The RCAAQ: the Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec

The Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec was founded for and by urban Aboriginals who wanted to give themselves a provincial concertation, coordination and representation structure. Since 1976, the RCAAQ represents the interests of the Native Friendship Centres of Québec.

The variety of individuals who make up the Movement is reflected in the mission of the RCAAQ, which is oriented towards the individual and collective wellbeing through a community approach. This approach takes into account the cultural, social, economic and political development of First Nations and Inuits of Québec.

The RCAAQ is a concertation, communication and exchange structure, a place for reflection and an anchoring point for Native Friendship Centres in Québec and, as such, can be an efficient spokesperson before the Federal, provinciale et des Premières Nations, ainsi
Provincial and First Nations entities, and Aboriginal organizations. The RCAAQ expresses its citizen involvement through the submission of briefs and advisory reports to the Government of Québec on homelessness, housing, youth protection, sustainable development and any other area of concern for urban Aboriginal citizens.

The history of the RCAAQ shows well how all of the stakeholders in the Movement have worked on a daily basis towards meeting the urgent needs resulting from the emergence of these new urban Aboriginal communities. Each Native Friendship Centre has become, in the heart of the urban sphere, an incubator for initiatives, a privileged space to express the needs and claims of a not insignificant portion of the Aboriginal population.

The Centres provide specialized and culturally-relevant services that communities do not offer and which must – in the heart of a non Aboriginal urban setting – allow for the advocacy of the Aboriginal dignity and cultural identity, regardless of the Nation of origin. First and foremost, Native Friendship Centres have an open-door policy based on

The Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec offers an array of services to over 18,700 First Nations members, Inuits and Métis of Québec. It mobilizes over one hundred volunteers. It provides sustainable employment to over 165 persons, reaches 1,250 youth and offers a homework help service (children aged 6 to 12) in partnership with 27 French-speaking schools. It conducts research work and studies, produces briefs on racism and discrimination, sustainable development, the Youth Protection Act, etc. It is at the heart not only of the Aboriginal collective assertion effort but also of the Aboriginal will to address today’s issues.