SUBMISSION Homelessness in Québec: Val-d Or and the First Nations Presented to: The Commission des affaires sociales By the: Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre October 20, 2008.
The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre dedicates this paper to Denis, Roderick, Huguette, Morgan, Ruby, Hugo and Lydia, our First Nation and Inuit brothers and sisters who remind us daily that we must care for each other. Page 2 of 22
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page 4 Homelessness: Val-d Or and the First Nations - Background Page 4 An Increasing Urban Aboriginal Population Page 4 VAL-D OR: A NORTHERN ELDORADO? Page 5 Val-d Or, An Integration Model. For Those Who Comply! Page 6 Present Shock Page 7 HOMELESSNESS: VAL-D OR AND ABORIGINAL PEOPLE Page 8 Barriers to Social Inclusion Page 9 Acting in Accordance with Traditional Values in a Modern Context Page 9 Pinpointing Aboriginal Homelessness in Val-d Or Page 10 RECOMMENDATIONS Page 12 CONCLUSION Page 20 BIBLIOGRAPHY Page 22 Page 3 of 22
I n t r o d u c t i o n Homelessness: Val-d Or and the First Nations - Background The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre appreciates the opportunity to put into perspective a new reality in Val-d Or concerning First Nations: that of Aboriginal homelessness. This submission, presented as part of the consultations by the Commission des Affaires sociales du Québec, is intended as a complement to the submissions tabled by our colleagues from the Montreal Native Friendship Centre (MNFC), the Regroupement des Centres d amitié autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ), the Assembly of First Nations of Québec and Labrador (AFNQL) and its Health and Social Services Commission (FNQHSSC). It is with full solidarity that the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre joins with its First Nations partners who also contribute to seeking and implementing long-lasting solutions to address the increasing homelessness phenomenon among our members. We join our voice to those of First Nations who urgently request access to decent and affordable housing for both on- and offreserve Aboriginal citizens. The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre s perspective on First Nations and Inuit homelessness is that of the frontline people who have been working on a daily basis for 35 years. Based in downtown Val-d Or, the Friendship Centre s workers occupy a front-row seat and witness a contemporary reality that no longer affects only large urban centres across the country: that of homelessness and more specifically the one affecting First Nations members in Val-d Or. An Increasing Urban Aboriginal Population For many years now, the urbanisation of Aboriginal people has been highly noticeable in Vald Or and its acceleration was predictable. According to a joint study conducted in 1990 by the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre and the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the Aboriginal population in Val-d Or was estimated at 2.5%. Statistics Canada s 2006 census shows that the resident Aboriginal population for the Val-d Or centre now represents 6.2%. To this resident population, we must add the Algonquin population from the neighbouring communities of Lac Simon and Kitcisakik with their 1 716 1 members who visit Val-d Or on a daily basis. Another significant data that allows to measure Aboriginal presence in Val-d Or is the fact that the Cree nation has chosen Val-d Or as an important place of convergence. For example, the Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay reported 5 462 2 Cree patients and escorts who came to Val-d Or in 2007-2008 to obtain services from the region s health institutions. An interesting fact is that practically all Cree babies were born in Val-d Or! The Commission des affaires sociales du Québec itself refers to Val-d Or as one of the main poles of attraction for Aboriginal people. 3 1 L observatoire de l Abitibi-Témiscamingue : Profil de la MRC Vallée-de-l Or, March 2003 2 Cree Board of Health and Social Services of James Bay: Annual Report 2007-2008 3 Commission des Affaires Sociales: Le phénomène de l itinérance au Québec, document de consultation, June 2008, page 5. Page 4 of 22
In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Val-d Or remains the Aboriginal metropolis of the North. Most of these newcomers to town are seeking a better life for themselves and their children. This is a daunting challenge considering that, as opposed to the aging Canadian population, 62% of the country s Aboriginal population is under the age of 29. Young people are no longer the future, they are the present. Service organisation in urban areas must respond to this population s unique and specific needs. Aboriginal people who settled in the city have to overcome huge obstacles to preserve their culture and identity. Many are faced with racism and discrimination and this makes them question their identity and values. Aboriginal people living in urban centres are faced with an unfamiliar system, with barriers that are difficult to overcome such as language, prejudice, lack of understanding of Aboriginal realities... In their desire for a better life for themselves and their children, First Nation members arriving in the city will naturally go to the Friendship