News & Events
Winnipeg's failure to provide funds to Centre is shameful
March 14, 2010
A couple of weeks ago, staff from the Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre came to the Southern Chiefs' Organization office to tell me about how they had been deprived of the opportunity to get a contribution from the City of Winnipeg. They also said they were disgusted by the actions of Mayor Sam Katz.
The staff told me they had gone through the appropriate channels, met with Katz and submitted a request for a one-time contribution to MICEC's revitalization project. Katz never followed through on his promise to submit the request to a key city committee, which reviews these types of requests.
The Centre at 119 Sutherland Avenue - an area with a large Indigenous population - has been in operation for 25 years. Its library has always been a key part of its attractions, providing books that range from children's reading to academic research materials.
Last summer, work began on a major renovation and expansion project that will enable the Centre to expand its services with an emphasis on family-oriented activities.
The design and artwork are examples of Indigenous spirituality. Everything in the renewed centre will teach visitors about the traditional Indigenous life and help build pride in personal identity. This is especially important for children and youth. The Centre takes a holistic approach to promoting the development of skills, family time and self-esteem.
The revitalization project will cost almost $2 million and MICEC is $477,020 short of its target. MICEC began work last year because delaying construction would have resulted in increased costs due to inflation and structural deterioration.
The centre has received some money from the city but that money didn't come through city council as whole. Instead, most of it came from Councillor Harry Lazarenko, who provided funds through his councillor's allotment. Every city councillor receives a small discretionary-contribution fund.
Lazarenko, a councillor who I have criticized in the past, should be applauded for directing money toward this project, even though the centre was not located in his ward.
Katz's actions, MICEC staff tell me, were deplorable. Basically he short-circuited the democratic process by not referring MICEC's to the committee that considers these requests and makes funding recommendations.
MICEC has been in the city since 1975 and has operated without city funding. Winnipeg should be grateful because it provides annual operating grants to all of its other libraries.
If Katz deliberately killed MICEC's request, he has a terrible disregard for democracy and Indigenous residents of Winnipeg. If he simply made a blunder, and forgot to advance the request, he should have corrected the situation. Either way, blame falls on his shoulders.
I have a great respect for MICEC. I am currently the chairman, but I have been involved with the organization dating back to when I was a youth/cultural worker at Rolling River First Nation back in the 1980s. The centre has satellite services provided through workers at a number of First Nations. I have seen first- hand the valuable services MICEC provides. A number of government and business groups have stepped forward to provide nearly $1.5 million.
Last month Winnipeg City Council agreed to provide grants and land donations that could be worth close to $5 million over 10 years for a construction of a facility to built downtown Winnipeg by Youth For Christ. This is a proposal that was sprung on city council with very little notice and it didn't have to go through normal channels - the ones MICEC followed. Many organizations serving Indigenous peoples, not only MICEC, were angry that Youth For Christ was able to jump to the front of the line.
I believe YFC's proposal should have been subject to the same scrutiny and examination as all other projects.
We don't know what we will be getting and the advocates have not explained how this project will contribute to pride in self identity, which is so important to the development of our people, especially Indigenous children. There are questions that were never examined in an above-board public manner.
Grand Chief Morris J. Swan Shannacappo