The Blog

Follow along as we work towards systems change and help create better outcomes for kids in our community.

North End Wellbeing Measure

November 01, 2017

As we’ve mentioned in the past, we’re in the process of designing and testing a new way of evaluating health and success from a wholistic perspective, as designed through input from residents and families living in the North End community.
By creating the NEWM alongside the community, we’re able to better define wellness from a locally-driven, strength-based perspective, rather than imposing a predetermined definition of wellness and possibly missing the mark. The NEWM also takes into consideration all aspects of self, much like the teachings of the medicine wheel, in order to evaluate wellbeing from a wholistic lens.
We currently have a team of data collectors visiting North End organizations on a daily basis in order to collect surveys to test out this new tool. They’re looking to connect with residents who have children under the age of 18, and participants will get a $15 gift card to Walmart for taking the time to talk with us and fill out a survey.

 

Here’s a list of places our data collectors will be visiting over the next few weeks:
Nov 3 – Andrews Street Family Centre from 11 am to 3 pm

Nov 4 – North Point Douglas Women’s Centre from 10 am to 3 pm

Nov 6 – North Point Douglas Women’s Centre from 10 am to 3 pm

Nov 7 – Indigenous Family Centre (time TBA)

Nov 9 – Andrews Street Family Centre from 11 am to 3 pm
If you’re not able to drop-in during any of these dates/times you can also contact Marsha at (204) 510-2466 and arrange to take the survey at another time. 

Land Acknowledgement

The Winnipeg Boldness Project resides in and works on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe), Anishinabewaki (Oji-Cree), Dené, Michif Piyii (Métis), Nêhiyawak (Cree), and Očhéthi Sakowin (Dakota). We recognize that we have benefited from and continue to benefit from colonization on the Treaty 1, Treaty 3, and Treaty 5 Territories.

It is important to also acknowledge how we benefit in this territory at the cost to Indigenous Peoples. Winnipeg has been drinking clean water for over a century via an aqueduct from Shoal Lake. In 1917, 3000 acres of Treaty 3 was declared property of the city of Winnipeg to build the aqueduct. This aqueduct was built over ancestral burial ground, to build these structures, the ancestors were disinterred and reburied. Construction of the aqueduct changed the waters significantly, causing the peninsula to become a man-made island. This now isolated Nation faced many challenges as a direct result from this aqueduct; Necessities like water, groceries, schools, and mail were only accessible via the dangerous trek to the mainland. Lives of adults and children were lost crossing to and from the mainland. Freedom Road, an all-weather road access finally opened summer 2019, over a century after displacement. This road, a testament to the success of Indigenous-led solutions, helps bring materials to build schools and a water treatment plant.

“I always think of it, even when I turn on the tap I’m like this comes from our community and this water probably contains our ancestors and the spirits of our ancestor. I think about the hardships of the people from Shoal Lake 40 who have gone through so many things for the benefit of Winnipeg’s drinking water,” says Angelina McLeod.1

Another benefit we reap in Winnipeg at a cost to Indigenous Peoples and land is the Hydro Electricity Development in Treaty 5. To optimize water movement for greatest power production the Province of Manitoba increased waterflow by creating the Churchill River Diversion in 1976. The modification of the waterflow caused flooding, shoreline erosion, and changes to water quality. This destruction of habitat has caused disruption to waterway travel, fishing, and hunting.

  1. https://www.aptnnews.ca/facetoface/spirits-of-our-ancestor-shoal-lake-40-is-rectifying-a-century-of-hardships/