McGill University’s Aboriginal Sustainability Project and the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) is proud to announce that we will be hosting a discussion with Assembly of First Nations’ Senior Nations’ Senior Policy Advisor on Housing and Infrastructure, Dewey Smith:

‘Housing Policies for First Nation Communities’

Stemming from the Attawapiskat Benefit Concert, last December, a commitment was made to continue the dialogue in First Nations’ Housing policy across Canada.

We will be joined by the Assembly of First Nations’ Senior Policy Advisor on Housing and Infrastructure, Dewey Smith. He will discuss the current housing policy, and answer questions to know why communities do very well, and others do not, in the case of Attawapiskat.

ABOUT DEWEY SMITH :
Dewey Smith is a committed Aboriginal professional with extensive experience, background and knowledge in all matters of housing, both On and Off Reserve.  He has demonstrated an ability to provide services in the development of concepts, strategies and policies that build the capacity of First Nation peoples, communities and organizations.

He is currently a Senior Policy Advisor for the Assembly of First Nations where he provides analysis of current issues on housing and infrastructure to the Office of the National Chief and the AFN Housing and Infrastructure Secretariat.  This includes strategies for planning and building the necessary social, financial and technical that any First Nation needs to develop to achieve sustainability.  The key to all of these efforts has been to facilitate the exploration of the options and opportunities involved in making an informed decision on a future direction for First Nation green and sustainable housing.

Visit our Facebook event page : https://www.facebook.com/events/375390785828910/

and McGill’s event page : http://www.mcgill.ca/channels/events/item/?item_id=215814

Wednesday, April 4

2:00pm – 4:00pm

Ballroom, Thomson House

McGill University

FREE ADMISSION

If you have not heard already, the funding for the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal (NFCM) and the Inter-tribal Youth Centre (ITYC) have been revoked. KANATA members have discovered that the ITYC is effectively shut down due to lack of funds. We are very concerned for the future of these two organizations that do such wonderful work.

Here is a link to a story done by APTN: http://aptn.ca/pages/news/2012/03/23/native-friendship-centre-of-montreal-could-close-its-doors/

We encourage everyone to write a letters of support to advocate for the reinstatement of Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP) core funding for 2011-2012 and beyond as well as for the Inter-Tribal Youth Centre under Aboriginal Peoples’ Program: Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth (CCAY). People have the power, and letters, especially individually written ones, do make a difference. 

Here are a list of contacts that you can send your letter of support to:

1.      Le Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec

225, Chef-Max-Gros-Louis, bureau 250
Wendake (Québec)
G0A 4V0
Téléphone : 418-842-6354
Ligne sans frais : 1-877-842-6354

2.      Josee Goulet – Executive director of the regroupement

josee.goulet@rcaaq.info

3.      Edith Cloutier – President of the regroupement

edith.cloutier@caavd-vdnfc.ca
819 825-8299

4.      National Association of Friendship Centres (their President is Jeff Syr).

275 MacLaren Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K2P 0L9

Tel: 613-563-4844
Toll Free: (877) 563-4844
Fax: 613-594-3428

The whole Friendship Centre Movement is funded by the department of Canadian Heritage.

Address:

Canadian Heritage
15 Eddy Street
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0M5

Email: info@pch.gc.ca

Telephone: 819-997-0055

Toll-free*: 1-866-811-0055

The minister of Canadian Heritage is James Moore.

Address:

Community Office
James Moore MP
2603 St. John’s Street
Port Moody, BC, V3H 2B5
604.937.5650
James.Moore@parl.gc.ca

Ottawa Office
James Moore MP
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A5
613.992.9650
James.Moore@parl.gc.ca

McGill University’s Aboriginal Sustainability Project and the Redpath Museum’s Freaky Friday Program is proud to announce that we will be hosting a film screening and Q & A with producer Christina Fon:

‘Reel Injun: On the Trail of the Hollywood Indian’

Join us afterward with a discussion with one of the producers on the film, Christina Fon.

Cree director Neil Diamond brings a wry and slightly mischievous wit to this insightful and entertaining documentary that traces the evolution of the powerful images of “the Indian” in Hollywood movies”

These images have influenced the understanding (and misunderstanding) of North American Natives in almost every corner of the world and have locked the North American natives into powerful stereotypes, from which they only recently started to break loose.

With clips from classic and modern films, candid interviews with famous Native and non-Native directors, writers, actors, and activists such as Clint Eastwood, Robbie Robertson, Wes Studi, Adam Beach, Graham Greene, John Trudell and Russell Means, as well as documentary sequences, where filmmaker Diamond guides us through the contemporary Native stereotyped and non-stereotyped landscape. REEL INJUN is a smart and entertaining exploration of pop culture, America’s myths and Hollywood’s fantasies about the “Indians of the Wild West”.

Visit our Facebook event page : https://www.facebook.com/events/414696768547607/

Friday, March 30

5:00pm – 8:00pm

Auditorium Redpath Museum
McGill University

FREE ADMISSION