Indigenous Culture Fund Rally to call out Ford on cuts
By Kelly Anne Smith
NIPISSING FIRST NATION—Premier Doug Ford can expect to be told to restore the Indigenous Culture Fund (ICF) at a Queen’s Park rally planned for February 26 at noon.
In mid-December last year, the Progressive Conservative Government slashed funding for the ICF from $5 million to $2.75 million.
At the rally, an open letter will be read to Ford to shed some light on the success of the short-lived program.
A concerned Anishinaabekwe from Nipissing First Nation says the fund had direct positive benefits for First Nations across the province.
Aylan Couchie encourages all MPPs to “show up and learn,” at the rally.
Couchie cautions that most people, including politicians, don’t understand what the fund is for.
“This fight isn’t really about the reduced funding. It’s really about saving the whole program,” explains Couchie. “The Indigenous Culture Fund exists to fund cultural revitalization projects such as language and Indigenous knowledge. The problem is that people, including those cutting the fund, think it’s about the arts. It’s administered through the Ontario Arts Council (OAC). Ontarians think it’s just about the arts but the fund is there for youth, Elders and community.”
Couchie points out that the fund is part of Ontario’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls to action.
“It allows communities to access funds to create their own programming based on community need.”
Nipissing First Nation Culture and Heritage Manager Glenna Beaucage says the ICF has been very successful for her First Nation.
An ICF funded project focuses on survival and living through the natural laws of the 13 Moons Governance System as Nipissing First Nation’s ancestors did.
Beaucage says the project centers on teachings of natural laws, traditional harvesting of wiigwaas, spruce roots, medicines, and fish. The focus is on respecting creation and taking only what is needed.
“If the clans did not prepare all during the previous seasons, harvesting food for pemmican, medicines, fuelwood, dried meat and fish, shelter, then our clans did not survive the winter,” explains Beaucage. “The effort grows, heals, and restores relationship with the land, water, our language, and family. The second phase of the project centers on food sovereignty and food security. Research will be conducted on the knowledge of seeds, root cellars, wild foods including plants and roots and gardening.”
Couchie worries that with the ICF staff layoffs, it’s obvious the government is planning to terminate it.
Jess Wente, the director of the Indigenous Screen Office, will be at the rally. He is concerned about the cuts. Wente has been critical of the lay-offs of the administrators of the ICF, too. Four people will have their contracts end March 1.
Couchie points out the government did not consult with First Nations before the cuts were made.
“There have only been two runs of it (ICF). The last one just went through a few months ago. There is no way for Doug Ford to assess the success of this project. He is going to scrap it altogether, which is why we are fighting for it.”
Couchie encourages all communities to get proactive and she has been active online.
“Skip watching those cat videos or reading that Vice piece about unusually shaped potatoes and jump on board to keep the ICF alive.”
She urges concerned citizens to send hard-copy petitions to NDP MPP and Culture Critic Jill Andrew or to NDP MPP and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Critic Sol Mamakwa to get the protest read into the provincial legislative record.
Andrew’s petition is covering all of the OAC cuts plus the Indigenous Culture Fund cuts where as Mamakwa’s petition is specifically geared toward the Indigenous Culture Fund cuts. Couchie has draft form letters and the petitions at this link.