Government of Canada provides support to Indigenous communities including Lac La Ronge Indian Band

June 20, 2019
La Ronge, Saskatchewan
Public Safety Canada

The Government of Canada is committed to building a renewed relationship with Indigenous Peoples based on respect, cooperation and partnership.

The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, today announced more than $3 million in funding to the Canadian Red Cross under the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) for the project entitled Creating Safe Environments with Indigenous Communities.

This project helps vulnerable communities assess their specific risks for violence and guides them on developing customized long term action plans to prevent and respond to violence. In addition, the Canadian Red Cross will update the Walking the Prevention Circle course to reflect new research on historical harms to ensure all leaders and service providers within the community help create lasting change.

The communities that have been selected represent a variety of Indigenous communities across the country ranging from remote, northern communities to large urban centres, including Lac La Ronge Indian Band. The project will reach up to 36,500 community members over two years and is delivered in collaboration with existing Red Cross partners such as PREVnet, RCMP Indigenous Policing and Kids Help Phone.

Quotes

“All of our communities should be safe places where families can feel secure – here in La Ronge and across the country. In partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, today’s announcement is a significant investment in culturally-relevant prevention programming that recognizes the importance of the historical context of Indigenous communities, and helps address the public safety needs of Indigenous Peoples across Canada.”

– The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

“A community can have significant influence on the future and safety of their children, and that is fundamentally what this project is about. Across the country, the Canadian Red Cross is collaborating with communities to build on their strengths in recreating and supporting healthy environments for their children and youth, rooted in Indigenous cultures and practices. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work in partnership with Indigenous communities throughout this project and beyond and thank the Government of Canada for their ongoing support.”

– Shelley Cardinal, National Indigenous Advisor, Canadian Red Cross

Quick facts

• The Government of Canada has made up to $94 million available over five years through the National Crime Prevention Strategy to develop inclusive, diverse and culturally adapted crime prevention projects across Canada. These projects will use new and innovative approaches to crime prevention that seek to expand partnerships, engage more Indigenous communities, and include more experts in addressing the gaps and challenges in reaching vulnerable communities.
• From April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019, the Government of Canada committed to funding 84 community-based crime prevention projects across Canada, with up to $42.6 million committed over the coming years to support the implementation and evaluation of these programs.
• In June 2017, the Prime Minister of Canada and the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations signed a memorandum of understanding on shared priorities, of which “policing and community safety issues affecting First Nations” was the number one shared priority. Today’s funding announcement directly addresses this priority and will help make the lives of over 36,500 people safer.

Associated links

• National Crime Prevention Strategy

Contacts

Scott Bardsley
Manager of Media and Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-998-5681
scott.bardsley@canada.ca

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
ps.mediarelations-relationsaveclesmedias.sp@canada.ca

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