The Leadership Team was convened in September of 2010 with the task of guiding the implementation of the Renewed Framework to Address Substance Use Issues among First Nations People in Canada. To achieve this goal, the Leadership Team will work with various networks and jurisdictions to carry out a range of activities aimed at supporting a system-wide, strengthened approach to service delivery and planning at community, regional and national levels.

Similar to the First Nations Addictions Advisory Panel (FNAAP), the Renewal Leadership Team will be supported by national renewal partners – Assembly of First Nations (AFN), National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation (NNAPF), and Health Canada.

Leader Team members were nominated through AFN and NNAPF networks. Members were then selected from this pool of nominees based on the criteria and characteristics, such as prevention, treatment, culture, youth, policy, health, nursing, public health, research, Elders and various geographic locations, in order to include a balanced and representative team. The team also includes a Health Canada First Nations and Inuit Health representative, as well as FNAAP representatives who will continue on as part of the Leadership team to ensure continuity of the ongoing Renewal efforts.