ABORIGINAL PEOPLE TO BENEFIT FROM ACTNOW BC FUNDING

National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health

Located at the University of Northern B.C. in Prince George, the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (NCCAH) seeks to support Aboriginal communities across Canada in realizing their health goals and, in so doing, reduce the health inequities that currently exist for Aboriginal peoples. The NCCAH serves First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across the country, and is one of six National Collaborating Centres established by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

First Nations Leadership Council

The First Nations Leadership Council is comprised of the political executives of the First Nations Summit, Union of BC Indian Chiefs and the BC Assembly of First Nations. The Leadership Council works together at the political level to represent the interests of First Nations in B.C. and develop strategies and actions to bring about significant and substantive changes to government policy that will benefit all First Nations in British Columbia.

First Nations Health Plan

In November 2005, the provincial government, the First Nations Leadership Council, and the Government of Canada signed an agreement entitled the Transformative Change Accord. The Accord affirmed their commitment to close the gap between First Nations and other British Columbians in the areas of education, health, housing and economic opportunities over the next 10 years. The Transformative Change Accord: First Nations Health Plan: Supporting the Health and Wellness of First Nations in British Columbia, released November 2006, embodies the approach to deal with the health status gap.

The First Nations Health Plan contains 29 actions in four areas where First Nations and the Province will collaborate to close the health status gap:

Governance, Relationships and Accountability
Health Promotion / Disease and Injury Prevention
Health services
Performance Tracking

A memorandum of understanding was also signed in November 2006 by the government of B.C., the First Nations Leadership Council, and the Government of Canada, to develop a tripartite 10-year health implementation strategy to close the health gap between First Nations people and other British Columbians. The partners are using the bilateral First Nations Health Plan as a framework.

For a copy of the First Nations Health Plan and the Memorandum of Understanding, visit www.healthservices.gov.bc.ca/cpa/publications, www.fns.bc.ca and www.bcafn.ca.

ActNow BC

ActNow BC is a partnership-based cross-ministry health and wellness initiative that promotes healthy living choices to improve the quality of life for all British Columbians. Working on the premise that we can all reach our healthy living goals by starting with small, easy steps, ActNow BC encourages British Columbians to increase physical activity and eat more fruits and vegetables, while reducing obesity, tobacco use and ensuring healthy choices during pregnancy. These steps support the provincial government’s goal for B.C. to be the healthiest jurisdiction to ever host an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

For more information on ActNow BC, visit www.actnowbc.gov.bc.ca.

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Media contact:	Trish Fougner Public Affairs Bureau 250 356-9814

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