From: Coscuya-Annita Mcphee
Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005 3:07 PM
Subject: PRESS RELEASE-Aboriginal Caravan to KELOWNA TO Attend First Ministers
Meeting
PRESS RELEASE
November 23, 2005
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver Aboriginal Caravan to First Ministers’ Meeting in Kelowna
In preparation of the First Minister’s Meeting on Aboriginal Affairs in Kelowna
on November 24th and 25th, 2005, the United Native Nations, the Vancouver
Aboriginal Council, the Aboriginal Mothers Centre, and the Vancouver Aboriginal
Friendship Centre Society are working together to send a 200 aboriginal person
caravan from Vancouver to attend the meetings that plans to focus in on ending
Aboriginal poverty in ten years by addressing a broad range of housing issues
from homelessness to home ownership.
On the eve of this historical meeting, at 8pm; David Dennis, Vice President of
the United Native Nations together with Kelly L’Hirondelle, Executive Director
of Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association will be conducting a walkabout
with outreach workers from Vancouver’s downtown East Side because of the
serious economic, social and public safety challenges that aboriginal people
are facing in this community. Dennis states, “We want to go to our urban
aboriginal community and hear their concerns and make sure that these are
included in our key issues at of homelessness and missing aboriginal women.”
Dennis and L’Hirondelle want to address these issues and make sure that their
voices are heard in Kelowna by encouraging aboriginal people in Vancouver to
join the caravan that is leaving from Vancouver on Friday, November 25th from
the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre and Carnegie Community Centre. So
far, many families and elders have joined the Caravan.
In the Greater Vancouver area, Aboriginal people make up 34% of the homeless
population. Given that the total Aboriginal Population in Greater Vancouver is
approximately 2% of the population, Aboriginal people are overrepresented among
the homeless. According to Patrick Stewart, Chair of the Vancouver Aboriginal
Homelessness Steering Committee;” Vancouver is in desperate need for better
living accommodations for Aboriginal People. There is a definite need for a
full continuum of housing; right from a barrier free off the Street Aboriginal
owned and operated shelters to owner occupied units.” Between the three urban
non-profit Native housing societies (Vancouver Native Housing, Luma Native
Housing and Kekinow); there is a combined waiting list of over 5,000 aboriginal
people and since 2002, the homelessness population in Vancouver has doubled.
For more information, please contact:
David Dennis, Vice-President, United Native Nations at: (604) 868-4283
Respectfully,
Coscuya-Annita McPhee
Tu-Dah Training & Consulting Services
