Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon. My name is Kevin Walker, and I'm the interim executive director for Bear Clan Patrol Inc.
Our organization was formed in 1992, and it has since grown from a single chapter in the north end to four chapters in Winnipeg and many throughout the province and Canada. Our mission is to provide a constant, visible presence on the street addressing conflict with non-violent interventions, promoting and providing safety and empowering our women, youth, elders and the vulnerable sectors of our community.
As many of you know, Winnipeg is home to the largest urban indigenous population in North America. This population is concentrated in the inner city, where there is a high rate of poverty, homelessness, addiction, mental health issues, exploitation and intergenerational trauma. All these ingredients fuel the topics that we are to discuss today.
Since forming in 1992, Bear Clan Patrol Inc. has maintained its core mandate as a community-based organization, while evolving to meet the ever-expanding needs of the community. Some of our initiatives worth noting are the food security program, youth patrol, missing persons and our involvement working in tandem with the Winnipeg Police Service, and working relationships with the Canadian military in regard to natural disaster situations and search and rescue assistance.
Our food security program saw 400 hampers hand-built and delivered to community elders, families in need, members with mobility issues and some of our city's most vulnerable. Unfortunately, without core funding, we're not able to maintain this initiative at this level. Our food den, however, does serve 300 to 500 people daily at the door with donations from our community allies such as Costco, Red River Co-Op and Sobeys. Food security can aid in family cohesion and better physical and mental health, which in turn equals a healthier community.
We have introduced a youth patrol with some cultural programming with activities ranging from medicine picking to beading, painting and other land-based activities. This program will be the future of our organization. We hope to inspire and engage our youth throughout the city. We hope to continue this with appropriate and adequate funding.
In Winnipeg, the number of missing persons has been ever-increasing, and we saw the demand to become involved. We have had great success in this initiative and have formed a solid working relationship with Winnipeg Police Service, sharing information to better serve the families of the missing.
Our newest initiative is our involvement with the Canadian Forces, especially 17 Wing. They have been participating in our patrols. We've been looking at ways for Bear Clan to assist in natural disasters and search and rescue situations. With the proper training and protocols, we believe we can be an asset and liaison in northern communities.
Bear Clan achieves success in our communities by being a non-violent, non-threatening organization that has earned the trust of the community by being consistent and getting respect by giving respect.
At Bear Clan Patrol Inc., we strive to empower our women and youth. All patrols are female-led. We have proudly put in place a youth patrol and program. Over the last several years, we have seen a rise in violent crimes in the city, most notably in the north end. Bear Clan is doing due diligence when it comes to our involvement with gun control. Any matter in which firearms can be removed from being used in any violent manner is applauded. An example of this, and of the trust that we have within our community, is that we've had a fully loaded handgun with ammunition turned in, and we immediately contacted the Winnipeg Police Service for removal and disposal, along with many improvised weapons.
In relation to gun trafficking and our relationship to that, we are seeing ever-increasing use of firearms within the city and many other communities throughout the province and the country. Guns seem to be more available and accessible to the criminally oriented. What we see with gun crimes committed by street gangs is the tragedy and heartbreak of those affected by gun and gang violence. Bear Clan has attended almost every vigil for those impacted by gun and gang violence. It's with these tragedies that we have devoted a youth patrol with programming in place. With proper core funding, we may be able to provide and fulfill the need for acceptance to feel that sense of family and to give our youth the opportunity to grow and prosper in a safe environment to one day become the next generation of leaders.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the opportunity to speak on behalf of Bear Clan Patrol. I'd like to say a big thank you to Mitch Bourbonniere for always being in the neighbourhood and being a brother to us, the Bear Clan. We really appreciate that, being out there with us.
Thank you to all the participants involved in this discussion.