Aboriginal Partnerships

Aboriginal Partnerships News

Interior Health's bimonthly newsletter shares updates on our work supporting improved Aboriginal health and well-being. Learn about our progress on key Aboriginal Health initiatives.

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2022 Issues

Aboriginal Health and Wellness Strategy (AHWS) 2022-2026

The AHWS serves as a framework for IH’s 23,000 staff and 1,900 physicians to provide high quality, safe and effective health services to all Aboriginal peoples and families. The strategy is informed by and supports commitments to Aboriginal partners through signed agreements, including the Letters of Understanding (LOUs), Partnership Accord, and Cultural Safety Declaration, as well as the IH Strategic Priorities and Ministry of Health (MOH) mandate.

Read the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Strategy

Our commitment to change

We are committed to working together with First Nation and Métis partners to change our health system and eliminate racism and discrimination at Interior Health.

Learn more

Signed agreements

Interior Health and Aboriginal partners have signed agreements that help guide our relationships and collaboration to improve health and wellness outcomes for Aboriginal people of the Interior Region.

Partnership Accord

The Partnership Accord is a written commitment, signed by Interior Health and the seven Interior Nations.

Read the Partnership Accord

Letters of Understanding

Letters of Understanding (LoU) define a collaborative, inclusive Nation-level process for engagement and planning of First Nations and Métis people in service delivery design and monitoring within the Interior Region.

Joint committees

Interior Health is involved in four joint committees focusing on Aboriginal Health and Wellness:

Partnership Accord Technical Table
Partnership Accord Leadership Table
Métis Interior Leadership Table
Tripartite Committee on First Nations Health

Partnership Accord Technical Table

The Partnership Accord Technical Table (PATT) is comprised of representatives from Interior Health and each of the seven First Nations of the Interior Region.

The committee provides advice and recommendations to Interior Health and the Partnership Accord Leadership Table on matters important to the improvement of health and health services for Aboriginal people.

Partnership Accord Leadership Table

The Partnership Accord Leadership Table (PALT) encompasses strategic, joint decision-making by Interior Health and First Nations of the region to address the needs of First Nations and Aboriginal peoples' health and wellness interests by:

Overseeing and monitoring a joint work plan to achieve the objectives outlined in the Partnership Accord
Providing leadership and guidance in resolving policy, program and service issues

Métis Interior Leadership Table

Métis Interior Leadership Table (MILT) provides strategic direction and oversight to the implementation of the Métis - IH LOU.

Tripartite Committee on First Nations Health

The Tripartite Committee on First Nations Health (TCFNH) provides a forum for discussion on the progress and implementation of the health plans and agreements, and promotes effective partnership among B.C. First Nations, Federal and Provincial Governments and Regional Health Authorities.

Nations & communities

The Interior region is home to the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Tŝilhqot’in, Secwépemc, Dãkelh Dené, St’át’imc, Syilx, Nlaka’pamux, and Ktunaxa Nations, comprised of 54 First Nations Communities.

Learn more about Interior nations and communities

Why Interior Health uses the term "Aboriginal" rather than "Indigenous"

The term “Indigenous” is increasingly replacing the term “Aboriginal.” The term "Indigenous" is recognized internationally through the United Nation Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and in Canada we celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21.

However, the best guideline comes directly from Aboriginal people. Within the Interior region, we sought guidance from First Nation and Métis Leadership Tables, and at this time their preference is the term “Aboriginal,” as it's consistent with the Canadian Constitution (Section 35 (2)).

The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal peoples: First Nations, Métis and Inuit. These are three distinct people with unique histories, languages, cultural practice and spiritual beliefs.