Centre to obtain assistance and to have a place where they feel at home and that allows them to express a distinctive urban Aboriginal identity. In order to significantly contribute to reduce the urban Aboriginal people s vulnerability, services must be based on a culturally sensitive and holistic approach to health. Val-d Or: A Northern Eldorado? As often as not, I was repeatedly abused in all possible ways on a daily basis. I copied, emulated and passed on this behaviour. And then, one day, I decided I had enough and I left! I came to the city. I wanted to be elsewhere! I became a vagrant person! I know I ll go back to my community. In the meantime, I stay in the city. I don t do much, I m just here to see... I don t think about it. Testimony of a vagrant person recorded when the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre s intervention services were implemented in 1999. For certain First Nations members, Val-d Or is a choice, for others, an obligation. Urban Aboriginal people are now in such a vulnerable condition that they are forced to ask themselves fundamental questions, not only on their own fate but also on the future of their brothers and sisters living back home in the community. Urban Aboriginal people, after leaving their community and moving to town, gradually loose the natural protection of their community of origin but also come face to face with a non native environment that, without being necessarily hostile, has its own values and customs that are far from those defining Aboriginal identity. The shock of moving from the community to the city is therefore an additional obstacle for Aboriginal people who come to Val-d Or. Urban life differs from community life in many ways: anonymity in the city versus closeness of community life, public institutions functioning as compared to Band Council s, important differences between the community life code and that of the mainstream society in the city, socioeconomic discrepancies that accentuate poverty and social exclusion in First Nations. All these differences may partly explain the difficulties met by Aboriginal people when they move to an urban centre and the shock of transition. Based on our observations, we can conclude that Aboriginal people experiencing urban life are often torn between the desire to enjoy urban anonymity and the natural protection offered by community life. Hence it is not surprising that the Crees call the city of Val-d Or Sin City, referring to what cannot be found in the community: bars, Page 5 of 22
poker machines, alcohol, drug, prostitutes Many indulge in these activities for a weekend; others mostly men will stay more or less longer. Val-d Or, an Integration Model. For Those Who Comply! The daily challenges addressed by the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre since 1974 include working at improving the quality of life of Aboriginal people in Val-d Or, promoting Aboriginal culture and building bridges with the non Aboriginal community. 35 years ago, the Friendship Centre was already the organisation that Aboriginal people of all ages naturally turned to for urban services in all aspects of life. Through a wide range of services and actions, the Friendship Centre supports the urban and transiting Aboriginal population in its development, and assists them in achieving their rightful place within the Val-d Or community. The Friendship Centre s sustained efforts for over 30 years aimed at ensuring a community-to-city transition as smooth as possible were certainly instrumental in having Val-d Or recognised as (translation) a model of Aboriginal people integration. 4 But integration cannot be achieved without some difficulties. For a First Nation citizen, adapting to a living environment where institutions are decentralised and scattered, very different from those he has always dealt with, is a tremendous shock. Thus, an urban Aboriginal institution must play a determining role in the lives of those who move to the city. Several factors come into play. Poverty affects up to 51% 5 of youth population, which makes it more difficult for them to adapt. Access to housing, stress, high unemployment, racism, illiteracy, alcoholism, drug addiction, suicide, teenage pregnancy, spousal and family violence, sexual risk behaviours, are all factors that influence the living conditions of urban Aboriginal people. In Val-d Or, the fact that the urban space is not longer exclusive to the citizens of Vald Or, a majority of whom are Québécois and francophone, requires the community to reconsider the relations between its citizens. The increased and visible presence of Aboriginal people in the town centre is a direct consequence of First Nations population growth. In Val-d Or, the community had resolved to be the host city for the Aboriginal communities, specially the James Bay communities that fuel Val-d Or s economy. Now, the host city is changing and becomes more of an adoptive city for the Northern Quebec Crees and the Algonquins of Abitibi-Témiscamingue. This change does not take place without creating some discomfort among the citizens who see their urban space invaded by others. Hence the inevitable reconfiguration of the relations that must define the true coexistence between peoples. Present Shock Statistics on Aboriginal people s health and socioeconomic conditions are toe curling and put pressures on the Friendship Centre to offer more specialised and client-friendly 4 Commission des Affaires Sociales : Le phénomène de l itinérance au Québec, document de consultation, June 2008, page 5. 5 Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre. L Arbre de la grande paix : étude pour l implantation d un service d intervention psychosociale pour les Autochtones à Val-d Or, 1999. Page 6 of 22
