CCSA’s Elders Advisory Council 

The Elders Advisory Council is CCSA’s opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to Aboriginal Elders and to leverage Indigenous traditional knowledge and expertise of Canada’s First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and regions.

CCSA is pleased to be working with Elders from First Nations and Inuit communities from across Canada and the North. The Elders Advisory Council was officially formed following its first meeting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on September 24, 2008.  

 The Council will bridge the gap between community and research by providing guidance and recommendations related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada on national substance abuse issues and policy development to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA). The Council will be guided by the following principles:

1. Indigenous Protocol
2. People come first
3. People have hope
4. People have a right to culturally safe practices
5. Individuals, families and communities have the capacity to respond to needs
6. First Nations, Inuit and Métis participate in decision-making activities

The Elders Advisory Council will also provide strategic advice and facilitate communication and collaboration among communities, mental wellness partners, First Nations and Inuit governments, and national organizations whose mandates include substance abuse, mental wellness, and Aboriginal Peoples.

Elders on the Council will share the work of CCSA and this council with their respective communities, organizations and governments.