Saskatoon opens one-of-a-kind support centre for families of MMIWG2S+

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Swiftwolfe’s office in the Coming Home Centre, which is decorated with countless gifts from families she’s supported.

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The Centre is a direct response to the Calls to Justice, as well as a 2021 City of Saskatoon report recommending the city develop an action plan on how to improve the quality of life and health of Indigenous women, girls, and 2-Spirit people. The Centre was developed through the Office of the Matriarchs, Indigenous Initiatives, and through Swiftwolfe’s leadership as Auntie Advocate.

Located in the First Nations Bank building at 224 4th Avenue South, on land Yellow Quill First Nation, and the location for the Centre was thoughtfully considered with families in mind.

“The Office of the Matriarchs shared a lot of ideas in terms of what they wanted to see. It was important to have a place close to the river, where families could connect with nature,” said Melissa Cote, Director of Indigenous Initiatives at the City of Saskatoon.

The office is not only a few minutes walk from the South Saskatchewan River, but steps away from the King’s Bench Courthouse.

“When you’re in active trauma, and you need to scream or you need to cry, our space is here for the families,” said Swiftwolfe.

“If you have to make an appearance in the court system over 400 times, and have no place to go in-between, during lunch hour for example, or when they’re selecting jury and you can’t be there for certain hours, families had no where to go. The Coming Home Centre gives our families a safe place to sit and wait.”

The Coming Home Centre, on 4th Avenue in Downtown Saskatoon, was designed to feel less like an office and more like a home.

While there are other similar support centres in Canada, typically focused on support for families in court, Cote said to her knowledge, this is the first MMIWG2S+ centre in Canada supported by a municipality.

“Through that City of Saskatoon report, talking to families, and of course the Matriarchs, this is their vision. This is what families wanted, this is what families requested,” said Swiftwolfe. “Melissa (Cote) took that vision and made it a reality.”

Swiftwolfe has dedicated her career to be being a voice for the marginalized and vulnerable. She began doing frontline work with the Saskatoon Tribal Council before becoming an Aboriginal Resource Officer with the Saskatoon Police Service, a role she held for nearly two decades.

When the opportunity to become the city’s first ‘Auntie Advocate’, Swiftwolfe jumped at the opportunity to bring her advocacy and family-centred vision to the city. The role she stepped into was both broad and heavy – to lead the development and execution of strategies, plans, and programs that will foster a city where Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit feel protected, safe, and loved.

Now, at the Coming Home Centre, Swiftwolfe can use her decades of advocacy and experience to support families facing profound challenges.

A large room in the Coming Home Centre which allows families to meet, share a meal, smudge, or have ceremony.

“Here, families can have ceremonies, or we can assist them with the trauma of going through the court, or simply can gather here as place for a family to have a meal,” said Swiftwolfe.

Swiftwolfe said that every element of the office was thoughtfully considered – from the colours to the furniture, to make it feel like a home, not an office. It’s a ‘living environment’, said Swiftwolfe.

And while the Coming Home Centre has only been open for two weeks, Swiftwolfe already has her eyes on expansion. She’s working to bring in programming focused on issues related to MMIWG2S+ like domestic violence, and family support groups from others who have had loved ones go missing.

“Every family that has to walk this journey of having a murdered or missing loved one, they understand the gaps. They know the resources,” said Swiftwolfe.

“We understand that even though every story is a little bit different and every need is a little different, that our families will know how to support each other and know which resources are out there.”