services. The world human development index which considers income level, life expectancy and literacy rate ranked Canada in the 8 th position among all the countries in 2003. That same year, Aboriginal people in Canada ranked seventy-eighth. Aboriginal people live in conditions similar to those of so-called advanced third-world countries such a Mexico. In 2001, 48% of off-reserve Aboriginal youths between the age of 20 and 24 had not completed secondary school as compared with 26% of young Canadians of the same age. 6 Still in 2001, about 17% of off-reserve Aboriginal people lived in overcrowded housing. This was an improvement from 1996 but still a proportion substantially above the Canadian average (7% more). 7 The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre s partners also report upsetting data regarding the use of their services by vulnerable First Nation members in our city: Aboriginal people accounted for 20% of the clients having occupied a bed at the La Piaule homeless shelter in 2007-2008. Out of 346 persons served during that year, 69 were Aboriginal, most of them from Cree and Algonquin origin. According to the frontline nurse of the Pikatemps program, a HIV/AIDS and hepatitis screening clinic, 45% of the clients were Aboriginal in the past year (2007-2008). At the women s shelter Le Nid, in 2007-2008, 151 Aboriginal women and children were admitted on a total of 207 admissions, accounting for 73% of the clientele. Also, the Regional County Municipality of Vallée-de-l Or (MRC) reported a striking fact in a study conducted in 1998-1999 on the social and health profile of young Aboriginal persons on their territory. The report states that: (Translation) ( ) these workers and researchers tell us that the Vallée-de-l Or MRC community is faced with social and health problems comparable to other communities when the Aboriginal community is not considered in the general data, and when we compare these data with that of non Aboriginal communities. This observation reflects the magnitude and disproportion of the various problems experienced by the Aboriginal community. 8 6 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, A Portrait of Aboriginal Children Living in Non-reserve Areas: Results from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2001, Statistics Canada. 7 Aboriginal Peoples Survey: Well-being of the Non-Reserve Aboriginal Population, 2001, Statistics Canada. 8 Portrait socio-sanitaire des jeunes Autochtones. Programme travailleur de rue, 1998-1999, MRC de la Vallée-de-l Or, p. 102. Page 7 of 22
Homelessness: Val-d Or and Aboriginal People Barriers to Social Inclusion On June 26, 2008, in partnership with the Research and Knowledge Network Relating to Aboriginal Peoples (DIALOG), the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre hosted a discussion on Aboriginal social exclusion and poverty issues. The discussion brought together 15 Aboriginal and non Aboriginal participants from Val-d Or. On the issue of Aboriginal homelessness in Val-d Or, the participants agreed on the following observation 9 : (Translation) While the notion of need cannot be presumed, understanding the relations between being poor and being Aboriginal requires that we take into account the fact that being disadvantaged in the city does not have the same meaning and consequences for an Aboriginal and a non Aboriginal person. Of course, the basic needs such as food, sleep and shelter are the same for everybody. However, there exist poverty subcultures where, as we can expect, nationality informs the degree and impact of poverty. A participant mentioned that homeless persons know among themselves that it is a lot more difficult to be a poor Aboriginal person than being a poor Caucasian. What we are really talking about here is the prevailing prejudices against Aboriginal people. Underlying prejudices against First Nations persons influence the way the Val-d Or citizen looks at an Aboriginal person on main street. The participants went further in their observations and said that: (Translation) This reminds us of the extent to which, in the public opinion, a drunk Indian is always more visible than a drunk White person ; an Aboriginal welfare recipient is always lazier and less worthy than a non Aboriginal. Poverty also has a lot to do with individuals and communities vulnerability to alienating structures and the resulting weakness of the social fabric. Conversely, when they succeed in something, their merit is not necessarily recognised. On the other hand, the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse among homeless First Nations people is a reality that cannot be ignored when addressing homelessness in Vald Or. This reality can be perceived in police interventions in Val-d Or involving detentions related to drug or alcohol addiction. In 2007-2008, the Val-d Or station of the Sûreté du Québec recorded a total of 306 offences that lead to this type of detentions, a majority 9 Réseau DIALOG. Exclusion sociale et Premières Nations-regards d intervenants. Journée d échange à Val-d Or. Juin 2008. Page 8 of 22
