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The Métis Nation British Columbia  seeks to develop and enhance opportunities for Métis communities throughout the province by implementing culturally relevant social and economic programs and services.  MNBC’s vision is to build a proud, self-governing, sustainable Nation in recognition of Inherent Rights for Métis citizens. 

MNBC is supporting healthy living projects in each MNBC Chartered Community in BC. BC Initiatives for Aboriginal Health helped implement the Metis Nation BC ActNow BC initiative, and commmunities were encouraged to apply for funding to support health promotion programs. 

Each region was asked to select a health promotion stream based on one of the four pillars of ActNow - nutrition, physical activity, smoking cessation and health choices during preganancy.  

To date, ten communities have developed Aboriginal ActNow BC projects with the total number of projects numbering about thirty-seven. Highlights from the Métis projects include:

• The Jigging and a Healthy Lifestyle project provided two jigging classes a week for Métis in Salmon Arm;

• The Moccasin Program for Métis community members in Abbotsford brought local Métis together to work with materials and gain instruction in making moccasins. The moccasins were, in turn, used to participate in five  weeks of jigging lessons;

• The Journey to Batoche encouraged Burnaby Métis community members to walk the equivalent of the 1,643 km walk to Batoche, Saskatchewan (site of Louis Riel's headquarters during Riel's Rebellion and now an historic setting on the South Saskatchewan River);

• The Tribal Journey program in Duncan prepared two canoe crews to participate in an eight day paddling journey from Campbell River to Cowichan Bay for the 2008 North American Indigenous Games;

• The North Cariboo Métis Society’s Circle of Families camp saw entire families engage in activities such as canoe lessons, fishing, archery, nature hikes and baseball.

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"The Community-driven process empowers Metis people to take ownership of their health...With support, we have increased our Community capacity and seen many "champions" rise to the challenge, positively impacting their own health, that of their families and of their Metis Community." -- President Bruce Dumont, MNBC.
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