REGIONAL CAUCUSES
The development of Regional Governance Caucuses and the appointment of regional members to the BC First Nations Interim Health Governance Committee is an ongoing process. Each region is responsible to create a community based process that works for that region. The First Nations Health Council provides resources to each region to cover meeting costs. The First Nation Health Council is in the process of hiring Regional Governance Liaisons to support the FNIHGC process. The Liaisons will provide communication, and community engagement support between the First Nations Interim Health Governance Committee Members and each regional caucus.
Why Regional Caucuses?
The BC First Nations Health Council is working with BC First Nations to create a dialogue about Health Governance at the local level. There are many ideas, challenges and concerns that need to be heard. The Regional Governance Caucuses create a space for BC First Nations to discuss the potential of a new Health Governing Body.
Regional Caucus Sessions
The Committee Co-Chairs scheduled Regional Caucus Sessions with a majority of BC First Nations Leadership and Senior Health Leads in the following regions, including follow up meetings:
- Interior: October 14 and 15, 2008, Kamloops
- North: October 22 and 23, 2008, Prince George
- North: October 27 and 28, 2008, Terrace
- Fraser: November 04 and 05, 2008, Chilliwack
- Vancouver Coastal: November 12 and 13, 2008, Vancouver
- Vancouver Island: November 17 and 18, 2008, Nanaimo
- Interior: November 20, 2008, Kamloops, BC
- North: November 24 and 25, 2008, Vancouver, BC
- Vancouver Coastal: November 25, 2008, Vancouver, BC
- Vancouver Island: December 11, 2008, Duncan, BC
- Coast Salish Nations- Vancouver Island: December 12, 2008, Campbell River, BC
- Kwakiutl Nations: Vancouver Island: December 15, 2008, Port Alberni, BC
- Nuuchahnulth Nations
- Fraser: December 15, 2008, Seabird Island, BC
- North: January 15 and 16, 2009, Prince George, BC
- Interior: January 22 and 23, 2009, Kamloops, BC
- Vancouver Island: March 11, 12 and 13, 2009, Nanaimo, BC (Meeting of the Coast Salish, Nuuchahnulth and Kwakiutl Nations)
- North: September 03 and 04, 2009, Prince George, BC
- North: October 19 and 20, 2009, Lake Babine Nation, Burns Lake, BC
- Northern Chiefs Meeting - a ‘sub’ Northern Regional Caucus Session
- North: November 02, 2009, Vancouver, BC
- Vancouver Island: November 09, 2009, Campbell River, BC (Kwakiutl Nation)
- Vancouver Island: November 09, 2009, Lantzville, BC
- Coast Salish Nations: Vancouver Island: November 10, 2009, Port Alberni, BC
- Nuuchahnulth Nation Vancouver Island: November 12, 2009, Nanaimo, BC
- Meeting of the Coast Salish, Nuuchahnulth and Kwakiutl Nations- December 04, 2009, Nanaimo, BC
- Meeting of the Coast Salish, Nuuchahnulth and Kwakiutl Nations- December 9, 2009, Vancouver, BC
- Interior: December 15, 2009, Kamloops, BC
- Establish a First Nations Health Council
- The Provincial Health Officer will appoint an Aboriginal physician to provide advice on Aboriginal health issues
- Each health authority and the First Nations in their service delivery area will develop Aboriginal Health Plans that are consistent with the priorities in this Plan, and that emphasize actions on issues unique or specific to each region
- Establish a First Nations Health Advisory Committee
- Establish a province-wide Health Partners Group
- Develop a reciprocal accountability framework to address gaps in health services for First Nations in B.C.
- INTERIOR- Kamloops 14-15 October
- NORTHERN- Prince George 22-23 October, Terrace 27-28 October
- NOVEMBER 2008 Regional Caucus Sessions – the Committee meets for two (2) day sessions with the Chiefs and Health Leads in each health region of BC to discuss regional representation on the Committee.
- FRASER- Chilliwack- 4-5 November
- VANCOUVER COASTAL- Vancouver 12-13 November
- VANCOUVER ISLAND- Nanaimo 17-18 November
- INTERIOR- Kamloops 20 November
- NORTHERN- Vancouver 24-25 November
- VANCOUVER COASTAL- Vancouver 25 November
- VANCOUVER ISLAND /Coast Salish– Duncan 11 December
- VANCOUVER ISLAND/ Kwakiutl District Council- Campbell River 12 December
- VANCOUVER COASTAL- Teleconference 15 December
- NORTH/ Prince George – 15-16 January
- INTERIOR/ Kamloops – 22-23 January
- VANCOUVER ISLAND/ Nanaimo - 11-13 March
- ALL REGIONS/ Vancouver - 2 June
Follow up meetings:
Regional Caucus sessions and follow up meetings are ongoing in each region. The purpose of the governance caucuses is to determine what the specific needs are in each community in the arenas of health and governance, gain a mandate for negotiations with government, and to decide on regional representatives who will serve alongside the three governance co-chairs.
Regional Caucus Documents: Agenda [pdf] | Workbook [pdf] | First Nations Regional Profiles [pdf] | FNIHGC Governance Overview [pdf] | Health Council Overview [pdf] |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING HEALTH GOVERNANCE
Frequently asked questions are currently being updated, please check back soon.
