"Getting to a place of change": media discourse and the failures of Canadian universal healthcare for Indigenous peoples, 2008-2020

This thesis explores the ways in which dominant discourse within Canadian news media influences the public’s perception of Indigenous health experiences. Applying principles of critical discourse analysis to two media events concerning the deaths of two Indigenous patients in Canadian emergency departments, this thesis reveals the ways in which the conversation around Indigenous experiences of healthcare has evolved over time. Language that was once used to silence voices, establish power dichotomies, and conceal manifestations of inequality has shifted in ways that lift Indigenous voices and have the potential to empower Indigenous communities. Healthcare organizations can apply the knowledge put forth by this research to incorporate elements of cultural safety and Indigenous healthcare practices into mainstream healthcare to work toward a truly fair and equitable system of healthcare in Canada.