of which are related to arrests on grounds of peace and good order disturbance as well as drug/alcohol intoxication. These data confirm that these detentions (estimated at 80% of total detentions, subject to correction) included a large majority of First Nations individuals. Furthermore, the arrested individuals practically all of them in the case of Aboriginal persons did not have a fixed address in town or were undesired in their community of origin, which explains the frequency of detentions for these offenses. Discrimination, difficulty to access decent housing, meaningful jobs and active citizen participation, combined with the shock of transition from the community to the city, are the major obstacles faced by First Nations members when arriving in Val-d Or and that keep them outside the pale of dominant society. Acting in Accordance with Traditional Values in a Modern Context The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centres, as front line witness of the changes caused by the increased presence of Aboriginal people in Val-d Or, is currently considering the need, and even the urgency, to implement an intervention approach that would complement its already existing psychosocial intervention service. In fact, Aboriginal homelessness, as defined by the Commission des affaires sociales du Québec, is an issue that emerged only a few years ago in Val-d Or, as opposed to large urban centres such as Montreal. Admittedly, very mobile Aboriginal individuals who travel regularly between the city and the community end up more often than not as wanderers. These wandering persons will stay for variable periods of time with friends, family members or acquaintances. The Friendship Centre s frontline services are known and used by these wandering individuals. Now, in the past few years, five at the most, the Friendship Centre s workers have been faced with the homelessness phenomenon, which includes homeless and street people. The Centre s workers are faced with the complex problems surrounding homelessness and the need to extend the services to respond to these emerging needs. Aboriginal urbanisation is increasing. In the past, people were more or less concerned by the presence of Aboriginal people in urban centres as the latter were only short-time visitors. The significant increased of urban Aboriginal people creates a feeling of malaise and even rejection in many people. What means do these new citizens have at their disposal to cope with this new urban reality? It is clear from the start that Aboriginal communities themselves have neither the resources nor the means that would allow them to support their members who move to town and even less those who end up in a homeless situation. On the other hand, let us keep in mind that the host towns are not prepared to deal with these new citizens whose needs are many and complex. In Val-d Or, there exists a streetworkers program. But these services, initially implemented for street youth, must now be reviewed and updated in order to be adjusted to the new reality in Val-d Or: that of increased and visible Aboriginal homelessness. Maybe it is time for the Agence de santé et de services sociaux de l Abitibi-Témiscamingue to consider transferring the streetwork mandate to the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre. Page 9 of 22
In fact, the resources that these Aboriginals can access today are those they have developed themselves in the past years. Indeed, to protect their identity and ensure the preservation of their culture, to develop services adapted to their many realities, to assist each other with the new challenges imposed by the city, Aboriginal people have come together and created gathering places that contribute to strengthen their identity and their cultural, social, economic and political life. These places are the Native Friendship Centres, which are frontline service crossroads based in urban centres where Aboriginal people from neighbouring communities naturally converge. Prompted by the increasing Aboriginal homelessness phenomenon in Val-d Or, the Friendship Centre is currently updating its intervention approach to adapt it to this new reality. Streetwork and a culturally sensitive outreach approach (i.e. proactive tracking) must be considered to reach out to street people. This exercise must allow to identify two types of solution: one that will translate into pragmatic strategies to create linkages between the Centre s workers and street people; and another one that will engage the community at large community organisations, CSSS de la Vallée-de-l Or, Sûreté du Québec, Town Council, Algonquin and Cree community authorities into a concerted action to fill the service gap affecting this population. It would be unfortunate that, as a result of our failure to act, the scales tip towards old racist and disparaging reflexes. Too many efforts have been made in the past three decades to change the Val-d Or citizens perception of Aboriginal people, build bridges between peoples and break the wall of indifference and prejudice. Pinpointing Aboriginal Homelessness in Val-d Or It is not possible to draw a single profile of the