On October 18 and 19 Grand Chief Meneen-Treaty 8, Board Chairman Jeff Anderson, Board researcher Natalie Gibson and diplomacy expert Reagh Burgess met with senior officials from Economic & Social Development Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Health Canada over these two days. It was amazing how these experienced people in Canada’s capital city 4,000km’s from our home received the news of our culturally inclusiveWe recognize the Mackenzie Region is an area enriched with strong distinct cultures and acknowledge that a wider participatory health care system begins with designing more culturally appropriate infrastructure & health programming. In achieving health & well being for our most vulnerable, we embrace a balanced lens of spiritual, emotional, mental & physical health practices. DSL facility! The whole group left Ottawa encouraged that the Federal level departments we engaged and told our story to are going to come behind us and continue to move it forward! This is a great blessing for sure.
Late in the evening of Oct 18th we were able to swing by MP Viersen’s office in the Valour building and have a constituent coffee-chat. Mr. Viersen is supportive of our work and committed to do what he can for us in moving our project forward.
All in all we took our critical story and the hearts of my community across this great country and found friends. There is still much work ahead of us however with many hands the work somehow seems to become lighter.
