Three local Indigenous women’s organizations have spoken out to challenge a funding change they say the Yukon government presented to them as an improvement, but actually constituted a “colonial, racist approach” – and a violation of government’s commitment to “enhancing the safety and equality of Indigenous women and girls.”

The government has taken action to rectify the funding shortfall that resulted from the change, according to the minister responsible for the Women’s Directorate, Jeanie Dendys. It’s also working with federal partners to try to leverage more money from Ottawa for these organizations.

In 2017-18, the Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council (YAWC), Whitehorse Aboriginal Women’s Circle (WAWC), and Liard Aboriginal Women’s Society (LAWS) received between $30,000 and $38,000 each in core funding through the Women’s Equality fund, and $50,000 each in project based funding, according to debate on the Women’s Directorate 2018-19 budget, for a total of $253,000.

For 2018-19, the Women’s Directorate rolled both funding pots into a newly-established $230,000 Indigenous Women’s Equality fund.

While it represented an overall increase in core funding for the organizations, there was a shortfall when compared to the total money they received from both funds last year.

In a March letter to Dendys and Premier Sandy Silver, the three organizations expressed their concern that the decision to change the way funding was administered was made without consultation or conversations with the groups, and that a cut to funding was then presented to them as an improvement.

The letter, authored by the YAWC president, the WAWC president, and the LAWS executive director, was tabled in the legislative assembly Monday by NDP house leader Kate White.

“For 40 years, our Aboriginal Women’s organizations have done critical work to promote the safety and well being of Indigenous women in Whitehorse and rural Yukon communities, and to support victims of violence,” the authors wrote.

While they noted they were grateful to see the transition from a project-based to core funding model, “we regret that accepting your current funding offer would only have us acquiescing the colonial treatment of Indigenous women in the Yukon.”

The letter called for two additional changes: an increase in core funding for each organization to $200,000 annually, and consultation on any funding changes proposed in the future.

“Can the minister confirm whether or not a funding agreement has been reached for the upcoming year with the Yukon Aboriginal women’s organizations?” White asked in the house Monday.

Dendys acknowledged that a funding discrepancy had been identified in the transition to the new fund, and the government has since increased the fund to $253,000 to address the shortfall.

The Women’s Directorate is also working with federal partners to explore other funding options, she said.

While she did not meet with the organizations “just prior to establishing this fund,” she told the house she has since done so, and they have plans to meet again next week.

Doris Anderson, the YAWC president, told the Star Thursday morning that she’s very encouraged by the government’s response to the letter, but noted it’s “really sad that we had to write this letter to begin with.

“People are always referring to women being the backbone of communities, society itself, and yet here we are.’”

Countless volunteer hours have been spent trying to secure stable, adequate funding over the years, she said, “and we shouldn’t have to do this in this day and age, especially with an Indigenous .... minister who understands, who’s worked in that environment and knows that it’s difficult.”

Dendys told the Star Monday that reading the organizations’ letter, “those were difficult comments for me to receive.”

“I do not condone any ... colonial practices or racist practices, I’ve in fact worked my whole career around decreasing colonization for Indigenous people, and I am in government to do just that.”

She said the goal with the Indigenous Women’s Equality fund has been to increase and make the organizations’ funding more stable, and reduce the onerous reporting requirements that come with project-based funding.

“I’m very committed to work with them, and to ensure that they are receiving the resources that they require to do the important work that they do on behalf of all Yukoners.”