Summary of NACHA meeting

February 28 & March 1, 2006
Ottawa , Ontario

Cliff Thomas opened the meeting with a prayer. Mary Jamieson, the meeting facilitator, welcomed participants to the meeting. Grafton Spooner, Manager, External and Government Relations of the HIV/AIDS Division of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), introduced Kathryn Allebone, the new Secretariat staff member. He provided NACHA with an update on PHAC's activities. NACHA reviewed the status of action items from its last meeting in October 2005.

Gil Carrière, National Aboriginal Coordinator of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) provided NACHA with an update on Aboriginal-specific programming and activities at CSC. NACHA provided him with advice on a number of CSC's activities and expressed its frustration that an opportunity had been missed to involve frontline workers at CSC's December consultation on the agency's draft Aboriginal HIV/AIDS strategy.

Ron Clarke , Program Manager at the Communicable Diseases Control Division (CDCD) of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), provided NACHA with an update on activities at FNIHB. NACHA welcomed FNIHB's move toward working with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) and developing multi-year contribution agreements with national partner organizations and agreed that the Northern Secretariat, which is responsible for programming north of 60 ◦ , should be invited to attend future NACHA meetings. It also agreed to develop a template for advice recommending that baby formula be added to the NIHB formulary.

NACHA received a presentation from the Inuit Community (Caucus) on the Inuit and HIV/AIDS, which included an overview of HIV/AIDS epidemiological data and existing programs to address HIV/AIDS among the Inuit. The need for such a presentation was identified at NACHA's October 2005 meeting to help NACHA better understand the particular challenges of delivering HIV/AIDS programming to the Inuit. NACHA agreed that although absolute numbers of HIV prevalence appear low, the demographics of the Inuit call for urgent action to stem a possible epidemic.

NACHA received updates on preparations for the XVI International AIDS Conference which is being held in Toronto in August 2006. It was reported that NACHA's abstract submission to the conference had been accepted. It also received an update on preparations for the International Indigenous People's Satellite which is being held on August 11 and 12, just ahead of the International AIDS Conference. The NACHA member who sits on the Canadian scholarship committee for the International AIDS Conference reported that a recommendation was being made that 25% of the scholarships go to Aboriginal people living with HIV/AIDS (APHAs). This would be in addition to the 51 scholarships being supported by FNIHB.

Fernand Comeau of the External and Government Relations Section of the HIV/AIDS Division provided NACHA with an update on Leading Together: Canada Takes Action on HIV/AIDS (2005-2010), which provides a plan of action for addressing HIV/AIDS in Canada. Leading Together is available from a dedicated website at www.leadingtogether.ca .

NACHA approved the Record of Decision from its October 2005 meeting and directed the Secretariat to circulate the approved document to the full Council.

NACHA discussed the recommendations from a recent evaluation of the Non-Reserve First Nations, Inuit and Métis Communities HIV/AIDS Project Fund (Non-Reserve Fund). NACHA agreed to strike a small working group to prepare a template for advice to outline some of NACHA's concerns and identify some of the safeguards that need to be in place to ensure that the devolution of the fund to the regions works well.

NACHA identified a number of individuals at CSC to invite to future a face-to-face to meeting. It asked the Secretariat to prepare letters of invitation.

NACHA discussed progress on developing a research paper on Métis and HIV/AIDS and instructed the Secretariat to set up a teleconference at the end of March to review a draft of the report.

Steven Sternthal, Manager, Knowledge and Awareness Section of the HIV/AIDS Division, provided NACHA with updates on knowledge development under the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, and communications and social marketing. Wesley Rodney, Senior Public Opinion Research Advisor of the Public Opinion Research and Evaluation Division of Health Canada, provided an update on the 2006 Aboriginal HIV/AIDS Attitudinal Survey, which is to be completed by May 15, 2006. NACHA provided the presenters with detailed feedback and advice and asked the Secretariat to obtain additional information and circulate it to the Council.

NACHA discussed alternatives to holding the NACHA Biennial Summit, and agreed that the matter should be discussed in greater detail at its next face-to-face meeting . It requested its Caucuses to come to the meeting prepared to discuss options.

NACHA approved, subject to minor modification, the statement on "Aboriginal reality" which describes the sum of experiences endured by Aboriginal people at the hand of colonialism.

NACHA held an in camera (for NACHA members only) discussion. At the end of the discussion, it asked the Secretariat to prepare a check list and standard invitation letter to presenters to ensure that they are given clear expectations (with respect to presentation length, requesting presentation materials in advance and indicating whether or not they can stay in the meeting following their presentation). It also asked the Secretariat, with help from the Co-Chairs, to prepare a letter inviting the Northern Secretariat to participate at NACHA meetings as an observer.

NACHA considered establishing a process to review the work of the Council and identified a number of items for further consideration. It asked the Secretariat to prepare a cost estimate for its work plan and report back to the Council with recommendations and options for producing an annual report, brochure and presentation materials.

NACHA agreed to hold its next face-to-face meeting on: May 15 and 16, 2006, in Toronto. Kevin Barlow closed the meeting with a prayer.