social exclusion of Aboriginal people in urban centres. Of course, for a homeless Inuk in Montreal or a homeless Cree in Vald Or, street life is a harsh reality and survival is a daily struggle. What is new in Val-d Or is the fact that Cree, Inuk, Algonquin or Attikamekw people are no longer mere visitors. Val-d Or is no longer a springboard towards large urban centres for the undesired members of the Cree and Algonquin communities. Val-d Or is a city of happy medium - accessible, not too large and located near the community of origin. These men and women who left their community and settled in town are in a way a subclass of the Val-d Or street people. Going back home is now a very rare occurrence. Home is now the city on a temporary basis without really knowing for how long... At the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre, we are of the opinion that a culturally sensitive approach is required to elaborate intervention strategies. The Friendship Centre s workers summarised this approach as follows: This type of approach (culturally sensitive) first requires that workers develop a true understanding of the historical - (more particularly the Indian Act and the residential schools), legal (status and treaties), Page 10 of 22
political (self-government), cultural (traditional ways of life and their preservation), economic (land management) and social context of Aboriginal people. Second, this understanding must be kept in mind to identify the impacts it has on any individual in particular. In other words, the strategies to be deployed must take into account the individual, the context he or she lives in, and the way this context affects the individual who asks for support, assistance or counselling. Page 11 of 22
Recommendations Our recommendations are made with a view to receiving the Québec government s support to our actions aimed at improving the quality of life of our urban community members. Based on our 35-year experience of community, social and cultural activism in Val-d Or, we can say without hesitation that First Nations are in the best position to offer frontline services to their homeless members and the impacts of this increasing phenomenon on our cities. To this end, the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre offers its experience, expertise and network to serve its own community as well as the Québec society. 1) Recognising the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre s Work: In Québec, Native Friendship Centres are present in 8 cities and represent 40 years of work with urban Aboriginal people. The Québec First Nations Socioeconomic Forum, held in October 2006, was an exceptional opportunity that allowed highlighting First Nations urban and off-reserve issues. For the Friendship Centres movement, this Forum was also a convenient opportunity for the conclusion of partnership agreements with actors of the Québec civil society: CSN, Chantier d économie sociale du Québec and Union des municipalités du Québec. The Québec government made several commitments to the Regroupement des Centres d amitié autochtones du Québec in the following development areas: health, social services, early childhood, social development, education, culture, language, economy, employment and income security, infrastructures and housing as well as sustainable community development and youth support programs. We recommend that the Québec government renew the commitments it made to the RCAAQ at the Québec First Nations Socioeconomic Forum. These renewed and formalised commitments will be made in relation to the strategic direction adopted by the Québec Native Friendship Centres movement and stated as follows: The improvement of the quality of life of First Nations citizens living in urban areas and outside their community depends on the efforts made to fight poverty and social exclusion. Page 12 of 22
2) Renewal of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) of the Canadian Government: Thanks to the federal National Homelessness Initiative Urban Aboriginal Homelessness (UAH) component launched in 1999, the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre was able to implement a psychosocial intervention service in 2001. This service allows the Centre to act upon homelessness prevention while ensuring a continuum of services for Aboriginal people at risk and experiencing social problems. The UAH has become the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) and will be terminated on March 31, 2009. To this day, there has been no indication that the Strategy will be renewed by the federal government. We recommend that the Québec government take a clear political position on the renewal of the Canadian government s Homelessness Partnering Strategy to ensure that the current initiatives are maintained beyond March 31, 2009. Page 13 of 22
