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Demonstrators protest cut in relief for flood evacuees
Brooke Travers speaks at the demonstration Friday protesting cuts in relief for flood evacuees. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
Police officers on the scene at the protest. (BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
More than 100 First Nations flood evacuees are demonstrating today at the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development office at 365 Hargrave Street and the Emergency Measures Organization office at 405 Broadway.
The demonstrators are protesting daily allowance cuts of more than 80 per cent that will take place October 1.
More than 2,000 people from six First Nations still live in hotels and apartments in Winnipeg and Brandon after flooding in the spring of 2011 forced them out of their homes.
Last week, they received a letter warning that as of Oct. 1, the daily living allowance will plummet to $4 from $23.40. The rate for children will fall to $3.20 from $18.70.
Rent and hotel bills will still be paid. Just 109 evacuees remain in hotels, 41 are in temporary housing near Gypsumville and the rest live in private accommodations.
Bertha Travers, who has been forced from her home in Little Saskatchewan First Nation since May 2011, said she doesn't understand why the governments have decided the flood has moved to the recovery phase.
"We are far from being in a recovery phase," she said "This is still a crisis."
Travers said her home is covered in mould and she doubts she will ever be able to move back into it. She is living in a Winnipeg hotel.
Travers is among the demonstrators today. "We would have liked to have more people involved in the demonstrations," she said, "but transportation is an issue, many people can’t even afford bus fare to get to the places where we will be demonstrating."
History
Updated on Friday, September 28, 2012 at 12:23 PM CDT: adds photo
12:55 PM: adds photo
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