By Jesse Johnson
SAULT STE. MARIE, ON — Leaders, health professionals, and community representatives gathered at the Quattro Hotel and Conference Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. for a two-day Health Transformation Working Group meeting on July 16 and 17.
The meeting opened with a warm welcome and a traditional offering of thanks, including the Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe declaration recited by Ookomis Donna Debassige, Anishinabek Nation Getzidjig Advisory Council Lake Huron Region member.
An agenda review by the Project Lead, Gerrilynn Manitowabi, set the tone for a collaborative and focused working environment.
The Project Manager, Loretta Nootchtai, provided an overview from the April 2025 Working Group meeting and proceeded to share updates on key initiatives, the Chiefs Symposium report, Grand Council Assembly, and the ongoing Communications Strategy. Several supporting documents, including the final Chiefs Symposium Report, were highlighted as foundational for continued progress and distributed to the group with plans for wider distribution in the coming weeks.
The Health Transformation Communications Officer, Jesse Johnson, presented an overview of the draft Communications Strategy. A copy of the draft strategy was circulated ahead of the meeting to allow for in-depth feedback during the session. The morning concluded with an exercise to obtain additional key messaging from the group for inclusion into the strategy.
Governance took centre stage in the afternoon with a full group discussion on the existing preferred governance model structure. An exercise was conducted to identify additional elements, inclusive of roles and responsibilities, that the group would like to see incorporated within the structure of a potential Anishinabek First Nation Health Authority.
Day Two kicked off with a recap of Day One and a focused session on the “Roadmap to Health Transformation”, where teams collaboratively engaged in exercises to map a path forward.
Objectives of the session included defining steps and identifying timelines for pursuing Anishinabek Health Transformation, ensuring the approach is collaborative, and aiming to achieve group consensus on the process.
The final day also included the completion of a reporting template where the group worked together to compile a documented summary of key highlights from the meeting to report back to their communities and leadership.
These Working Group meetings reflect the Anishinabek Nation’s commitment to health sovereignty, community-driven priorities, and collaborative leadership. With traditional knowledge and structured planning at the forefront, the Health Transformation Working Group continues to chart an actionable course toward improved health outcomes for Anishinabek Nation members.
The next Working Group meeting is planned for October 15-16. Anishinabek Nation member First Nations are encouraged to send representatives such as Chiefs, Councillors, health directors, and finance experts to attend the Working Group meetings. The Health Transformation Team is determined to give every community an opportunity to share their voice as they continue to work towards transformation.
To contact an Anishinabek Nation Health Transformation team member for more information, please visit health-transformation.ca.