15°c Overcast
11°c Cloudy with clear breaks
Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
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
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
More Local
(1 of 32 articles for today)
PST hike a 'difficult decision' but necessary, NDP official says
12:33 PM 0View Related
Poll
Most Popular Local
- Doctor charged with sexually assaulting teen at HSC
- MTS becomes takeover target
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- Police searching for suspect who woke sleeping teen
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- Overnight stabbings probed
- City's first urban reserve born
- Premier defends PST hike at NDP convention
- Crash victims were good friends, free spirits
- Infamous, chronic pedophile declines to seek parole
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Crash claims two young women, RCMP say
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Police identify slaying victims
- Apple trick on Ellen falls short for city woman
- Woman drove into river on purpose
- City's first urban reserve born
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- The end of the credit card?
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- A child-custody catastrophe
- Charleswood deaths being investigated as domestic incident
- Man charged, victims identified in double homicide
- Co-worker 'sick' today? Maybe it's the $17M flu
- Man dies after being pulled from vehicle submerged in Winnipeg retention pond
- '2 minutes after I read the winning numbers, I retired': Winnipeg lotto winner
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Parents, community relieved and elated as missing boy found safe
- No threat from bag found at Winnipeg Square
- Unjust justice: Still no aboriginal court in Manitoba
- MTS becomes takeover target
- Teachers vote to donate $1.5M to human rights museum
- SCU pulls Bill 18 petition
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- Better PTSD treatment for RCMP urged
- You can bet the farm on housebarns
- City's first urban reserve born
- Keeping the e-party going without the party-crashers
- Former CEO 'disappointed' Allstream leaves Manitoba
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Fishing for fashion
- Famous city grocer loved job, customers
- City's first urban reserve born
- Core grocer a challenge: expert
- Flood money paid for CEO's romantic trip
- Grocer Joe Cantor dies at 88
- City chiropractor guilty of beating, sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend
- First Nation celebrates groundbreaking on city's first urban reserve
- North End proud
- Hundreds pitch in to dig out houses damaged, destroyed by Ochre Beach ice floe
- Mental-health patients get own ER
- A child-custody catastrophe
- An uncommon phenomenon
- Steen invests $1M in family entertainment centre
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Earls on Main going, but new one coming
- Province introduces changes to rules governing landlords, renters
- Crushing blow for amateur sport
- Boost same-sex curricula: union
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.