Achi news desk-
The Manitoba government is creating a new $15 million “healing and empowerment” endowment fund, which will offer support to the families of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls and two spirits (MMIWG2S+).
Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine made the announcement on Red Dress Day, a day meant to remember and honor MMIWG2S+.
He called the endowment historic and transformational, stressing that this money will help support directly affected families.
“All of us who have been doing this work and are involved in the community know Bernice and Wilfred Catcheway. And every year, they go looking for their beautiful daughter Jennifer Catcheway. They have searched our state high and low, and they have done so on their own dollars. This endowment fund will help support that.”
Fontaine says the fund will also help fund front-line Indigenous-led organizations, and support family members who want to further their education, or access healing and ceremony.
She says she will be a permanent fixture in the province, continuing long after she leaves office.
“Regardless of what government is in place in Manitoba, this endowment fund will exist. Regardless of which minister is in charge, this endowment fund will always exist for families.”
Raven Hart and the Kind Hart Women Singers perform an honor song at Sunday’s announcement.
Arsalan Saeed / GLOBAL NEWS
The investment is expected to generate up to $750-thousand annually, which will be paid in application-based grants.
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“This is going to mean the world to so many families, and help save so many families’ lives,” said housing and addictions minister Bernadette Smith.
“As a family that has been affected by this, I know how difficult it is for many of our families who are struggling through this. Struggling to access money, struggling to even get a poster put up, to get resources, to be able to access a ceremony, to get gas money to go into the city to look for their loved ones, to get a place to stay. “
The fund will accept donations, and Fontaine hopes it will grow to $50 million one day.
“To that end, we will ensure that we seek donations from corporate entities, businesses, etc. Anyone who says they believe in reconciliation, that they are on the path of reconciliation, act on it. Implement that and invest in the endowment fund.”
Guidelines for eligibility and distribution will be developed in the coming months, in partnership with MMIWG2S+ families, Cylch y Matriarch and community partners.
The project is expected to launch in 2025, and will be managed by the Winnipeg Foundation.
& copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
