True North Aid is dedicated to serving and supporting northern and remote Indigenous communities in Canada through practical humanitarian support. With more than 45% of Indigenous children living below the poverty line, there is much work to be done. The issue facing Indigenous communities in Canada are complex. True North Aid believes that self-governance and self-determination is the key to closing the poverty gap.
With significant barriers in accessing goods and services in remote communities and striking inequities in health and wellness outcomes, income, food, and housing, there is much work to be done. The issues facing Indigenous communities in Canada are complex and the result of a culmination of events and actions that have transpired over the past 150 years. True North Aid believes that the right to self-governance and self-determination is key to addressing these inequalities and closing the poverty gap.
All our activities are designed to help inspire and empower Indigenous youth to pursue their dreams and, in turn, empower their communities. Through reconciliation and educational activities, we raise awareness and promote an understanding of the tragic history of non-Indigenous/Indigenous relations in Canada, helping to inform our understanding of the situation we find ourselves in today. As we do, attitudes and prejudices change and we open doors to a broader discussion and understanding of the options that are available.
At its core, True North Aid respects the diversity of belief and conviction found with the people and organizations we support, and the people and organizations who support us. True North Aid does not fund activities that directly promote the beliefs and/or convictions of any group. However, we are open to partnerships with organizations whose initiatives and activities fall within our mandate as approved by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and are aligned to our mission of helping to alleviate poverty in northern Indigenous communities.
As a charity we choose to stay away from issues that divide us and embrace activities that unite us and fall within our mandate to serve First Peoples in Canada with practical humanitarian assistance.
True North Aid is open to partnerships with organizations whose initiatives fall within our mandate as approved by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and are aligned with our mission of helping to reduce poverty.
True North Aid is supported by a Board of Directors who come from respected charity organizations, public service and industry, as well as partners with over 35 years of experience providing aid to isolated communities. We have 2 Indigenous Elders who serve us as advisors. We consult with Indigenous representatives in every community we work with and they provide us with direction and leadership in how we engage with their people, understanding every community is different.
With your help and support, we see lives changed and our True North once again becoming strong and free.
Christine Lefebvre is a mixed-blooded Mohawk presently residing in Kitchener-Waterloo, whose family resides in Kahnawake and Akwesasne First Nations. Over the last 25 years Christine has shared experiential learning through transformative knowledge methodologies and exchanges. Christine teaches reciprocal practices within Indigenous knowledge systems and shares this way of being while engaging with a diverse range of participants. Christine has done extensive public speaking, teaching, workshops, publications, and has led community driven initiatives and engagements. Christine applies experiential knowledge practices to assist and enable Indigenous youth leadership as well as empowerment through mentoring, fostering relationships, guidance, creative inquiry and healthy role modeling. Christine is an experiential knowledge teacher, auntie, and helper who invites all people to take action in being stewards of the earth.
Born and raised in Buffalo Narrows, Sask, a member of the Woodland Cree Nation (Elder), completed high school, college and some university , worked the mining industry, Federal and Provincial Government. worked 7 years in Nunavut and western Arctic as the alcohol and drug specialist and 1 years as the Executive Director of the Fort Providence First Nations and 2 years as the Aboriginal Consultant for Imperial Oil. Blessed to sit on many committees that were geared to helping aboriginal peoples and communities, also had the privilege of being a member of Prince Albert Police Commission for 6 years, also attended Bible College graduated as a Pastor finally celebrating 40 years of sobriety from alcohol and smoking.