National Aboriginal Housing Association

NEWS RELEASE
Posted: January 9, 2005

The federal Homelessness Secretariat and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation are launching a month-long national housing and homelessness consultation, starting tomorrow in Calgary. The consultations will lead to a Cabinet submission by federal housing minister Joe Fontana in February, in advance of the next federal budget (which is expected in late February or early March).

The consultations are an important opportunity to strongly deliver our key messages and also speak about local / regional / provincial non-reserve Aboriginal housing priorities and projects.

It is my understanding that consultations will be on two fronts, simultaneously... a table of housing experts and a community consultation round. The challenge will be to ensure that Aboriginal housing corporations have representatives at both tables. Participation in both of these simultaneous processes will in all likelyhood be by invitation only so it is up to you to get your representatives invited.

The CONSULTATION CALENDAR is included, as well as a PDF document of regional CONTACTS regarding the consultations. There is also a community meeting planned for Quebec, but I don't have details. If you are interested in participating, and haven't already been contacted, then immediately call the regional contact for your area. The attached list has contact info for regional facilitators.

As you know, NAHA's key message is:

There must be a non-reserve Aboriginal housing component in any new federal housing initiative. Our National Strategy document sets out specific targets and action items.

I urge you to use the NAHA National Housing Strategy document as a speaking tool and participate in these consultations. Keep in mind that other organizations will be urging the government to support their particular targets, and while organizations such as the National Coalition supports our message, not all other housing advocacy organizations will necessarily urge the federal government to support a fixed budgetary expenditure within a future housing initiative for non-reserve Aboriginal housing. We have to speak for ourselves.

Attachments:
Calendar of Events

Regional Homelessness Facilitators Contact list

Letter to Prime Minister Martin from the National Coalition on Housing and Homelessness Network

George Devine
Executive Director
National Aboriginal Housing Association