Initiating Partners

From Vision to Reality

The initiating partners from Health Canada, Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, and Synergos Instituted, conceived of the Aboriginal Leadership Initiative and moved it forward into being as Ahp-cii-uk.The first phase of the Initiative was funded jointly by Health Canada and BC Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation which also both contributed a significant amount of expertise and in-kind support. The Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council facilitated entry into communities, provided expertise, and administration support. Synergos Institute provided expertise on multi-sectoral partnering.

Together the Initiating Partners hired a management team to co-design and implement the Initiative, and they continue to guide it forward as it gathers momentum. Dedicated individuals from each participating organization spent many long hours helping to plan and implement the Initiative.

Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council

Dr. Michelle Corfield represents the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council at the table of Initiating Partners.

“I believe we as leaders have an obligation to understand the circumstances surrounding the issues that plague First Nation communities in Canada. It apparent that the current way of doing business is not achieving the positive outcomes we desire. As leaders we want to see healthy individuals and communities. I believe that to achieve this type of systemic change we have to engage in a multi-stakeholder approach bringing together all stakeholders to collectively identify issues and solutions.

“Systemic change cannot be done through development of policy or programs in Ottawa that are trickled down to Aboriginal Communities. They have to be done at the community level with all stakeholders. First Nations need to be provided with an opportunity to utilize their knowledge to help themselves. They need to have an opportunity to learn from one another and from external stakeholders as well. 150 years of assimilation policies have created a dependency, ultimately a reliance on government to solve the problems for First Nations. Through Ahp-cii-uk, we as a collective have an opportunity to address this dependency.”

We are the Nuu-chah-nulth

We continue to follow our ancestors' true self-determination and real self-sufficiency when they lived and thrived on the lands and waters on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Through the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council, our vision is self-government that promotes strong, healthy Nuu-chah-nulth communities, which are guided by n'aas (Creator) and ha’wiih (hereditary Chiefs). We will fulfill our vision by providing equitable social, economic, political, and technical support to Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations. We will seek the wisdom/knowledge of our Elders and look upon our Children to give us the desire to succeed.

The ha’houlthee (chiefly territories) of the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations, or tribes, stretches along approx. 300 kilometres of the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island, from Brooks Peninsula in the north to Point-no-Point in the south, and includes inland regions. Although Nuu-chah-nulth people of the past shared traditions, languages and many aspects of culture, they were divided into chiefly families, local groups and, later, into Nations. Each Nation included several local groups, each centred around a ha’wiih (hereditary chief), and each living from the resources provided within their ha’houlthee.

In 1958, the Nations formed the West Coast Allied Tribes, and on August 14, 1973 incorporated as a non-profit society called the West Coast District Society of Indian Chiefs. Six years later, they changed the name to Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) on April 2, 1979.

Today, each Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation includes several chiefly families, and most include what were once considered several separate local groups. Fourteen Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations are: Ditidaht, Huu-ay-aht, Hupacasath, Tse-shaht, and Uchucklesaht, Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, Toquaht, and Ucluelet, Ehattesaht, Kyuquot/Cheklesahht, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, and Nuchatlaht.

The NTC provides various programs and services to approx. 8,000 registered members: Child welfare, Fisheries, Economic Development, Membership, Education & Training, Financial Administrative Support, Employment & Training, Infrastructure Development, Health, Newspaper (Ha-Shilth-Sa) and Social Development. Approximately 2,000 Nuu-chah-nulth people live off reserve in communities across North America.

Health Canada

Health Canada was represented by Sheila Bryan (retired) at the table of initiating partners. Health Canada continues to fund and provide support to Ahp-cii-uk.

British Columbia Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation

Arlene Paton, Assistant Deputy Minister, Partnerships and Community Renewal, represented BC MARR at the table of initiating partners.

“British Columbia is involved in this initiative because we are committed to a New Relationship with Aboriginal people. This initiative will contribute to closing the socio-economic gap between Aboriginal people and other British Columbians by assisting Ahousaht, Ehattesaht and Tseshaht toward self-sufficiency. We also hope that this initiative will provide a model for working with other communities throughout the province.”

Synergos Institute

John Heller is the Senior Director for Partnerships at The Synergos Institute. Mr. Heller represented Synergos at the table of initiating partners.

“The Aboriginal Leadership Initiative is connected to and builds on a global portfolio of similar initiatives at the Synergos Institute that address critical development challenges, through its Partnerships program. These initiatives convene stakeholders from across sectors to work together on specific issues, such as child undernutrition in India, public health systems in Namibia, orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa and urban life in Rio de Janiero. Whether housed within Synergos’ Partnerships program, or elsewhere, Synergos provides each initiative with programmatic support and guidance from its 20 years experience in bridging social and economic divides to reduce poverty and social injustice around the world, connecting initiatives to lessons learned, common experiences, tools and resources.”

Synergos is an independent non-profit organization that supports leaders and partnerships to change the systems that keep people in poverty.

The name “Synergos” comes from the Greek root meaning “working together.” Through collaborations with government, business and civil society, as well as poor and marginalized communities who are usually left out of the process, we help every part of society work together to create long-term progress.

Drawing on over 20 years of experience bringing people together across divides, Synergos has worked in more than 30 countries and regions across Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the U.S.-Mexico border.

Synergos’ global programs address pressing development challenges, including public health systems strengthening, child undernutrition, care of orphans and vulnerable children and aboriginal community development. Synergos serves a global network of over 120 civil society leaders from over 35 countries, and a Global Philanthropists Circle of more than 70 leading philanthropic families. Our programs have brought together uniquely diverse partnerships, including organizations such as UNICEF, Tata Group, Unilever, McKinsey & Company, Foundation for Community Development in Mozambique, ICICI Bank, Ministry of Health and Social Services of Namibia, Health Canada, Gates Foundation, and numerous others.

Synergos was founded by Peggy Dulany in 1986, who still serves as our Chair, and is headed by Robert H. Dunn, President and CEO. The organization is headquartered in New York with regional offices in Latin America and Southern Africa.