Métis people throughout B.C. will soon come together to build resilience, mental wellness and connections to culture, and to have safe Métis-led conversations about alcohol and community health.

“We know that First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples are in the best position to determine what supports are best for their communities,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “By listening to communities and investing in the supports that are important to them, we’re helping communities heal in a way that’s culturally safe and community-driven.”

The Government of B.C. is providing $500,000 for Métis Nation BC to host two gatherings in the fall. In one, Métis girls will benefit from tools they need to address self-harm. In another, community members will participate in safe conversations to discuss alcohol. The two gatherings are expected to bring together approximately 200 community members.

“We know the knowledge of how we can best support Métis individuals lies within our Métis communities,” said Dr. Kate Elliott, Métis Nation BC’s Minister of Mental Health and Harm Reduction.“When we uplift that community wisdom and we ground our work in Métis ways of knowing and being, we weave through our mental-wellness offerings the resilience and strength that is core within our people and communities.”

In the first gathering, Métis girls and gender-diverse people will engage in Kihtêyak (one word for Elder in Northern Michif)-led teachings around mental wellness, Métis ways of knowing, relationships, culture and identity. The gathering will include workshops, group activities, mentorship, traditional practices and sharing circles to build mental-health and wellness skills to address self-harm.

The second gathering will support Métis people as they engage in safe, deliberate dialogue about alcohol to bring awareness to alcohol use and misuse, and generate community-led solutions that are grounded in Métis ways of knowing. Through workshop sessions, individuals will connect with their own wisdom around this issue, share their stories and ideas, learn from each other and explore new possibilities for health and resilience in the Métis community.

“I’m grateful for the work that Métis Nation BC is doing to hold space for critical conversations on mental wellness, which is so important for everyone and especially young people,” said Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity. “Métis girls struggling with their mental health and thoughts of self-harm and people who use alcohol will have the culturally safe support they need, led by Elders in their communities, to navigate these challenges.”

Supporting solutions led by First Nations, Métis and Inuit is a crucial part of A Pathway to Hope, government’s plan to build an integrated system of mental-health and addictions care that is equitable to everyone in the province.

Quick Facts:

• Métis Nation BC represents the Section 35 rights of more than 23,000 Métis citizens who are registered with Métis Nation BC and advocates for the more than 98,000 self-identified Métis in British Columbia.
• Métis Nation BC represents 39 chartered communities provincewide.

Learn More:

To learn more about Métis Nation British Columbia, visit: https://www.mnbc.ca/

Learn more about mental-health supports: https://wellbeing.gov.bc.ca