forward to meeting with Alberta’s Minister of Health before the end of the year.

We settled on a bold legacy of using $5 million from CPSA’s Building Fund Reserve for the betterment of all Albertans. Council provided the first draft of CPSA’s newly formed strategic plan to guide us into the next chapter of the organization. CPSA Council is also conducting a review of CPSA’s governance structures, and is looking forward to the addition of a full-time Governance support person on CPSA’s team, as approved by Council.

From reflecting on CPSA’s history to penning widely-supported open letters in favour of vaccination to exploring the redesign of our complaints process, our 2021 Council members dedicated their time to the past, present and future of medical regulation.

One question remains: Did we leave CPSA better than when we started? I sincerely believe we have, and I thank each and every one of you for getting us to this place. I have no doubt 2022 will be an even greater year, and I look forward to building on the incredible work that was accomplished in 2021.