Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network Ribbon

About CAAN: Who We Are

History of CAAN

History of CAAN

After 23 years of HIV and Hepatitis C leadership, research, and project management through its sites in Vancouver and Halifax, CAAN recently moved it national office to the Treaty 4 Governance Centre outside of Ft. Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan.

Board of Directors

Board of Directors

CAAN’s Board of Directors come from all across this land, each bringing our unique combination of lived experience, wisdom, traditions, and passions to our work.

Our Team

Our Team

The staff at CAAN is a beautifully diverse team of individuals from around the globe and many different nations, with each of us calling this land our home.

Careers

Careers

Join in the amazing work of CAAN by applying to be a member of our team!

Volunteer with Us

Volunteer with Us

Volunteering is more than the giving of your time – it is sharing our stories and gifts with each other to create the beautiful story of CAAN.

CAAN Mission, Philosophy, Goals and Vision

CAAN Mission

CAAN provides a National forum for Aboriginal Peoples to wholistically address HIV and AIDS, HCV, STBBIs, TB, Mental Health, aging and related co-morbidity issues; promotes a Social Determinants of Health Framework through advocacy; and provides accurate and up to date resources on these issues in a culturally relevant manner for Aboriginal Peoples wherever they reside.

CAAN Philosophy

The philosophy of this agency is that all Aboriginal people deserve the right to protect ourselves against infectious disease. Education and prevention is focused on empowerment as Aboriginal people are encouraged to learn about the risks of HIV and AIDS and protect ourselves accordingly. To provide Aboriginal people with accurate and up-to-date information about the nature of the disease, the risks of contracting it, and the issues of care/treatment and support for those infected is the challenge that CAAN employees and directors face each day of their involvement with the agency.

Spirit and Vision Of CAAN

CAAN is a national Aboriginal organization and as such is committed to addressing the issues of HIV within a Native context. Although the beliefs of Aboriginal people vary widely from region to region and from  person to person, the agency has made a commitment to conduct its  activities in a spirit of Native wholeness and healing. This disease can only  be overcome by respecting our differences and accentuating our unity of  spirit and strength.

Goals and Objectives Of CAAN

The goals and objectives of the agency are:

  1. To provide accurate and up-to-date information about the prevalence of HIV in the Aboriginal community and the various modes of transmission.
  2. To offer leaders, advocates and individuals in the AIDS movement a chance to share their issues on a national level by building skills, education/awareness campaigns, and acting in support of harm reduction techniques.
  3. To facilitate the creation and development of regional Aboriginal AIDS service agencies through leadership, advocacy and support.
  4. To design material which are aboriginal specific for education and awareness at a national level, and to lessen resource costs of underfunded, regional agencies by distributing and making available these materials wherever possible.
  5. To advocate on behalf of Aboriginal people living with HIV and AIDS (APHA’s) by giving them forums in which to share their issues and to facilitate the development of healing and wholeness strategies among the infected Aboriginal population.
  6. To build partnerships with Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal agencies which address the issues of Aboriginal people across jurisdictions, thereby improving the conditions in which Aboriginal people in Canada live through a continuous and focused effort.

CAAN’s Management Structure and Board Roles & Responsibilities:

CAAN is an incorporated, non-profit organization that is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, of which Indigenous People Living with HIV and AIDS and Hepatitis C hold members-at-large positions. The Board members are legally responsible for the governance of the organization. Within that mandate is the expectation that the Board will develop, implement and monitor policies that allow the organization to carry out its work.  Board members are elected by, and accountable to, the membership.

The Board’s role and responsibilities are based on three different activities of organizations.

  • Governance:  The Board develops policies that give overall direction to the organization.
  • Management:  The Board takes actions and makes decisions to ensure that there are sufficient and appropriate human and financial resources for the organization to accomplish its work.
  • Operations:  These are the activities related to the delivery of services or programs of the organization.

The Management structure of CAAN consists of two levels of senior staff.  A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) provides leadership to the organizations with two divisions, Research and Programs, led by Directors who report to the CEO. The Directors provide daily supervision of projects, activities, and initiatives and contribute to organizational leadership.

A second level of management includes the Policy Manager and Research and Logistics Manager, with additional long term Research Project managers and a Communication lead. These Managers meet frequently with the CEO and Directors regarding CAAN initiatives to contribute to efficient implementation and integration of organizational activities.