3. Rebuilding La Piaule de Val-d Or Project: La Piaule de Val-d Or is a Native Friendship Centre s key partner in its efforts to address homelessness. Founded 25 years ago, La Piaule s mission is to offer emergency lodging to homeless people in Val-d Or. The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre employees work in collaboration with La Piaule s employees. Our respective organisations offer complementary services. La Piaule s lodging statistics for 2007-2008 show that 20% of their clients are Aboriginal. The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre also has a seat on La Piaule s Board of Directors in order to share our knowledge of the specific realities of Aboriginal people. We recommend that the Québec government renew the Programme achatrénovation d infrastructures communautaires (Community Infrastructures Purchase/Renovation Program). This program, which was under the responsibility of the Ministère des Affaires municipales et des régions (MAMR) and jointly administered with the Secrétariat à l action communautaire autonome du Québec, is a solution to address the complex homelessness problem. Of course, the program should be allocated sufficient funds to successfully implement structuring projects. The program criteria should target as a priority the infrastructure projects designed to provide shelter to the homeless. The program should also take into account the new realities facing the cities located in the regions. The homelessness challenge is no longer exclusive to large urban centres such as Montreal. Page 14 of 22
4. Accès-logis (Housing Access) Program: The first obstacle encountered by Aboriginal people in Val-d Or is that of housing access. In this regard, the report of the National Council of Welfare is clear: As with all indicators of Aboriginal child and youth poverty, housing does not stand alone but must rather be viewed as interconnected to all other elements (social, cultural, linguistic, economic and educational aspects) of the experience of Aboriginal peoples, including racism and discrimination. 10 In Val-d Or, the problem of accessing decent housing for Aboriginal people is related to structural and situational factors. It is structural in the sense that the housing crisis affecting Aboriginal communities contributes to the migration from the community to the city. As observed by AFNQL in its brief on homelessness: (Translation) Acute housing needs exist not only in the communities but also outside of them as a large number of urban Aboriginal people live below the poverty line. In addition to their difficult living conditions, urban Aboriginal people are faced with racism, discrimination and intolerance from many non Aboriginal citizens. The housing problem in Val-d Or is also due to the economic situation, which is booming with the upturn in the region s mining sector. This new reality causes a housing shortage. CMHC indicates that the vacancy rate in Val-d Or is one of the lowest in Québec, at 0.1%! We recommend that the Québec government renew the Accès-logis program in order to allow for the implementation of structuring construction projects in social housing for urban Aboriginal people, in both large urban centres and regional towns with an Aboriginal population. We recommend that the Accès-logis program for 2000 units be increased at 2200 units to encourage and promote the development of Aboriginal projects in regional towns. 10 Government of Canada. National Council on Welfare. Report: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Children and Youth: Time to Act. Fall 2007. Page 15 of 22
5. Québec Government s Plan to Fight Poverty and Social Exclusion: The Regroupement des Centres d amitié autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ) has proposed to work in close cooperation with the Ministère de l emploi et de la solidarité sociale du Québec (MESSQ) to develop the second Poverty and Social Exclusion Plan of the Québec government in order to integrate the specific issues of off-reserve Aboriginal people. We recommend that the second Poverty and Social Exclusion Plan of the Québec government include the realities of urban Aboriginal people. We recommend that the MESSQ support the RCAAQ s proposal to pilot an initiative that will foster a joint process, based on the integrated territorial approach, of the eight Natives Friendship Centres in Québec on the issue of poverty and social exclusion so that the next action plan takes into account the urban Aboriginal people s specific realities. 6. Pacte pour l emploi (Employment Pact): In 2008, the Québec government introduced the Employment Pact. It consists in a series of measures designed to meet the enterprises labour market needs and to support all the individuals in their efforts to sustainably integrate the labour market. Although silent on the Aboriginal labour force potential, the Employment Pact is a broad scope strategy that promotes skills development. We recommend that the Québec government officially recognise in the Employment Pact the Aboriginal labour force potential in Québec. We recommend that concrete strategies for labour force and skills development and promotion be established, in close partnership with First Nations, and that they be integrated in the Employment Pact. We recommend that MESSQ make technical and financial resources available to First Nations to ensure the inclusion into the Employment Pact of strategies developed by First Nations. Page 16 of 22
