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.