Move seen as rebuke of Roundhouse project

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With the dirt just barely off of the proverbial ceremonial groundbreaking shovel in the construction of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg's multi-million dollar Neeginan Roundhouse Project, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Manitoba Metis Federation and the Winnipeg Indian and Metis Friendship Centre stunned many observers by announcing their intention to build their own $6-million Aboriginal cultural centre and museum at the Winnipeg Forks site.

"The plan presented to city council last month by a group called the Forks South Point Aboriginal Corporation, calls for construction of Spirit Island, a museum and cultural centre to be used to educate and entertain people on who Native, Metis and Inuit people are," said corporation fund-raiser Curtis Jonnie.

But with the Neeginan project's plan for the Circle of Life Thunderbird House, the announcement has many people scratching their heads as to why the city would need two separate and distinct Aboriginal cultural centres celebrating the contribution and achievements of the same constituency.

Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray, who was present at the Neeginan construction groundbreaking ceremonies last month, seems to have had the same impression as many others that Neeginan was to be the focal point for Aboriginal cultural awareness in the city.

"The creation of a visible downtown cultural institution celebrating Aboriginal life is a major step on the road to healing our community, " he said.

But the incessant jockeying for economic, political and cultural limelight between the chiefs assembly, the Metis federation and the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg may only serve to deepen divisions and jeopardize adequate funding and support while politicians at all levels ponder which project to support.

"This is a disaster and just more proof that the leaders of these organizations have failed once again to put the interests of their own people ahead of their own petty rivalries and jealousies," said one chief who requested anonymity. "We should be together on this but everyone is running around doing their own thing and in the end diluting what could have been, what should have been, a good thing."

The announcement of the Spirit Island project also has many grassroots Aboriginal people puzzled.

"I thought we already were going to have a centre downtown where all the groups could be together and where there was going to be a strong cultural component. Why do we need another place," said 28-year-old James Cathcheway. "Why can't we have one place to show that we are all working together and are united?"

The Neeginan project was soundly criticized at the time of its announcement by assembly Grand Chief Rod Bushie and federation president David Chartrand as not representing the interests of all Aboriginal people in the city and for the failure by the council to include the two other provincial Aboriginal organizations in its development.

However Aboriginal Council president Mary Richard provided letters she said proved they had invited the other organizations to participate, and said the two groups simply chose not to respond to the invitation.

Based on a campus-type design, Neeginan features a strong emphasis on showcasing the history and culture of Aboriginal people. Reaction to the Spirit Island plan from the Aboriginal centre has been diplomatic.

One source says the Spirit Island project will not diminish the importance or need for Neeginan.

"They [assembly and federation] realized that they missed the boat on supporting Neeginan so they had to come up with something to prove they're doing something, but it won't affect our plans one bit and besides they haven't managed to put together one major project yet and we have."

But that opinion is not shared by James Lafreniere, a Metis from Brandon, Man.

"We've got all these groups going around doing their own thing, and all of them saying that they represent us, yet, for ordinary people, it's a whole lot of money once again going to smething that's not going to help people like me who need to improve my employability or education."

Lafreniere says the Spirit Island proposal calls for the three levels of government, the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Canada, to each contribute $1.5 million with only one-quarter of the funds to be raised through corporate donations and other fundraising by the Forks South Point Aboriginal Corp.

"Between Neeginan, this thing and the CP station, they're going to be spending over $25 million. If they had all gotten together and done one project in one place there would be money left to really contribute to putting our people to work, in training, and getting proper housing. Why the hell doesn't anyone ever think about that," he said.

In fact, according to some reports, the Neeginan project is already at least $1 million over budget before any significant construction has even commenced.

The Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg says the overrun is the result of higher than expected costs associated with purchasing property for the project along east Main Street and Higgins Avenue.

Yet there are concerns that the delays in starting the Neeginan project and higher property purchase costs are only the first signs the project will significantly overrun its budget.

The competition between the two projects for the ever-diminishing supply of federal funding will reach a fever pitch if the Forks group manages to get government support for its project, according to several government sources, who say the lack of a single unified project waters down the effect of employment and training dollars.

"There is just going to be too much duplication so instead of being able to provide significant and meaningful financial funding it's going to get split and the net effect will be that we'll have a number of ineffectual projects instead of fewer effective programs."

However Jonnie said the Spirit Island project will capitalize on it's location at the Forks, which draws an estimated 7 millin tourists every year.

Assembly of Manitoba Urban Strategy co-ordinator, Jim Sinclair, said the assembly, Metis federation and friendship centre held a series of discussion forums on the proposal and concluded the Forks was the best site for such a project, due to its historical past as a sacred meeting place for first peoples.

Proponents of the Spirit Island plan say if funding is firmed up by year-end, construction of the new facility would be complete by next summer - also the projected completion date for the Neeginan Roundhouse.