Interior Health senior leadership gathered with Chiefs of the Tsilhqot’in Nation in Williams Lake this week to re-sign a letter of understanding.
Corporate Director of Aboriginal Health, Brad Anderson says that they want to make sure they are still held accountable as an organization to continue to work with their First Nation partners.
“We understand that the previous letter of understanding still has the foundational goals and purposes that we want to achieve,” says Anderson.
“So we just want to continue to build off of the relationships that we have formed. We’re the only health authority within the province that has Letters of Understanding signed with the Nations, and we have seven distinct First Nations within our region so we really value these relationship documents because it’s an opportunity to learn, build understanding, and capacity amongst our First Nations and Interior Health.”
The previous letter of understanding with the Tsilhqot’in Nation was signed in 2013.
“For us, this shows the commitment with our First Nation partners to continue to work together, look at opportunities that improve the health outcomes for Aboriginal people, and it really is to show that continued partnership opportunity in the future,” says Anderson.
A letter of understanding was re-signed earlier last year with the Secwepemc Nation.
“Also in Ulkatcho, we’ll be hopefully resigning with their Nation in the upcoming year as well,” says Anderson.