Registration closes tomorrow (May 23) for the upcoming Gathering Wisdom for a Shared Journey XIII, scheduled for June 4-6 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Each First Nations community can send two representatives consisting of one political lead and one health lead.​

The governance forum, held every 18 months and hosted by the First Nations Health Council (FNHC), is an opportunity for Chiefs, leaders and Health Directors to hear updates and engage in discussions with health system and government partners.

The theme of this year's forum is 'Honouring our Shared Vision through Culture and Tradition,' and will feature discussions on the evolution of the Health Governance Structure along with development of a principles document to support a First Nations approach to any future health legislation.

Guest speakers include Taylor Behn-Tsakoza, Fort Nelson First Nation Councillor & Tu Deh-Kah Geothermal Community Liaison; Donald Warne, MD, MPH, Professor, Center for Indigenous Health, Johns Hopkins University; and Alika Lafontaine, MD, FRCPC, an Indigenous physician, healthcare leader and changemaker.

Supporting the transformation of First Nations health and wellness​

Gathering Wisdom began almost 20 years ago, when First Nations Chiefs and leaders in BC began the work on the First Nation Health Governance Structure. This model, which is unique to BC and one of few in the world, was created to address health disparities between the majority population and First Nations citizens.

The province-wide forum supports the transformation of health and wellness for First Nations in BC, and is one of the commitments within the Tripartite Agreements that underpin the First Nations Health Governance Structure.

As a governance forum, Gathering Wisdom is an opportunity for Chiefs, leaders and health directors to hear updates from the three pillars of the Health Governance Structure, learn about the results of regional engagement, and talk with health system and government partners.

Learn more about Gathering Wisdom

More information on the foundational documents of the governance structure is available at fnhc.ca. A visual timeline, known as the governance “placemat," can be viewed here.

To learn more about Gathering Wisdom, including details about past events, visit gathering-wisdom.ca.