Native Women’s Association of Canada Breaks Ground on New Social and Cultural Innovation Centre – NWAC

(OTTAWA, ON)- On the morning of July 12, 2019, the staff of the Native Women’s Association of Canada gathered around a building in Hull, QB and each took their turn sprinkling tobacco at its base. It was a momentous occasion for NWAC staff, but an even greater one for Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people across Canada. It was the ground breaking ceremony for NWAC’s new Social and Cultural Innovation Centre.

After a smudging by Elder Roseann Martin, NWAC CEO Lynne
Groulx expressed the significance of the new building:

“We will offer supports and services and workshops tailored
to meet the needs of Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people who are
impacted by ongoing structural, institutional and individual and aggravated
forms of discrimination and sexism and stereotypes. The recent final Inquiry
report described all of this in its recent report and called it a GENOCIDE
stemming from colonization,” she said.

This will be the very first centre of its kind in Canada and
the world.

In an effort to directly respond to the recommendations of
the final Inquiry report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls,
part of the new building will be devoted to a Resiliency Centre.

“It will offer trauma-informed, culturally-appropriate and
gender-based services, infusing traditional healing, medicines and teachings,”
said Groulx.

The new centre will also provide a platform of economic
empowerment for Indigenous women entrepreneurs who can sell their products in
the NWAC Boutique called “Originelle”.

“By doing so, we will be removing barriers to ensure the wellbeing,
socio-economic advancement and self-sufficiency of Indigenous women and their families,”
said Groulx.

Gail Paul, NWAC Interim President, was also there with
powerful words:

“The Social
and Cultural Innovation Centre is one step forward in a journey of many steps.
It will provide supports and services that are created by Indigenous women for
Indigenous women. A place where we feel safe, understood and empowered. It will
be a place for Indigenous women to heal, reconnect and grow in the aftermath of
the MMIWG findings of Genocide. It is a place of hope and health. A place to celebrate
our culture, our resilience and our future!”

The hope,
both women expressed, is not only for this centre to succeed in healing and
empowering Indigenous women, but for it to inspire the creation of many others
across Canada and the world.

Paul said
the ground breaking ceremony is testament to what can be accomplished when
Indigenous women are at the decision-making table.

“It
represents what is possible when Indigenous women have their voices heard and
respected. It is also a reminder to all of us of our potential and our spirit
when we work together.”

-30-