vocational institutions. And,
staying true to its indigenous
roots, the City of Winnipeg
supports an Aboriginal Youth
Strategy (Oshki Annishinabe
Nigaaniwak) that implements,
on average, 22 projects per
year. Building on the suc-
cess of the Strategy, the City
opened an Aboriginal Rela-
tions Department in March
2013, which provides experi-
enced leadership to support
programs and services from
an aboriginal perspective, and
it allows the City of Winnipeg
to better engage with this vi-
tal part of the community.
“Aboriginal youth represent
the fastest-growing segment
of our population. They have
unbelievable potential to be a
great asset to the community,”
explains Mayor Katz. “Howev-
er, young people leaving the
reserves and moving into the
city often find themselves fac-
ing an uphill battle. We want
to provide these young peo-
ple training and employment
initiatives that will give them
opportunities to succeed, and
also the tools to help them
reach their goals.”
One such initiative the city
has put in place is its Primary
Care Paramedic Training Pro-
gram, which gives aboriginal
youth the opportunity to re-
ceive training from the Win-
nipeg Fire Paramedic Service,
allowing new doors to swing
open for the program’s par-
ticipants.
Winnipeg is making its mark,
not just here in Canada but
on a global level. The city’s
diverse and engaged citizens,
its thriving arts scene and its
ever-present evidence of pros-
perity prompts Mayor Katz to
conclude: “By any measure,
when you look at Winnipeg,
you’ll see an extraordinarily
vibrant city that offers some-
thing for everyone. It’s an ex-
ceptional place to live.”
FEBRUARY 2014
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