The National Association of Friendship Centres acts as a central unifying body for the Friendship Centre Movement: to promote and advocate the concerns of Aboriginal Peoples: and, represents the needs of local Friendship Centres across the country to the federal government and to the public in general.  
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AFN National Chief Candidates Discuss Urban First Nation Issues

On Friday June 19, 2009 the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) hosted the first ever Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief All Candidates Forum on Urban First Nations Issues. All of the declared candidates were invited, and we were honoured that Shawn Atleo, Perry Bellegarde and John Beaucage were able to attend.

Each of the candidates was provided three questions in advance and took questions from the audience. Below are the responses to the three questions provided by the NAFC:
(responses are in wmv video format)

• If you are elected National Chief what would your priority actions be for Urban First Nations citizens?

Shawn Atleo
Perry Bellegarde
John Beaucage

• The Assembly of First Nations Renewal Commission in 2005 provided many recommendations for the renewal of AFN. One recommendation in particular generated a lot of interest, that of universal vote. What is your position on a form of universal vote to elect a National Chief?

Shawn Atleo
Perry Bellegarde
John Beaucage

• The Sharon McIvor case will change eligibility for Indian status registration. It is likely that few of these newly registered status Indians will be able to move on reserve making urban service delivery critical. What will you do as National Chief to support urban service delivery providers?

Shawn Atleo
Perry Bellegarde
John Beaucage

United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group – Canada
Canada’s human rights record went under review before the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group on February 3, 2009. A total of 45 countries were involved in this “Review”.

This resulted with these states making 68 recommendations to Canada on a wide range of human rights topics. The NAFC is pleased to provide you with its response and analysis of the UPR report, this report was submitted to the Department of Canadian Heritage and to the Senate Committee on Human Rights.

Click here for the NAFC response and analysis

NAFC 38th AGM - July 14-17, 2009
Niagara Falls, ON

AGM KITS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:

38th AGM - Table of Contents
37th AGM - Draft Minutes
37th AGM - Draft Summary of Motions
38th AGM - Draft Agenda
38th AGM - Evaluation Form
38th AGM - Credentials Committee
38th AGM - AYC Annual Report
38th AGM - Executive Committee Report
38th AGM - Executive Director Report
38th AGM - Resolutions Report
38th AGM - Code of Ethics
38th AGM - Constitution & Bylaws
38th AGM - Elections Committee
38th AGM - Procedures Committee
38th AGM - Resolutions Committee
38th AGM - Rules and Procedures
38th AGM - AGM Expense Claim
38th AGM - Audited Financial Statements
38th AGM - In Memoriam

COMPLETE BOARDKIT - CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD (4mb PDF)


NAFC Aboriginal Data Workshop - Click Here for more information


Documents for download (pdf format):

38th AGM - Draft Agenda
38th AGM - Proxy Form
38th AGM - Instructions for Web Reservations
38th AGM - Information Exchange Checklist
38th AGM - Information Exchange
38th AGM - Memo to Membership
38th AGM - Registration Form
38th AGM - Letter of Intent to host future AGM

The Native Women’s Association of Canada is pleased to announce a Sisters In Spirit Community Engagement Workshop in Niagara Falls, ON on Tuesday, July 14th.

More information on the workshop
Registration Form

20th Annual National Youth Forum
July 12-14, 2009
Niagara Falls, ON

Documents for download (pdf format):

General Information
AYC Positions Promo
Letter of Credentials
Promotional Poster
Registration Form
Youth Forum Agenda

Call for Applications for Aboriginal Youth to Attend the 2009 UNPFII

Are you a Youth Leader?  Interested in Attending the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)?  The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) is pleased to announce that we will be bringing a delegation of youth to participate in the UNPFII in New York from May 18 – 22, 2009. 
More information can be found here

Friendship Centre Movement: Best Practices in Governance and Management
Click here to view the report (pdf)

The State of the
Friendship Centre Movement: 2008
The State of The Friendship Centre Movement: Summer 2008 is a snapshot report capturing data from 114 of a total 118 Friendship Centres across Canada.
Statistics are based on reported projections regarding funding, staff, Board and points of contact as part of the 2008/2009 Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP). Click here for the full report

In late 2008, Statistics Canada released the results of the 2006 Aboriginal Children’s Survey as well as the 2006 Aboriginal People’s Survey through a series of First Nation, Métis and Inuit articles and data. As Canada’s largest infrastructure of Aboriginal service delivery organizations, the NAFC was engaged to help promote both surveys with the intent to bring awareness to the results and facilitate access to the information to 118 Friendship Centres and their urban Aboriginal clients.
Click here for more info