Summary:
In April 2017, the federal government committed ongoing funding to support culturally relevant sport programming for Indigenous youth and children at the community level, and support the North American Indigenous Games.
The Call to Action:
We call upon all levels of government to take action to ensure long-term Aboriginal athlete development and growth, and continued support for the North American Indigenous Games, including funding to host the games and for provincial and territorial team preparation and travel.
Analysis:
In April 2017, the federal government committed $18.9 million over five years, and ongoing funding of $5.5 million every four years thereafter, to support culturally relevant sport programming for Indigenous youth and children at the community level. This included stable and ongoing funding for the North American Indigenous Games.
The North American Indigenous Games were to be held in Halifax in the summer of 2020, but were postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Halifax games are now scheduled for 2023. The province of Nova Scotia has pledged $3.5 million to support the event
Organizers plan to stage sporting events within 21 venues across Kjipuktuk (Halifax), Dartmouth and Millbrook First Nation.
The 2017 federal funding commitment was created “in support of the Government of Canada’s commitment to fully address the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” according a Canadian Heritage news release.
The funding announcement was made 88 days prior to the 2017 North American Indigenous Games in Toronto. The theme of the games was Team 88, in reference to Call to Action #88. Reconciliation was a key theme in the games.
The federal government earlier committed $3.5 million to support the 2017 North American Indigenous Games, matching a $3.5 million commitment from the Ontario government.