The second day of the Ending Homelessness Together gathering, held at the Delta Hotel Winnipeg on December 4, 2024, featured a powerful keynote by award-winning writer and activist Niigaan Sinclair. Addressing a room filled with policymakers, frontline workers, and community members, Sinclair called for service providers to meet people where they are, ensuring that dignity remains at the core of efforts to end homelessness.
Reflecting on Winnipeg’s history of bringing Indigenous people together, Sinclair stressed that lasting change requires sustained action and recognition of ongoing injustices. His message struck a chord with attendees, reminding them that reconciliation and housing justice are deeply intertwined.
The day began with a Pipe and Water Ceremony conducted by Elders Florence and Phillip Paynter, setting a tone of respect and tradition. Throughout the day, breakout sessions explored critical themes, including the intersection of homelessness and missing persons, the impacts of brain injury and colonial systems, and culturally appropriate housing solutions for specific populations.
Discussions featured insights from community leaders, frontline workers, and individuals with lived experience, offering actionable strategies to address these issues. The breakout sessions for the day ended with the Elders Advisory Council, comprised of Elders Ivy Chaske, Mary Wilson, Helen Robinson-Settee, Wanbdi Wakita and Linda Schatkowsky, engaged in the Bannock & Tea Grandparents Circle, providing wisdom and insight rooted in cultural knowledge and lived experience.
A spirit of collaboration and determination filled the gathering, as attendees united around a shared goal: coordinated action to ensure safe, dignified housing for all. As the day concluded, it was clear that the momentum for systemic change was building, fostering hope for a future where homelessness is a thing of the past.
Photo credit: Joey Senft