Friendship Centre Development
500 years ago Columbus crosses the Atlantic
400 years ago European ships enter the Pacific
300 years ago, royal proclamation of 1763 recognizes "Indian Nations" with "lands and territories" that can only be ceded or purchased by the Crown
1793 Nisga's Chiefs meet with Captain Vancouver
1780 to 1820, over 300 armed ships engage in fur trading along the BC coast
1820 to 1840 isolated European settlements in BC
1849 British claim Vancouver Island as a colony
1858 British claim the Lower Mainland as a new colony
1860 to 1864 existing Aboriginal communities are recognized as having a limited land base reserved for their use; allocation formula is based on ten acres per family
1866 colony unilaterally reduces reserves, and Indians do not have the rights to homestead lands outside their reserve boundaries; settlers are encouraged to access open lands; allocation formula is based on 160 acres per family
1871 the colony of BC joins Canada
1872 Aboriginal people not permitted to vote in BC elections
1876 Federal Indian Act sets up system of "Indian Bands" and reserves and established wide range of controls over Aboriginal people; in order to leave the reserve the Indian must issue a pass
1880's settlers population surpasses Aboriginal population
1884 Indian Act amended to include a ban on the Potlatch and other religious and spiritual practices
1920 Federal government further reduces existing reserves without Indian consent
1925 Allied Tribes petition Parliament for an enquiry
1927 Parliament amends the Indian Act to outlaw receipt of money for any Indian to pursue legal recourse regarding any claims
1939 to 1945 World War II, Indians can sign up but must relinquish their Indian Status
1940 to 1950 passes to leave the reserve are lifted an in-migration of Indian people begin moving in large numbers to the cities and towns across Canada
1947 BC Indians allowed to vote in provincial elections
1951 First Friendship Centre registers as a Society in Toronto
1952 Second Friendship Centre opens in Vancouver
1959 Third Friendship Centre opens in Winnipeg
1960 Federal vote is granted to Aboriginal persons; phasing out of residential schools
1963 residential schools begin to close
1968 26 Friendship Centres in Canada
1972 the "Migrating Native People's Program" is established
Friendship Centre Movement
120 Friendship Centres across Canada
In every Province and Territory
Furthest north is Inuvik in the Arctic Circle
Furthest east is St. John's Newfoundland
Furthest west is Whitehorse, Yukon
Friendship Centres formed in the late 1940's
First registered Centre, Toronto in 1951
Vancouver in 1952
Winnipeg in 1959
1968 26 Friendship Centres in Canada
1972 BC Association of Indian Friendship Centres incorporated
1972 NAFC incorporated
1979 43 Core funded Centres in Canada
1983 80 Core funded Centres in Canada
1996 114 Centres in Canada
2000 120 Centres in Canada
Statistics and Information
99 Friendship Centres Core funded
NAFC is made up of representatives from each Province and Territory
The NAFC Executive Committee is elected annually but at staggered intervals every two years
- President - Vice President
- Secretary - Treasurer
The Youth Member of the Executive Committee is elected at every NAFC AGM
Each Provincial/Territorial Association is made up of Centres within that region
11 Centres in Canada are non-aliened with their PTA
The Atlantic Provinces and the Yukon Territory each contain one Friendship Centre but send one representative to the NAFC Board of Directors
In 1972 the Federal Government introduced the first national program for Friendship Centres
- "The Migrating Native People's Program" provided Core funding to 26 Centres
By 1983 to 80 Core funded Centres
By 1986 to 99 Core funded Centres
The total budget for the program was $20 million annually
New and Developing Centres, three funded per year at $80,000 annually
Community Interaction was dollars to help Centres foster greater understanding about Aboriginal people and enhance cross-cultural awareness at $350,000 annually
Capital dollars for construction, purchase or renovation of Friendship Centre facilities
Each Centre had to raise at least 15% of the total capital costs for a building and was eligible to apply for $140,000
Centres could apply for disabled awareness funding $100,000 annually
Bilingual component for English/French translation was $60,000 anually
Disabled Access renovations were available for Centres to apply for each ear set at $100,000
Increasing staff positions (person years) for established Centres was $200,000 annually
Centres ranged in size from three person years up to a maximum of six
Funding to provide for Satellite Centres in near by communities was available at $120,000 annually
Core funding to the NAFC was $500,000 annually
In 1986 all components of the program were cut except core funding by $6 million
By 1995 35% of all core funding was cut
The Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program is currently set at $13.5 million annually
99 Core funded Friendship Centres and the NAFC
In 1996 the AFCP was transferred to the NAFC and the PTA's to administer
In the year 2000 negotiations were underway to renew and enhance the AFCP
Even restoring the original 1983 funding levels
Friendship Centres employ 2,140 people
- 35% male - 65% female
Total Board of Director Members in Canada
- 1,200 - 50% male - 50% female
95% of the Centres own their buildings and property
Valued at $125 million
The Friendship Centres serve 68% of the total Aboriginal population in Canada
Daily client visits average 7200 people
Weekly client visits average 50,750
Total volunteers involved with the Centres 10,000 people
Annual volunteer hours 1,000,000
History of the Friendship Centre Movement
British Columbia
10,000 years ago, confirmed presence of people along the central coast of BC
4,000 years ago, confirmed evidence of extensive trade routes from Pacific Coast to the Prairie regions
3,500 years ago, extensive evidence of large scale settlements throughout areas of BC
Estimated Aboriginal population in 1750 - 300,000 to 400,000
Non Aboriginal population in 1750 - 0
Estimated Aboriginal population in 1830 - 100,000
Estimated non aboriginal population in 1830 - 100
Estimated Aboriginal population in 1870 - 35,000
Estimated non-aboriginal population in 1870 - 10,000
First Census 1881, Aboriginal 25,000
First Census 1881, non-aboriginal 24,000
Census 1921, Aboriginal population 22,000
Census 1921, non-aboriginal 500,000
Aboriginal population in 1998 150,000
Total population in BC 3,900,000
