FIrst Nations Youth, Fundraiser to help canoe journey

 

 

 

First Nations kids fight to fund annual canoe journey

 

Federal budget freeze a blow to programs for aboriginal youth

 

BY RANDY SHORE, VANCOUVER SUN JUNE 25, 2012

 

 

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Thirty first nations youths are throwing together an emergency fundraiser to help pay for their annual summer canoe trip after federal budget cuts yanked $100,000 from their program.

Photograph by: Sylver McLaren , TIMES

Thirty first nations youths are throwing together an emergency fundraiser to help pay for their annual summer canoe trip after federal budget cuts yanked $100,000 from their program.

Members of the Renfrew-Collingwood Aboriginal Canoe Club will hold a silent auction of their own art works and crafts Thursday to try to replace some of the lost funds.

"Club members were shocked at the sudden withdrawal of the grant," said club member Matthew Sheena in a release. "But we decided that this journey is just too important to miss so we're using our skills to help raise money for the journey ourselves."

The group of teens and young adults spends time on weekends and some weekday evenings training for a nine-day camping and salt water canoe trip, in addition to learning traditional arts in classes funded by the Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth Program.

The federal Treasury Board froze funding for the $22 million program last week, cutting off $100,000 in funds to Renfrew-Collingwood's program retroactive to April 1, according to Collingwood neighbourhood house executive director Jennifer Gray-Grant.

While some aboriginal programs have simply shut down, the neighbourhood house has been pulling funds from other programs to keep the canoe trip alive.

"This would be the ninth annual Pulling Together trip and it really is the highlight of their year, we couldn't shut it down," said Gray-Grant.

The Pulling Together Journey is an annual vision quest in which first nations youth and B.C. Mounties and police officers paddle a flotilla of 30 traditional canoes down the coast visiting aboriginal communities.

The silent auction and fundraiser will be held at Collingwood Neighbourhood House, 5288 Joyce Street, from 5 to 8 p.m., June 28.

Harper apology to residential school survivors June 18, 2008

Harper apology to residential school survivors, about 4 years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo5cG-RjE8Y


I think you have forgotten what you read on June 18, 2008!

Harper Government Invests in Aboriginal Youth in Regina - Newsroom - The Department

Harper Government Invests in Aboriginal Youth in Regina - Newsroom - The Department

So why has the Harper government taken back the funding?

First Nations Youth have had 100% funds seized by Treasury Board of Canada

For example, on June 15, 2012 Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Rape Crisis Centre received notification that 100% of the 85,000 funding WAVAW's Aboriginal Youth Outreach Program has been frozen and ultimately eliminated by the Treasury Board of Canada.  WAVAW is just one of the organizations across Canada who has had 100% of the funding, 22 million dollars in total across Canada seized.

I am a secondary teacher and have witnessed first hand the amazing work done by organizations such as WAVAW, Collingwood Canoe Club, Aboriginal Policing.  The fact that small organizations across Canada who have supported and nurtured First nations Youth are facing this attack is outrageous and petty.
We know First Nations Youth face highest suicide rates.
We know First nations Youth in BC are graduating well behind their provincial average non First nations counter parts.
We know First Nations Sons are more likely to be incarcerated then attend post secondary.
We know First Nations Youth who use these programs are well served and go on to support and mentor other young First Nations and other youth.  
This government is pushing First Nations Youth to the wall.  This little funding is used to provide leadership, cultural teachings and healthy living. The Harper government wants more prisons, and  destroy our lands.  The very lands we harvest our foods, and nurture our souls and our children.  This money was committed and now its been taken back, projects were/are set to go and now at serious risk.

Call on the Harper government and your local MP to stop this harm and reverse this decision.

Chris