7. Aboriginal Health Transition Fund: an opportunity for Québec to take its responsibility towards its population The Aboriginal Health Transition Fund (AHTF) was introduced by the federal government in 2006 and assigned to Health Canada. The AHTF objectives are as follows: to better integrate health services funded by the federal, provincial and territorial governments; to improve access to health services; to offer health programs that are better adapted to the unique needs of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people; to increase First Nations, Inuit and Métis people s participation in the design, delivery and evaluation of health programs and services. The AHTF includes a component that (translation) promotes a better adaptation of the existing services in the Québec network to the needs of First Nations and Inuits, including those living outside of the communities 11 The population-based approach introduced by the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec (MSSS) and assigned to the CSSS requires that the intervention be based on an assessment of the population s needs in each territory and on the contribution of health services to its health and wellness. The AHTF is an advantageous way for the Québec government to meet its obligations towards the population by engaging into a partnership with the Native Friendship Centres of Québec. As part of an AHTF, the Regroupement des Centres d amitié autochtones du Québec and the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre have proposed to Health Canada and MSSS to develop a local model for adapting and complementing health and social services between the CSSS and the Friendship Centre. By implementing a clinical and organisational project for urban Aboriginal people, the CSSS de la Vallée-de-l Or would be involved in the project as a partner. The endpurpose would be to develop service protocols between the CSSS and the Friendship Centre. This local model would then be implemented in other MRCs where Friendship Centres exist. 11 MSSS, Fonds de transition en santé autochtone-document de présentation: Enveloppe adaptation des services de santé. March 2008. Page 17 of 22
We recommend that the Québec government support the Regroupement des Centres d amitié autochtone du Québec and the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre in concluding a funding agreement with Health Canada to implement, in collaboration with the Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux du Québec, the project submitted under the Aboriginal Health Transition Fund. We recommend that the Agences de santé et de services sociaux (Health and Social Services Agencies) that have a Friendship Centre on their territory include actions specifically designed for urban Aboriginal users in their strategic plan and this, in accordance with the MSSS population-based approach. Page 18 of 22
8. Streetwork Program in Val-d Or: In 1999, the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre was actively involved in the implementation of the Streetwork Program, an initiative of the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l Abitibi-Témiscamingue (ASSS-AT). Now, based on our observations, 10 years after its inception, this initiative has not been a success with the Aboriginal clientele in Val-d Or. Considering that the Streetwork Program has been operating for 10 years in the MRC; Considering that the Val-d Or downtown urban space is increasingly occupied by Aboriginal people; Considering that this service has had its ups and downs, which, in 2006, required a joint community effort in which the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre participated to refocus the Streetwork Program in the MRC de la Vallée-de-l Or; Considering that le Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre has publicly demonstrated to both the community partners and the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l Abitibi- Témiscamingue its interest and will to take over the management and coordination of the Streetwork Program in Val-d Or; We recommend that the Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de l Abitibi-Témiscamingue assess the impacts and consequences, both positive and negative, of devolving the management of the Streetwork Program to the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre. This assessment should include directions on adjustments to be made to the Streetwork Program strategies, 10 years after the introduction of the program. These strategies should be adjusted, adapted and updated to reflect the reality of the Val-d Or street scene. Page 19 of 22
C o n c l u s i o n In Val-d Or, homelessness has a face: that of a Cree man from Waskaganish sunk deep in alcohol abuse, completely disconnected from or excluded by his community. Or the face of a young Algonquin woman soothing her distress with drugs and prostituting herself to pay for it? In Val-d Or, homelessness has a colour: it has brown skin and black eyes, easy to recognise in this town typically québécoise, francophone and white. In Val-d Or, homelessness speaks many languages, a real Tower of Babel: Cree, Algonquin, Attikamekw and even Inuktitut. A bit of French, some English By putting into perspective the homelessness phenomenon affecting First Nations men and women in Val-d Or, the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre wishes to share with the Québec society its compassion and empathy for those who are part of our most vulnerable members 12. The Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre also believes that, in order to bring our homeless fellow First Nations citizens to give up their self-destructive behaviours, it is essential for