Progress toward improving the health status of Métis in B.C.

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Sept. 24, 2011
Ministry of Health
Métis Nation British Columbia

Agreement signed to share health data on Métis Citizens

ABBOTSFORD - Health information on Métis Citizens in British Columbia
will become available as a result of a historic information-sharing
agreement signed today between Métis Nation BC and the provincial
government.

The Métis Public Health Surveillance Program will enable the ministry to
identify consenting Métis Citizens from among existing databases and
report on specific health outcomes and chronic diseases.

"The information-sharing agreement is significant because it will allow
the provincial Ministry of Health to identify Métis Citizens that give
consent within existing health databases," said B.C. Health Minister
Michael de Jong. "Once that linkage is made, more specific information
will be available as to the health status of Métis Citizens in British
Columbia, allowing for targeted program development, ongoing monitoring
and reporting on the prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes,
cardiovascular health and respiratory illness."

MNBC Minister responsible for Health Lissa Smith is excited about seeing
the Métis Nation Relationship Accord become a living document. "This
partnership with the B.C. Ministry of Health is a direct result of the
Métis Nation Relationship Accord and the diligence of the Public Health
Agency of Canada," Smith said. "These partnerships and the consent of
Métis Citizens also demonstrate how MNBC is working across jurisdictional
boundaries to improve the health status of Métis in British Columbia."

MNBC will release a consent package for participation in the project at
their annual general meeting, which includes an introductory letter, an
informational brochure, a consent form and a personal information form.

Upon receiving the package, Métis Citizens are asked to review the
information, sign the consent form, complete the personal information
form and return the consent and personal information form to MNBC in the
postage-paid envelope included.

"The consent process is unique to the Métis Nation and is a method to
engage MNBC Citizens. It also develops sustainability in this project and
future projects meant to improve the relationship and information shared
between MNBC and the B.C. provincial government," said Dr. Peter
Hutchinson, PhD, program manager of the Chronic Disease Surveillance
Program. "This program is unique in that MNBC has created an ethics
committee to ensure Métis Citizens privacy and the Métis culture is
respected throughout the process of information sharing and
dissemination."

"The success of this program relies on Métis Citizen's participation.
Without this crucial information, those working to improve the health
status and health care that Métis people receive will be reliant on
assumptions that do not serve the Métis peoples," added Hutchinson.

The information gained from sharing Métis Citizenship records with the
B.C. government will provide insight into the health status of Métis
people in BC. Over 10 per cent of the self-identified Métis people
resident in B.C. have applied and been accepted for citizenship in MNBC.

"We can use this information for program development, evaluation and
generally to improve the health status of Métis in B.C.," said MNBC
Director of Health and Sport Tanya Davoren, RN. "Currently we have very
little health information on the Métis in B.C. This project will increase
the amount of, and quality of information available."

Once Métis Citizens have consented to sharing their Métis status with the
provincial government, the B.C. Ministry of Health will undertake data
linkages to establish a Métis Cohort, analyze health results for chronic
disease surveillance, and then provide MNBC with aggregated (non-identifiable) data.

This will include publishing joint reports on the most common ailments of
Métis. Dr. Hutchinson said, "Once this data-sharing has proved
successful, MNBC hopes to partner with the BC Cancer Agency and possibly
the Canadian Institute of Health Information to develop detailed accounts
of other threats to well-being including cancers and health care
utilization."

Addressing concerns of privacy, Dr. Hutchinson stated that MNBC and the
B.C. government hold this as their main concern and have developed a
partnership that respects and protects Métis Citizens. "And, the Métis
Nation British Columbia ethics committee will continuously monitor the
project and reports resulting from the information sharing."

The information-sharing agreement on health data builds on the 2006 Métis
Nation Relationship Accord signed between the Province of B.C. and Métis
Nation BC.

Media Contacts:
Ryan Jabs, Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

Robert J McDonald
Communications
Métis Nation British Columbia
613 720-4442 mobile
Info@asapcommunications.org

or
Tracey Thornhill
Executive Assistant
Métis Nation British Columbia
traceyt@mnbc.ca
604 557-5851