By Jesse Johnson
ANISHINABEK NATION TERRITORY — The Anishinabek Nation has resubmitted its Business Case to Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) to secure more funding for the Health Transformation initiative.
In a letter dated December 16, 2025, Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige wrote to Minister of Indigenous Services Mandy Gull-Masty requesting immediate approval of funding for the Health Transformation Business Case.
“Investment in Health Transformation is an investment in efficiency, accountability, and long-term sustainability,” the letter states.
The letter also notes that the Health Transformation Team originally submitted a Business Case in the fall of 2024, seeking support for the next phase of the initiative. While the submission was “well received” and exceeded departmental readiness criteria in several areas, funding was not approved at the time due to internal federal resource constraints.
According to the Anishinabek Nation, the delay has slowed critical community engagement and postponed urgently-needed improvements to health and well-being across communities.
Launched in 2019 and guided by consistent direction from the Chiefs-in-Assembly, Health Transformation aims to establish a unified Anishinabek Nation Health Authority grounded in Anishinaabe values, traditional knowledge, and community priorities.
Over the past six years, this work has been authorized through a series of Grand Council resolutions, each reaffirming the Nation’s commitment to reclaiming jurisdiction over health. Between 2021 and 2025, the Anishinabek Nation Health Transformation Team held 28 Chief and Council engagement sessions with 24 Anishinabek Nation member First Nations, gathering input on priorities such as governance, funding flexibility, infrastructure, mental health, and data sovereignty.
The initiative is now entering its next phase, backed by a strong foundation of readiness, including a completed business case, draft governance models, and broad community support. The Anishinabek Nation is calling on ISC to fund Phase 2: Interim Governance and Negotiation, which will move this work from design to action.
“The Anishinabek Nation extends its gratitude to all Chiefs, health directors, Elders, working group members, and community participants who have guided this process so far. Your voices continue to shape a future where health systems are designed by and for Anishinabek members,” says Jamie Restoule, Anishinabek Nation Health Director.
Health Transformation is rooted in a nation-to-nation relationship and seeks to replace fragmented, short-term health programming with a coordinated, culturally-grounded system. The Anishinabek Nation emphasizes that this approach is a smarter investment that will improve outcomes, increase efficiency, and advance reconciliation through self-determined health governance.
For more information on health transformation, visit health-transformation.ca.