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The tree image as a metaphor for this Strategic Plan was inspired, in part, by the work of Dr. Charlotte Loppie, Professor at the University of Victoria’s School of Public Health and Social Policy. Based on her interpretation of traditional Indigenous teachings, Dr. Loppie uses the tree image to explain how three separate but interdependent components of society work together to shape and structure the context of health outcomes. In this metaphor, the root system of the tree refers to the deep (and often unseen) foundations that shape the visible outcomes that we refer to as health disparities. These systems include political, social, economic, and historical structures that influence the core (the trunk of the tree) – a reference to the moving parts or relationships that form systems of care and political/social dynamics. The crown of the tree (the branches and leaves) represents the visible outcomes of the other elements as well as the notion of renewal. Click here to read more