First Nations Partnerships Archives

Real-Time Virtual Support

Relational Work Is the Work: Virtual Healthcare Transformation for Rural, Remote, and First Nations Communities in British Columbia The healthcare crisis across unceded First Nations territories in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in British Columbia (BC) is marked by persistent barriers to accessing care and support close to home. This commentary describes an exceptional story…

Canoe journey crosses colonial border, upholding syilx sovereignty: ‘this is still our territory’

For the 22nd year in a row, the Sukʷnaqin July 4th Canoe Journey made the trip from nk’mip into the ‘United States’ and back For the 22nd year in a row, syilx Okanagan people took a canoe journey across the invisible border between “Canada” and the “United States” that divides their territory — challenging a…

HA NII TOKXW: OUR FOOD TABLE

The story of the indigenous Gitanyow people and their struggle to protect their traditional lands and “food table” in the face of climate change, industrialization and colonization in Northern British Columbia. SIGN THE PETITION TO PROTECT THIS SACRED PLACE: https://chng.it/h5rzcPgkXZ Featuring: Dr. David Suzuki Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs www.gitanyowchiefs.com A film by Farhan Umedaly VoVo Productions 2021 @vovoproductions Director’s Statement: Beyond its majestic beauty and nature hidden threats are pushing the delicate ecosystem of the Meziadin Lake watershed to the brink. Ha Nii Tokxw, takes audiences on a visually stunning adventure through Wilp Wii Litsxw territory to uncover its ecological significance both…

Agricultural Land Reserve Settles Treaty 8 Claims

First Nations will receive approximately 27,000 acres of protected agricultural land in BC’s Peace Region as a result of settlement agreements addressing their land entitlements claims under Treaty 8, signed in 1899. “For more than 100 years, the First Nations were deprived of the use and benefit of thousands of acres of land owed to…

Territory Acknowledgment: A Guide

Acknowledging traditional territory is, for many First Nations, a long-standing practice and a regular aspect of governance relationships and ceremony. In recent years, territory acknowledgments have become common across Canada as an act of respect and reconciliation at formal meetings, conferences, or public events. Fundamentally, a territory acknowledgment is a relational process, which means that…

Net Zero Energy Duplex at Williams Lake First Nation Completed

A new net zero energy duplex at Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN) in the Cariboo is one of six demonstration projects by builders across Canada. Zirnhelt Timber Frames near Williams Lake and five other companies are working with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) to advance the net zero home industry. For the new duplex’s…

BC’s First Provincial Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy

British Columbia’s First Provincial Urban, Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy: Virtual Community Engagement Series In January 2022, The Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) released British Columbia’s first Provincial Urban-Rural and Northern Indigenous Housing Strategy. To continue raising awareness and gathering support from communities across B.C. AHMA will be hosting various community engagement sessions in…

More Funding, Better Use of Indigenous Practices Could Prepare Communities for Future Crises

First Nations and Indigenous communities in Canada need more support from the federal government to cope with future disasters related to climate change, according to a new report on Canada’s disaster resilience. Although people living in these communities are more likely to experience climate-related disasters, experts say not enough is being done to help them plan…

First Nations Health Authority and Rural Coordination Centre of BC sign Memorandum of Understanding

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) and the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in late 2019 at the FNHA’s Northern Regional Gathering in Prince George. The MOU formalizes the commitment of both organizations to work collaboratively to improve health outcomes for BC’s First Nations and non-First Nations populations living…

Akbal Mund & Sheldon Louis: First Nation-Rural Community Partnerships

Akbal Mund of the City of Vernon, and Sheldon Louis of the Okanagan Indian Band provided some interesting historical and current background and information regarding the relationship between these two neighbours.