the Canadian and Québec governments to recognise that First Nations are in the best position to meet the needs of their members, regardless of residence. For the past 35 years, the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre has been working at improving Aboriginal people s quality of life, preserving their culture and identity and building bridges between peoples. Native Friendship Centres have made relentless efforts for almost 40 years in Québec to initiate and maintain dialogue, sharing and openness to otherness in the cities. The recently concluded agreements between the Regroupement des Centres d amitié autochtones du Québec and actors of the Québec civil society bear witness to the progress made by First Nations and the Québec people in terms of our relations. Based on our 35-year experience and presence in downtown Val-d Or, we can testify that social change in our city one with a specific Aboriginal component is well and truly under way. This social change, with all the challenges it involves, must be carried by all. The actors of both the Aboriginal and Québec civil societies as well as the Québec and First Nations governments must take action to address this new reality: a reality that makes no distinction between territoriality and urbanity, between the community and the city, between an off-reserve and an on-reserve Indian. The reality we are talking about is that of the street, of poverty and marginality. Faced with the urgency to act, we, at the Val-d Or Native Friendship Centre, are of the opinion that the urban Aboriginal homelessness issue must be addressed based on a 12 MSSS, Fonds de transition en santé autochtone-document de présentation : Enveloppe adaptation des services de santé. Mars 2008. Page 20 of 22
culturally sensitive community and social approach. We also believe that actions must be lead by frontline resources working for urban Aboriginal people: the Native Friendship Centres. This position should not be seen as dissenting from or opposed to the Québec First Nations political process. On the contrary, Native Friendship Centres have stated and will continue to state their solidarity in the fights lead by First Nations in Québec. The First Nations governments are the political authority and represent the interests of all their citizens, whether they live on or off reserve. What we want to put into perspective is the fact that First Nations and Inuit men and women are faced with a distress that has no political colour. These men and women have the right to benefit from the same opportunities as their fellow citizens and have the right to dignity that allows our people to keep their heads high. Let us work TOGETHER to ensure a common social space where all citizens will feel at home! Page 21 of 22
B I B L I O G R A P H Y ASSEMBLÉE DES FIRST NATIONS DU QUÉBEC ET DU LABRADOR et LA COMMISSION DE LA SANTÉ ET DES SERVICES SOCIAUX DES FIRST NATIONS DU QUÉBEC ET DU LABRADOR, Mémoire (version provisoire) Le phénomène de l itinérance chez les First Nations du Québec, présenté à la Commission des affaires sociales, Octobre 2008. ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE DU QUÉBEC PLACE AUX CITOYENS, Le phénomène de l itinérance au Québec mandat d initiative (document de consultation), juin 2008. CENTRE D AMITIÉ AUTOCHTONE DE MONTRÉAL, Mémoire déposé dans le cadres des Audiences publiques de la Commission des affaires sociales sur le phénomène de l itinérance, 29 septembre 2008. VAL-D OR NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE, Document de mise en candidature pour le Prix d excellence du réseau de la santé et des services sociaux, Édition 2004-2005, Décembre 2004. CONSEIL NATIONAL DU BIEN-ÊTRE SOCIAL, Rapports du Conseil national du bien-être social Agissons maintenant, pour les enfants et les jeunes Métis, Inuits et des First Nations. Automne 2007 Volume No. 127 GOUVERNEMENT DU CANADA - SANTÉ CANADA, Document de présentation Fonds de Transition en santé autochtone, Mars 2008. GOUVERNEMENT DU QUÉBEC, ministère de la Santé et des services sociaux, Document de présentation Fonds de transition en santé autochtone. Mars 2008. LA PIAULE DE VAL-D OR, Principales statistiques autochtones Année 2007-2008. Octobre 2008. MAISON D HÉBERGEMENT LE NID POUR FEMMES VICTIMES DE VIOLENCE CONJUGALE, VAL-D OR INC., Statistiques du 1 er avril 2007 au 31 mars 2008. MINISTÈRE DE LA SANTÉ ET SERVICES SOCIAUX DU QUÉBEC, L itinérance au Québec, Cadre de référence. Septembre 2008. MINISTÈRE DE L EMPLOI ET DE LA SOLIDARITÉ SOCIALE, Plan d action gouvernemental en matière de lutte contre la pauvreté et l exclusion sociale, Bilan de la quatrième année, Octobre 2008. MINISTÈRE DE L EMPLOI ET DE LA SOLIDARITÉ SOCIALE, MINISTÈRE DE L ÉDUCATION DU LOISIR ET DU SPORT, Le pacte pour l emploi : le Québec, de toutes ses forces. 2008 SÛRETÉ DU QUÉBEC, Statistiques entre le 1 er avril 2007 et le 31 mars 2008. Octobre 2008 REGROUPEMENT DES CENTRES D AMITIÉ AUTOCHTONES DU QUÉBEC, Mémoire déposé dans le cadre des Audiences publiques de la Commission des affaires sociales sur le phénomène de l itinérance, 14 octobre 2008. LE RÉSEAU QUÉBECOIS DE RECHERCHE ET DE CONNAISANCE RELATIVES AUX PEUPLES AUTOCHTONES DIALOG (VAL-D OR) Compte rendu de la Journée d échange du 26 juin 2008 «Exclusion sociale et First Nations. Regards d intervenant»s. Juin 2008. Page 22 of 22