Series s00002 - MCC Canada Indigenous Neighbours Program Series

Identity area

Reference code

US MCC s00002

Title

MCC Canada Indigenous Neighbours Program Series

Date(s)

  • 1974 - 2007 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

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.

Context area

Name of creator

(1974 -)

Administrative history

The work of MCC Canada’s Indigenous Neighbours program began in 1974 with the creation of the Native Concerns program. The mandate of the program was to aid and advocate on behalf of Indigenous people and communities in Canada.

Before the program’s official beginnings, MCC had been involved with Indigenous people and communities through membership in ecumenical organizations and MCC Voluntary Service placements. The establishment of the Native Concerns program in 1974 increased MCC Canada’s involvement with Indigenous communities considerably. MCC Canada’s Voluntary Service workers implemented Native Concerns programming in Indigenous Communities, an emphasis on resource development grew through wildlife management, animal husbandry, and gardening programs, and efforts were made to encourage local industries that benefited Indigenous groups.

In 1991, Menno Wiebe, long-time director of the program, proposed that MCC Canada should extend an official apology to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. This proposal emerged after twenty-plus years of MCC work alongside Indigenous communities through the Native Concerns program and its various activities. The official apology was given at MCC Canada’s annual meeting of 1992; it recognized the colonial legacy of Mennonite settlement in Canada and expressed MCC Canada’s intention to work towards reconciliation. A shift in the mandate of the program followed; greater emphasis was given to justice advocacy in areas of treaty rights, resource rights, and land use, and a commitment to collaborate with Indigenous partners was made.

The originally titled Native Concerns program has also been called Native Issues (1997), Aboriginal Neighbours (1998-2007), Work with Aboriginal People (2007-2008), Work with Indigenous People (2008-2011), and has been called the Indigenous Neighbours program since 2012. MCC Canada’s Indigenous Neighbour’s program continues together with the programs of provincial MCC’s through the Indigenous Neighbours Network. The network strives to build respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and collaborates with Indigenous partners to advocate for positive political, social, and economic change for Indigenous Peoples.

Name of creator

(1963-)

Administrative history

MCC Canada is a peace, relief, and service agency of Canadian Mennonites and Brethren in Christ. It was founded in December of 1963 through the merger of seven regional Mennonite and Brethren in Christ service organizations: the Non-Resistant Relief Organization (NRRO), the Canadian Mennonite Relief Committee (CMRC), the Canadian Mennonite Relief and Immigration Council (CMRIC), the Conference of Historic Peace Churches (CHPC), the Historic Peace Church Council of Canada (HPCCC), Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), and the MCC Binational Kitchener Office. This merger into one national inter-Mennonite body in Canada was intended to allow for more effective use of time, volunteers, and resources in conducting relief work.

Upon establishment, MCC Canada worked closely with MCC Binational (also known as MCC International); MCC Canada conducted most of its overseas relief and development work through MCC Binational, while all Canadian programs were administered by MCC Canada. MCC Canada was given a broad mandate to work in the areas of peace education, relief and development, voluntary service, immigration, government lobbying, and other areas of concern. Provincial MCC offices were also established to work alongside but independent of MCC Canada in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, MCC Canada’s activities expanded, especially in terms of the number of national programs administered across the country. MCC Canada’s Canadian Programs Department established programs to raise awareness on peace and other social issues, to advocate on behalf of Indigenous communities, to bring reconciliation into the justice system, to assist people with disabilities, to bring attention to women’s concerns, and to provide resources for those experiencing economic hardship. In 1976, MCC Canada established a Food Bank as a means of channeling surplus grains grown by Mennonite farmers to countries around the world. In 1983, this Food Bank became the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Since 1969, MCC Canada has received matching grants from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) of the Canadian government to administer its many programs.

In the late 1970s, conversations began between MCC Binational and MCC Canada regarding responsibility for MCC international programs. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, some MCC international programs were transferred from MCC Binational to MCC Canada; these included the Kanadier Concerns program, USSR Mennonite program, Refugee Sponsorship program, some control over the delivery of material aid overseas, and the Ten Thousand Villages program in Canada.

Beginning in 2008, MCC began a process of consultation and discussion concerning the purpose and structure of MCC Binational, MCC Canada, and MCC U.S.; this process was called New Wine/New Wineskins. The goal was to more effectively and efficiently administer MCC’s international programming. At the conclusion of the New Wine/New Wineskin process in 2012, MCC Binational was dissolved and ceased to be an MCC entity, leaving MCC Canada and MCC U.S. to jointly administer a single MCC International Program.

MCC Canada continues to provide national programs within Canada and deliver international programs jointly with MCC U.S. The MCC Canada Canadian Programs Department offers programs that address social and economic issues in Canada and form the core of MCC Canada’s mandate. MCC Canada’s commitment to international programming continues through the Shared International Program’s material aid, peace work, and assistance in economic development.

Archival history

Since 1976, MCC Canada has regularly deposited records at the Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives. The records in this series were maintained in MCC Canada's central files in the Winnipeg office until transferred to the Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives in regular intervals throughout the years.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This series contains records created by MCC Canada’s Indigenous Neighbours Program, formerly called the Native Concerns Program and Aboriginal Neighbours Program, dated 1974 to 2007. Most of the records document the various projects, programs, and other activities of the program and other projects that addressed social, economic, cultural, and spiritual concerns of Indigenous communities in Canada; these include the Native Gardening Program, Project North, Native Name Project, Bull Calf Project, friendship centres, and educational programs. Activities of the program were often undertaken collaboratively between MCC Canada and the Provincial MCCs. Records in this series also include research materials on various social justice and economic issues, Indigenous community profiles, correspondence, reports, program reviews, publications and research materials, conference records, committee and task force records (such as the Interchurch Task Force on Northern Flooding, Native Concerns Advisory Committee, Committee on Racism, Human Rights & Native Peoples Concerns, and the Committee for Justice & Liberty), meeting minutes, art and poems, and administrative and financial records.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further accruals are expected.

System of arrangement

The records in this series are arranged according to volume and file numbers which usually correspond with the year of the record’s creation. Sometimes best guesses were made about which records belong to this series.

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Conditions governing access

Restrictions to materials may apply. Contact Archivist for further information.

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Note

A note for researchers: Initially, in 1963, all the work of MCC Canada was done by the MCC Canada Executive Office. In the years that followed, departments and program offices were formed, dissolved, merged, and restructured, and projects and areas of responsibility shifted within the organization. This means that multiple record series may contain relevant material detailing MCC Canada's work with specific areas, programs, and projects.

For example, if researchers wish to examine all of MCC Canada's work with Indigenous communities, they should consider MCC's Indigenous Neighbours Program series, Executive Office series, Voluntary Service Program series, Information Services Department series, and Ottawa Office series.

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Status

Final

Level of detail

Partial

Dates of creation revision deletion

Created by Jared Warkentin, March 24, 2020

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