RANKIN INLET - The Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre in Rankin Inlet could face tough times ahead if its core funding isn't increased by the federal government and a number of its programs renewed.

Executive director George Dunkerley goes over a funding proposal at the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre in Rankin Inlet this past week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

Executive director George Dunkerley said funding levels haven't changed for friendship centres across Canada since 1996.

He said the centre's core funding has been stagnant for too long and it's getting tough to make ends meet.

"Our core funding of $104,000 a year is expected to cover all the expenses on our building, plus the salaries of the executive director, finance and receptionist positions," said Dunkerley.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out $104,000 doesn't go very far in Rankin Inlet.

"We rely on the administrative fee we charge on the programs we run to make up the balance."

Dunkerley said there's only so much money the friendship centre can draw from its programs to balance the books.

He said that approach has begun hurting everyone involved with the programs.

"It even hurts the programs, themselves, because we have to raise administration fees to maintain the core operation of the centre and hold everything together.

"We're not in danger of losing the centre in the foreseeable future, but the guy sitting in this chair seems to have a soft spot in his head.

"It's reached the point where salaries of comparable positions in Rankin are about double mine.

"I've been approached for other positions, but I like what I do and I – or anyone in this position – shouldn't have to give up so much to make it work here."

Dunkerley said the centre's youth program has not been confirmed for refunding this coming year.

He said if the centre loses the administration money from that program, salaries will go down and people could lose their jobs.

"We come up with ideas for needed programming, or the community comes up with ideas and brings them to us, and we hound the government until we find a pot of money to fund it from.

"Our youth program and youth co-ordinator are funded through Canadian Heritage's Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centre.

"The funding is set to expire on March 31, 2010, and we have nothing from the government that leads us to believe it's going to be refunded beyond that date.

"If that happens our youth program will be toast, unless we can find another pot of money to fund it from and that will be difficult this late in the year."

Dunkerley said the Kivalliq Outreach Program, funded through the Canadian Aboriginal Healing Foundation, is also in danger of losing its funding at the same time.

He said the centre usually receives a letter of intent in September or October if a program is to be refunded, but, this year, he's heard nothing on the youth or outreach programs.

"I just came back from meetings in Ottawa with the healing foundation and its members know as little as we do about what's happening.

"They're worried about whether they're going to have jobs in April."

Among the programs outreach ran this past summer were soccer and traditional skills camps for youth in Rankin and a better father's men's retreat in Coral Harbour.

Dunkerley said the centre signed a contribution agreement in 2006 for outreach, which was renewed for three years in 2007.

He said the Canadian Aboriginal Healing Foundation has asked the federal government to tie its mandate into the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

"Outreach is designed to look after people who attended residential schools and family members who may also have been affected by their experiences.

"The fear, from our perspective, is the commission is going to drag up the residential school era all over again and, if we're not there, these people will have nowhere to go for help and support."

Dunkerley said friendship centres are currently not included in the feds' 2010 budget and the loss of friendship programming would have an economic impact on the community.

He said outreach is worth almost $3 million over three years by itself.

"We have a full-time staff of 48 people and, if those programs aren't renewed and we can't find alternate funding, we'll definitely be losing staff.

"We have 11 people employed through outreach who could be unemployed on April 1, 2010, as well as two full-time positions with the youth program.

"We also have 15 or 20 elders we pay to take the youth out to camp and teach them traditional skills.

"People can help by coming to the centre and filling out a postcard to send to the minister of Canadian Heritage, or by calling our MP and asking for increased funding for the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program."