By Saskia Warrick
The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Global Affairs Canada for the five-year Empowering the Next Generation Agency and Gender Equality Project aims to empower Indigenous youth, particularly women, in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine through life-skills education, applied training, and grant support in areas such as employability, livelihood, business development, and entrepreneurship.
This initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to improving the social and economic well-being of Indigenous peoples.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, emphasized that the development of Amerindian communities and youth remains a priority for the government.
Canadian High Commissioner Mark Berman highlighted that the program is aligned with climate-resilient courses, emphasizing its importance in addressing climate change challenges.
The project, costing 9.1 million Canadian dollars, will be implemented with the assistance of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC).
It was introduced to the ministry in 2022 during meetings with WUSC and the Government of Canada.