First Nations tell mayoral hopefuls to include them in city planning

Some of Winnipeg's mayoral candidates have been given a briefing by the city's First Nations people on urban planning and how to include aboriginal people.

Dozens of people turned out for a meeting with the candidates at the Indian and Metis Friendship Centre on Thursday night.

Damon Johnston,president of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, said working with all levels of government is important in community planning.

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"You know our community needs to be a priority.That we want to work with the city to identify some of the solutions to the challenges we're facing the gang issues, poverty all of those things," he said.

"So we need to build that understanding within our city and our province and then work with our federal government officials and politicians to have a much improved urban aboriginal strategy."

Seven of the nine mayoral candidates attended the event.Gord Steeves and Paula Havixbeck were the two who were absent.