Future of beleaguered North End friendship centre in jeopardy

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This article was published 28/02/2017 (3171 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Indian and Metis Friendship Centre of Winnipeg could use a little help from its friends.

The North End community centre is facing an uncertain future when it should be preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Federal and provincial funding of $369,740 was frozen in December.

Torn by internal turmoil and feuding factions within its board and staff, the centre faces being booted out of the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres (MAC) at a meeting in Lynn Lake this coming weekend.

Key players within the factions are speculating just how few months more the centre can keep open its doors on the corner of Dufferin Ave. and Robinson Street.

Documents provided to the Free Press Tuesday show that the centre ignored a Feb. 1 deadline to agree to have MAC take over the Winnipeg facility under third-party management.

The centre has had five executive directors in the fiscal year, the MAC said.

MAC, which distributes federal and provincial money to the 11 friendship centres in Manitoba, told the Winnipeg centre by letter that it has failed to provide numerous mandatory annual reports and documents, there is inadequate investment of its funding in programs, and a lack of community involvement and partnerships.

Said the provincial organization: “In a community of over 72,335 urban indigenous people, Winnipeg deserves better from its Friendship centre, and we are dismayed by the current situation.”

Indigenous and Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke did not respond to an interview request, but an aide said Tuesday, “We hope this issue can be resolved independently. MAC continues to inform provincial officials on efforts to resolve the matter.”

Clarke’s department noted that it provides $1.2 million annually in funding to the province’s 11 friendship centres, but the province is at arm’s length to the centres through MAC.

“MAC has been working with the IMFCW to reach a resolution on this issue, and has paused funding for IMFCW until an appropriate resolution is reached. We expect the matter will be discussed at MAC’s next board meeting this coming weekend, and we look forward to feedback following that discussion to assist in determining next steps,” a provincial official said Tuesday.

Garry McLean, speaking Tuesday for the board and for latest executive director Michael Bear, said the centre is working out its financial issues with the senior governments.

“We are transitioning,” said McLean. “There was some paperwork not done by our (former) executive directors,” one of whom lasted only three days.

McLean said that the turmoil only became public when one board member, Norman Meade — described by staff as an elder with the Manitoba Metis Federation — went to the media without authorization of the rest of the board.

“I’m waiting for a meeting with the minister” to sort out everything, McLean said.

The provincial NDP chose the centre as the venue of its imminent annual general meeting, a pivotal gathering at which New Democrats will pick the rules to govern September’s leadership convention.

Provincial secretary Keith Bellamy said Tuesday that the NDP was not aware of the centre’s problems when it booked the venue for March 17 to 19, but is confident everything will go ahead.

“We’ve been working closely with them,” Bellamy said. “Whether you go to a hotel or community centre or whatever, what’s happening internally is up to them.”

One staff member — who requested anonymity, but expects to be fired at any moment — said the staff and general membership are opposed to Bear and the four directors who run the centre, and have asked them repeatedly to resign.

“You should hear the yelling that goes on — 60 years, and now we’re closing the doors because of four individuals,” said the source. “These board members are corporate bullies. There won’t be any programs, because there won’t be any staff.”

The current board majority wrote a constitution this past Sept. 7. It lays out a complex process for electing directors, but does not appear to define who can be a member of the centre. It does extensively describe the purpose of the centre to meet the needs of aboriginal people in Winnipeg and to benefit them, to improve the number and quality of the services they receive, and to promote recreational, educational, social, and cultural programs.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca