Friendship centres concerned over NDP’s pledge for drop-in centres for Indigenous women, girls, two-spirited – Winnipeg Sun
Aug 13, 2023
The Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres (MAFC) has expressed concerns about last week’s announcement by the NDP of three drop-in centres for Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people, the association said Sunday.
While applauding the commitment of $9 million for this issue, MAFC leaders expressed surprise that a party with a serious chance to form government made such an announcement without significant consultation. Details of the announcement and the manner of delivery are sparse, but it appears to ignore existing friendship centres and create a new bureaucracy, the MAFC said in a release.
“We sincerely hope that the failure to include us is simply an oversight,” said MAFC President David Gray in the release, noting the associations has had “great meetings” with NDP Indigenous Affairs critic Ian Bushie in which a promise was made not to fractionalize funding while making up for 23 years of neglect centres have faced. “We look forward to working with whoever forms Government after Oct. 3 to improve programming for Urban Indigenous People.”
