What is Being Done to Help?

There are many organizations and initiatives, both government and community-run, in place to help heal the aboriginals in Canada from their past traumas and current mental illnesses. Health Canada supports community-based suicide prevention projects and activities such as mental well-being and reducing risk factors that contribute to First Nations and Inuit youth suicide, through the Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy. This initiative is led by Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit health branch, and is developed in partner with indigenous organizations (Government of Canada, 2016). Another government program, the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, helps set up and operate addiction programs to reduce and prevent alcohol, drug, and solvent abuse in aboriginal communities, and aims to fund First Nation and Inuit-run initiatives (Tahirali, 2016). 
Figure 15. Government of Canada
Figure 15. Government of Canada logo. Adapted from 
"Global Affairs Canada Signature, Government of Canada
signature and Canada wordmark", by Government Canada, 
(2016), Government of Canada, retrieved from http://
international.gc.ca/world-monde/funding-financement
/signature_wordmark-signature_mot-symbole.aspx?lang 
=eng. Reprinted without permission.












An example of a community based organization is The Aboriginal Healing Foundation which is an aboriginally-run, not-for-profit organization committed to addressing the healing needs of Metis, Inuit, and First Nations affected by the physical, sexual, mental, cultural, and spiritual abuse of residential schools. It takes a holistic approach and its vision is for all people affected by these abuses to address unresolved trauma in a comprehensive and meaningful way, putting an end to intergenerational cycles of abuse and reconciling relationships (Aboriginal Peoples, 2016).
Figure 16. Aboriginal Healing Foundation
Figure 16. Aboriginal Healing Foundation logo. Adapted
from "Contact Us", by Third World Canada, (n.d.), Third World 
Canada, retrieved from http://www.thirdworldcanada.ca/
contactmedia/. Reprinted without permission. 

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