Hotıì ts'eeda was pleased to host Dr. Michael Strong, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and David Clements, the Executive Director of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR). Hotıì ts'eeda is funded by CIHR under the SPOR initiative. 

 Governing Council representatives met over two and a half days with Dr. Strong and Mr. Clements, and travel out to Behchokǫ̀ on Tuesday, August 27 for a full day hosted by the Tłı̨chǫ Government. The group heard about the history of Behchokǫ̀ and research done in the region, with presentations from staff and research partners. Later that evening, Hotıì ts'eeda hosted a reception for invited researchers, community health advocates, and Indigenous leaders. Several guests spoke about the impact that CIHR and Hotıì ts'eeda funding had had on their projects and the significant influence of funding in the North. 

On the following day, Wednesday, August 28th, meetings were followed by a visit to the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation and an afternoon on the land hosted by BDene. That evening, Tłı̨chǫ Chiefs Clifford Daniels (Behchokǫ̀), Alfonz Nitsiza (Whatì), David Wedawin (Gamètì), and Charlie Football (Wekweètì), along with Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernathy, joined representatives from the Hotıì ts'eeda Governing Council and Dr. Strong and Mr. Clements for a dinner conversation to discuss Indigenous health and research in the NWT.

Hotıì ts'eeda was pleased to host Dr. Strong and Mr. Clements, and look forward to future visits.