In August, Winnipeg will play host to the 2013 Manito Ahbee Festival, one of the premier aboriginal cultural festivals in North America. The Festival celebrates Aboriginal music, arts, culture and heritage, and aims to educate, entertain, inspire and unify. It features the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, International Competition Powow, Indigenous Marketplace and Tradeshow, and much more.

This Festival is a great opportunity for our members, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal , to explore Aboriginal culture and to build unity with Aboriginal peoples. We encourage you to promote the Festival with members of your union.

We would also invite your union to consider supporting this non-profit Festival with a financial contribution. This is a good opportunity for the labour movement to strengthen its relationship with Manitoba’s Aboriginal people, one of the youngest and fastest growing populations in Canada. Please contact Festival Executive Director Lisa Meeches if your union is interested in providing support (lisa@manitoahbee.com).

We have enclosed some promotional material about the Festival. Additional information can be found at http://www.manitoahbee.com/.

We hope you are able to participate in this year’s Manito Ahbee Festival.

In solidarity,

Kevin Rebeck, MFL President

Cathy Woods, MFLVice President – Aboriginal Workers