The Native Aboriginal Health Organization, which closes it’s doors in six days, is not the only organization which aims to help Native communities in Canada, to be struck by the governments budget cuts.
RedFox an organization which has helps over 15,000 families of off reserve Aboriginal families and low income housing a year by providing the opportunity to kids, allowing participate in community building activities like camps and after school programs, which create childhood memories that these kids would otherwise not be able to afford.
The non-profit organization which has numerous awards, saw a 22 Million dollar grant frozen by the Treasury Board on Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth. The freeze comes as a shock to many MPs of Vancouver and surrounding area, after Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan had stated that Cultural Connections Programs would be safe from the cuts.
RedFox was given a false sense of security from received $85,000 from this grant, which stretches out the 22 million dollars to various organizations to help aboriginal youth.
In the past RedFox had relied on money coming from other donors and partnerships with private businesses to keep their doors open. With expectation of the grant being renewed the organization invested $25,000 in plans to further expand the program, having 70% of their budget relying on the $85,000 grant, which RedFox accepted in April.
The shocking chill, which will continue to send shivers through the spine of many organizations who relied on this allocated 22 Million dollar grant, has forced RedFox to immediately close their doors as the summer sets in.
On Thursday in parliament Nanaimo-Cowichan MP, Jean Crowder, who’s district will be effected by the freeze asked Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan, why the Treasury Board had frozen the funds
Duncan, who had just met with the national president Cultural Connections for Aboriginal Youth, stated “We are very concerned about this issue”. Duncan then explained that the government wants to “realign the program to meet the current needs for skills training and job readiness”.
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