Pathways to Partnerships
At CPSA, we know that meaningful and sustained progress can’t be achieved alone. We also understand that true collaboration does not exist without first developing relationships built on mutual respect and shared values. In October 2025, after more than two years of conversation, CPSA entered into a formal relationship with G4 Health, a department within the Stoney Nakoda Tsuut’ina Tribal Council, to improve collaboration on addressing Indigenous health priorities. Much like CPSA, G4 Health does not provide direct healthcare services. They work at a systems level within their role to ensure the health and safety of the Îyethka and Tsuut’ina Peoples.
Learn more about the Indigenous Advisory Circle that guides CPSA’s work and our co-created Path to Truth and Reconciliation: https://annualreport.cpsa.ca/cpsa-annual-report/path-to-reconciliation#path
Our partnership with G4 Health did not develop overnight. In fact, it began back in 2021, with the formation of the CPSA Indigenous Advisory Circle (the Circle). The Circle is made up of dedicated, respected Indigenous health leaders who walk with us on our reconciliation journey. They help us identify better ways to support regulated members who provide health care to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit patients and ensure regulation is accessible and fair.
One of these health leaders is Margo Dodginghorse, former Health Director of G4 Health. Through her leadership and commitment as a founding member of the Circle, Margo saw a connection between CPSA and G4 Health’s goals that grew into what has become our partnership.
As our two teams spent time getting to know each other, G4 Health shared the work they are undertaking to support the wellbeing of the Îyethka (Bearspaw, Chiniki, Goodstoney) and Tsuut’ina Peoples. G4 Health and CPSA discussed the need to address the inequities facing First Nations people in healthcare settings, and G4 Health shared the many first-hand accounts they have heard related to healthcare harms and traumas.
From these conversations, G4 Health and CPSA co-developed a partnership to advance culturally safe, competent and ethical care provided by CPSA‘s regulated members. The partnership outlines four collaborative commitments: anti-racism and anti-discrimination, cultural competency, patient-centered practices and continuous quality improvement. These commitments are intended to guide the organizations' collaborative efforts in developing and sharing voluntary resources that regulated members can choose to use in their professional practice, as they seek to provide safe, patient-centred care and improve health outcomes for Indigenous peoples.
After receiving support from all levels of both organizations, members of the CPSA team and G4 Health solidified our partnership with a formal signing event. The event, which took place on Oct. 27, 2025, in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Mînî Thnî, Alta., was witnessed by Îyethka and Tsuut’ina Elders, who shared their thoughts on the partnership throughout the day. This day marked the official beginning of a meaningful collaboration rooted in mutual respect, shared values and a commitment to patient safety and reconciliation.
“This is the path of reconciliation in action—one built on mutual respect, learning, and genuine partnership,” - Chief Darcy Dixon, Bearspaw First Nation, former Health Portfolio Chief with the SNTTC
The day after the partnership signing, G4 Health and CPSA met to begin developing an action plan to carry out our shared goal of improving healthcare experiences. Our organization’s deep commitment to action is rooted in the relationships we build with our partners and driven by our mandate to protect the public. We recognize that our partnership is just one of many steps towards improving health outcomes and access to health care for all Albertans, including the Îyethka and Tsuut’ina Peoples served by G4 Health. We are sincerely grateful to G4 Health for walking alongside us and look forward to bringing the partnership to life together in the months and years to come.
