Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs is a political advocacy group that strives to promote the interests of First Nations in Manitoba. The organization was created in 1988 and is one of the largest advocacy groups for Indians and other native population groups in Canada. The main goals of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs comprise the “promotion, preservation, and protection of Aboriginal and Treaty rights for First Nation people in Manitoba; strengthening and restoring the foundations of First Nation cultures, traditions, languages, and protection of First Nations customs, laws, and practices” (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs).
The current campaigns of the advocacy group comprise initiatives in healthcare, educational and social spheres. In healthcare, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs works in cooperation with AMC and WRHA to ensure the medical needs of First Nation people (” (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs). It provides consultation and legal support for people in trouble and presents First Nation people in courts advocating their rights. Moreover, the advocacy group established the Special Needs Advocate Unit that links clients to medical resources and offers support in emergency situations” (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs). In the educational sphere, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs established an Education Resource Centre that provides educational and cultural support to First Nations schools. In the social sphere, there is an income assistance programme that provides special needs assistance in emergencies.
Perhaps the most successful and necessary initiative of the organization is the establishment of the First Nations Citizenship Workshop, which aims to help First Nations people “determine their own citizenship outside of the Indian Act” (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs). Indeed, recently fewer and fewer people could get registration under the Indian Act. The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs aims to reverse this tendency by providing legal support to First Nations people. Moreover, the organization voices concerns about First Nations people being disempowered by the Indian Act and draws governmental attention to the unacceptability of marginalization practices. First Nations Citizenship Workshop initiative proved to be a success allowing many First Nations people to get citizenship largely due to its cooperation with human rights organizations and governmental services.
Another highly successful initiative is the EAGLE Urban Transition Centre, launched by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs in 2005 (Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs). The Center aims to help ingenious people integrate into the urban life of the country, providing them with physical and emotional support in unknown surroundings and also assisting First Nations people in becoming financially independent. The Eagle’s Nest Project aims to help First Nations youth successfully integrate into the urban life of Canada.