2nd Annual Urban Indigenous Summit: Action for the Next Generation – Summit Program

Welcome to the second annual Urban Indigenous Summit: Action for the Next Generation! On behalf of the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) and the entire Friendship Centre Movement, I would like to extend our warmest and most heartfelt welcome to all of you as we convene on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Nation. [...] The assembly of the berries is a symbol of the harvesting and sharing of knowledge between communities and the building of networks. [...] Since February of 2022, the Winnipeg Indigenous Friendship Centre has been working with a group of Indigenous community organizations to participate in strong advocacy work at a Municipal level regarding the dangerous operations of the taxi services in Winnipeg, and the sexual, physical, and verbal assault that so many members of the Indigenous community face on a continual basis at the hands of t. [...] Her contribution has extended the influence of the Centre, as acknowledged through its numerous awards including, in 2010, an honourable mention at the “Rights and Freedom” from the Human Rights Commission of the province of Quebec, and the 2017 National Award of Excellence from the National Association of Friendship Centres. [...] In 2017, Claudette was the first appointed First Nation Elder in Residence for the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, and the first person of a First Nation heritage to be complete a full term on the Board of Governors for the University of Ottawa.