Message from the Desk of the Registrar
The College believes we must not tolerate systemic racism and prejudice within our profession and the communities in which we work and live. The College recognizes the pain and anger that has accompanied current violent events and the trauma experienced by so many within the Black and Indigenous communities and other marginalized groups in our society. We must all work together to do better!
The College has a duty to serve and protect the public interest. In fulfilling its objects as the regulator for the profession of psychology in Ontario, the College honours its responsibility to promote tolerance and to take steps to eradicate racism and prejudice, of all kinds, within the practice of psychology and the regulation of psychological services.
The College strongly supports the imperative captured in the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (Fourth Edition, 2017) and expects its members to:
. . . acknowledge that all human beings have a moral right to have their innate worth as human beings appreciated and that this inherent worth is not dependent on a human being’s culture, nationality, ethnicity, colour, race, religion, sex, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental abilities, age, socio-economic status, or any other preference or personal characteristic, condition, or status. As such, psychologists do not engage in unjust discrimination based on such factors and promote non-discrimination in all of their activities.
In leading by example, the College is committed to identifying any regulatory practices that may reflect systemic prejudice or discrimination. The College urges all members to do the same within their practices, organizations and professional lives.
We must all make a strong commitment, as individuals and members of a professional community, to make a positive difference in eliminating all forms of racism and prejudice.
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Rick Morris, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Registrar & Executive Director
rmorris@cpo.on.ca