On behalf of the Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre’s Board of Directors and staff, we wish to extend our most heartfelt condolences to the Goodacre family for their loss.
The Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre strives to be a welcoming place for all people, and Bill Goodacre embodied this message in the way he lived his life. Bill Goodacre dedicated over 20 years of voluntary service to the Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre, working tirelessly as our President to enhance the lives of urban Indigenous people.
As a politician and a dedicated community member, Bill showed us how to live a meaningful life: Work with determination and integrity on what matters most to you. What mattered most to Bill was people, and he spent his life striving to make the lives of people in his community better.
Bill has been a true champion and advocate for human rights, social equality, justice and a powerful voice for reconciliation in our community.
Bill will be forever remembered, by all of those he came in contact with at the Friendship Centre, for his ability to be both our esteemed leader and our dear friend.
Our thoughts are with the Dze L K’ant community
Dr. Sharon McIvor has been tirelessly fighting for Indigenous women and their descendants for over 30 years. The United Nations Human RIghts Committee says Canada still discriminates against Indigenous women and their descendants and are obligated to remove that discrimination in the Indian Act.
Dr. McIvor and her son filed a petition to the UN in 2010, and are now seeing the results of her ongoing support for Indigenous women and gender equity.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/indian-act-sex-discrimination-un-committee-1.4982330
PHSA has released guidelines for an Innovation Fund dedicated to Indigenous women living with or at risk of HIV and HCV. This funding is for $75,000 per fiscal year, for 2018/2019 and 2019/20. Proposals are due on Friday, September 14th and can be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Please use the attached proposal template for submissions.
The BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres Membership elected a new Board of Directors at the 2018 Annual General Meeting. The AGM was hosted by Lilloet Friendship Centre Society in Whistler July 5-7th, 2018.
The BCAAFC is pleased to announce the new Board of Directors:
1. President: Dr. Sharon McIvor, Conayt Friendship Society, Merrit
2. Vice President: Joanne Mills, Fraser Region Aboriginal Centre, Surrey
3. Secretary: Calvin Albright, Kermode Friendship Centre, Terrace
4. Treasurer: Victor Tom, Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society
5. Youth rep: Shyla Elgie, Prince George
6. Mathew Baran, Ooknakane Friendship Centre, Penticton
7. Richard Samuel, Port Alberni Friendship Centre
8. Keri Hutchison, Victoria Native Friendship Centre
9. Fabian Alexis, North Okanagan Friendship Centre, Vernon
10. Debbie Williams, Hii ye yu Lelum Society House of Friendship, Duncan
11. Elijah Mack, Conayt Friendship Society, Merritt
On behalf of the BCAAFC President, members and staff, we extend a warm welcome to the new Board of Directors.
The newly elected Board of Directors extends their appreciation and gratitude to the previous board for their commitment and dedication, and raises their hands in the Coast Salish way in high respect of the previous President, Annette Morgan, Dze L’ Kant Friendship Centre, for her commitment and leadership over the past seven years.
Always in friendship,
Leslie Varley
Cariboo Friendship Society part of provincial one million points of service milestone
The B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres said the province’s 25 friendship centres provide more than 400 programs
#FC1million
BC Friendship Centres hit milestone service delivery across BC with over one million points of service within a year. The 25 Friendship Centres that make up the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres saw over 4,500 clients a week walk through their doors seeking services in a year.
Read more here
Premier John Horgan meets with Friendship Centre House and BCAAFC staff in Prince Rupert.
Preston collaborated with both the First Nations Health Authority, the Mètis Nation and the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres to increase culturally safe access to cancer services for all Indigenous people. The BC Indigenous Cancer Strategy outlines the partners commitment to improve the cancer journey from prevention to palliation for Indigenous people.
On behalf of the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, our hearts go out to his family, friends and colleagues. He will be remembered, and we are lucky to have worked with him.
- Executive Director Leslie Varley
This week we mourn the loss of the Hereditary Chief of Xwepsum, Esquimalt First Nation, who passed away this weekend. In Lekwungen teachings, both Songhees and Esquimalt, the name of the deceased is not mentioned, and pictures are not displayed. We acknowledge the Lekwungen teachings and raise our hands.
On behalf of the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, I extend our deepest condolences to the Thomas family and the Esquimalt Nation on their loss. The late Chief was always welcoming, supportive, and generous with his time. We have been very fortunate to live, work and play on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen people. We join our colleagues, friends, and family in remembering a leader, a teacher, an advocate for Indigenous rights and humble man.
-Executive Director Leslie Varley
