About Tui’kn

Tui’kn is a health partnership of the five Cape Breton First Nations (Eskasoni, Membertou, Potlotek, Wagmatcook and Waycobah). Our collective mission is to help each other to achieve better health (“mawi apoqmaltultinej klaman kisi aji welo’ti’tisnuk”).

The Partnership emerged from a Primary Health Care Transition Fund initiative (2004- 2006) with the goal of creating a platform for joint planning and collaboration on issues of mutual interest and concern to the five First Nation communities on Cape Breton Island. On our own, most Tui’kn communities are too small and isolated to achieve large- scale changes in primary health care design and delivery, or to provide a comprehensive range of services to our people. However, working together and in partnership with the district health authorities, the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, and Health Canada, Tui’kn leveraged the size, talent, scope and resources to better shape the philosophy, planning, funding and delivery of primary health care services.

Since that initial project, the partnership has endured and strengthened with the communities collaborating on more than thirty initiatives since 2006, which all build on our shared vision of achieving health status and outcomes that are equal to, or better than, the overall Canadian population.

Tui’kn is a way for us to come together to work on common projects (services, data and programs that fit our vision), problem-solve challenging issues, share information and success stories, and undertake collective advocacy so that we can provide the best possible services and deliver results to Tui’kn First Nations communities.

The Tui’kn Partnership is directed by an Executive Management Team which is made up of Health Directors from the five First Nations. A Project Manager and Administrative Assistant provide support to the Partnership. Staff are hired to work on specific projects.