10. How did the health governance process unfold?
CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE FIRST NATIONS INTERIM HEALTH GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE:
MARCH 2005 17 March – B.C. Assembly of First Nations (BCAFN), First Nations Summit (FNS) and Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) sign the Leadership Accord, and form the First Nations Leadership Council.
JUNE 2005 First Nations Blueprint for British Columbia developed by the First Nations Leadership Council.
NOVEMBER 2005 New Relationship signed between Health Canada, Province of BC, and the First Nations Leadership Council Members of FNS, UBCIC, BCAFN.
NOVEMBER 2006 26 November – The First Nations Leadership Council and the Province of B.C. sign the bilateral Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan with six (6) action items for Governance including:
NOVEMBER 2007 November – The First Nations Leadership Council, the Government of Canada, and the Province of B.C. sign the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan.
JANUARY 2007 Resolution passed by the UBCIC supporting the Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan and First Nations Health Plan Memorandum of Understanding.
Resolution passed by the UBCIC to create a Social Development Committee to participate in the establishment of the First Nations Health Council.
FEBRUARY 2007 Creation of the First Nations Health Council (FNHC) by consensus at meetings of the UBCIC, the FNS, and the BCAFN.
MARCH 2007 Resolution passed by FNS supporting the Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan and First Nations Health Plan Memorandum of Understanding.
APRIL 2007 As recommended by the FNHC, Dr. Evan Adams was hired as Aboriginal Health Physician Advisor within the Ministry of Health Services.
FNHC held 1st annual Gathering Wisdom Forum: a dialogue with First Nations in BC on the Tripartite First nations Health Plan
MAY 2007 27 May - The First Nations Leadership Council, the Government of Canada and the Province of B.C. sign the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. In the Governance, Relationships and Accountability section of the tripartite health plan all parties will commit to develop a new structure for B.C. First Nations health governance. The new governance structure for B.C. First Nations includes four (4) essential elements: A First Nations Health Governing Body, First Nations Health Council, Advisory Committee of First Nations Health, and a Health Directors Association.
JUNE 2007 FNHC Terms of Reference developed and passed by Resolution by FNS, BCAFN.
JANUARY 2008 Creation of the First Nations Interim Health Governance Committee (Committee); appointment of Co-Chairs Grand Chief Ed John (First Nations Summit), Grand Chief Doug Kelly (B.C. Assembly of First Nations), and Chief Wayne Christian (Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs).
APRIL 2008 30 April – The Committee Co-Chairs meet with Health Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister Ian Potter – Project Manager for First Nations and Inuit Health and with the BC Ministry of Health to discuss moving forward on health governance.
MAY 2008 5-6 May – The Committee Co-Chairs and the First Nations Health Council meet with the Government of Canada and the Government of B.C. in a Strategic Planning Session. The parties collectively discuss the following topics: governance models; collective goals and vision; the role and responsibilities of the Federal Government, the Province and First Nations; and a structure and road map to work together.
JUNE 2008 The Committee and the First Nations Health Council submit a briefing note and resolution that is unanimously passed at the UBCIC, FNS, and BCAFN to support the Regional Caucus Sessions that will be held over a six week periods from October through to November within the North, Interior, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal, and Vancouver Island regions.
JULY 2008 The Committee develops a comprehensive plan for Regional Caucuses Sessions identified as two (2) day sessions for Chiefs and Health Directors in the five (5) regions of the Interior, North, Fraser, Vancouver Coastal and Vancouver Island First Nations communities. The Committee created an agenda and workbook to facilitate the selection of regional caucus members. The workbook and agenda can be viewed above.
21 July - Introductory meeting is held with the Minister of Healthy Living and Sport, Honourable Mary Polak, Assistant Deputy Minister of Population Health, Andrew Hazelwood, the Health Canada Regional Director, Catherine Lappe, and Regional Director of First Nations and Inuit Health for BC Region, Yousuf Ali.
24-25 July – The Committee Co-Chairs meet with the First Nations Health Council for a Strategic Planning Session for the development of a five (5) year business plan.
SEPTEMBER 2008 18 September - The Committee Co-Chairs meet the Provincial Advisory Committee on First Nations Health for an introductory meeting with the CEOs of the B.C. Regional Health Authorities and the B.C. Ministry of Health.
OCTOBER 2008 Regional Caucus Sessions – the Committee meets for two (2) day sessions with the Chiefs and Health Leads in each health region of BC to discuss regional representation on the Committee.
Follow-Up Meetings to the Regional Caucus Sessions – the purpose is to choose regional representation on the Committee.
DECEMBER 2008 Follow-Up Meetings to the Regional Caucus Sessions – the purpose is to discuss regional representation on the Committee.
JANUARY 2009 On-going selection by each Region of their own representation on the Committee; upon which the tripartite discussions can move forward in shaping the new health governance arrangement.
FEBRUARY 2009 9 February - First Nations Health Council compiles recommendations from Regional Caucus sessions into community-driven checklists to evolve and inform tripartite negotiations.
MARCH 2009 On-going selection by each Region of their own representation on the Committee; upon which the tripartite discussions can move forward in shaping the new health governance arrangement.
JUNE 2009 General Governance meeting for all regional representatives –