Indian and Metis Friendship Centre loses funding, lays off staff
North End fixture for 59 years now at risk of closing
The Indian and Metis Friendship Centre is at risk of closing its doors after 59 years in the North End.
Its funding was suspended on Jan. 31 by the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres, which distributes both provincial and federal funding to 11 Manitoba groups.
Norman Meade, vice-president of the IMFC board, said shutting down would be a blow to the community.
"It's a friendship centre because that's what you want it to be," said Meade. "A place where people can come and meet each other … come and feel it's theirs, not somebody else's, it's the community's."
The letter from the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres was addressed to board president Donna M'Lot and identified seven issues, including: failing to submit an application for funding on time, multiple complaints from community members, staff and board members, unstable staffing, and lack of community involvement and community partnerships.
According to the letter, the centre would have received $369,740 in funding for 2016-17.
"MAC must take steps to deal with IMFCW, and will be suspending all funding from MAC to IMFCW immediately, as well as commencing termination processes for all contribution agreements between MAC and IMFCW within the contract clauses," the letter reads. It will also be "seeking to recoup any funding" it determines has not been used for program purposes. The proposed solution was going into a receivership arrangement by a deadline of 9 a.m. the next day, Feb. 1.
Meade said the relationship between the board and the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres is broken. "There's always issues with boards. It's been a struggle with us for years," he said.
"We have an issue today that some would say is a board issue," said Meade.
The vice-president said he brought the issue to the board's attention in late December suggesting they call the IMFC members together and have them decide how to fix the problem.
"If they asked me to leave, I'd leave now. If I'm not doing good to those who we serve then I'd rather leave," said Meade. "Didn't sound like the board wanted to go there."
Five executive directors in one year
Rick Lavallee served as the executive director from June to December 2016. He said his contract was not renewed.
Lavallee was one of five people who held the position during the fiscal year, according to the letter from the Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres.
"I could see it coming," he said about learning the funding was being withheld. "I realized almost immediately that there were problems here."
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Lavallee, who worked with the province for 20 years before moving to the IMFC, said the centre hasn't had proper funding since 2013 because applications were not filed properly or at all.
"When I questioned the board as to why there are these irregularities and so forth, a finger was pointed at me and said well you're the ED, you should know," he said, adding he had only been on the job for a few weeks.
Lavallee said he had a fourth night of bingo added to the centre to bring in additional revenue to make up for funding discrepancies.
While the centre was supposed to receive more than $369,000, Lavallee said it only saw a fraction of that amount due to incomplete applications.
Still, he said, "It was the most gratifying [job] because of who we served in the community."
A membership meeting to "nominate and vote on new board members" has been called for Sunday at 2 p.m. at the IMFC at 45 Robinson Street.
CBC News has reached out to other board members, including board president M'Lot, for comment but has not heard back.
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