To the Editor:
In last weeks paper Brenda Coulombe wrote a letter to the editor in support of our Centre as she knew that we had reached out to the Town of High Prairie for financial support.
We truly appreciate those who come to our Centre to support us and write letters like Brenda.
Our request to the Town was voted on at the September 8th Town Council meeting.
The motion to give us any financial support was unfortunately defeated. We understand that not all requests for financial support are approved.
What we don’t understand are the comments that were made during the meeting about our Centre.
During the meeting the following comment was made by a town councillor.
“I’ve danced around the topic in previous council meetings, but I am going to come out and say it. They’re located in a horrible spot. They attract the vagrants and the homeless to the downtown core, and you can’t have a goal of supporting the Friendship Centre and a goal of supporting local business at the same time. Those two items are counter productive to one another. The Friendship Centres location hurts our ability to support businesses in the downtown core because of the people that the Friendship Centre attracts.” – (The meeting video can be found on youtube for the September 8, 2026, Town Council meeting part 2)
The High Prairie Native Friendship Centre has been in existence since April of 1978.
Our doors have always been open to people of all ages and races, and we will continue to welcome all people.
The people we attract are people from all walks of life and we value them all equally. Everyone who comes here is someone’s family member and they deserve to be respected like any other human in this world.
We do not judge them for who they are or where their journey has led them.
We support all people and that will not change.
It is unfortunate that the above opinion of our Centre exists in High Prairie.
Charles Calhoon Jr.
Vice President
on behalf of the High Prairie Native Friendship Centre
Board of Directors