Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Because there is really no central pot of funding for a suicide prevention program or even mental health for that matter, every centre's response is based on the capacity that they have. The friendship centre that I mentioned where 50% of the mental health clients have a risk of suicide, half of the money is coming from Health Canada.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you. In the last few years the funding program that supports friendship centres has gone through what I would say is a fundamental shift. Once upon a time, friendship centres received their money through the Minister of State. It transitioned to the aboriginal friendship centre program, AFCP, and then most recently into the community capacity support program, which falls under the urban aboriginal strategy.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  A few years ago, working with Statistics Canada, we actually did some data around communities where there should be a friendship centre. It was significantly different from where we are right now. For instance, in my province there should be nine. There are two. We look at it as the number of aboriginal individuals in a community and some of the other concerns in that community, but it is very different.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I get reviewed next Thursday.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Distinguished members of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, it's an honour and privilege to appear before you again today. I wish to acknowledge the Algonquin Nation, upon whose traditional territory we are meeting today. I thank you for this opportunity to share with you the work of the friendship centre movement and the National Association of Friendship Centres relative to the issues of suicide among indigenous peoples and communities.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  For us friendship centres have always been places for people to go regardless of what background they come from. If you're an aboriginal individual, and you need support for something in your community, you could go there and you would be respected for who you were as an aboriginal person.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  AteliKai. Distinguished members of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, it's an honour and a privilege to appear before you, and I thank you for this opportunity to share with you the work of the friendship centre movement, and the National Association of Friendship Centres.