Dear NCCT Board of Directors,

We, the undersigned members of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT) community, are writing to express our deep concern regarding the current state of the organization and to urge immediate action to address the following critical issues:

1. Leadership and Accountability

Lack of Confidence in the Executive Director: The Executive Director’s perceived role as a figurehead rather than a proactive leader has eroded trust among staff and the community. We believe the ED lacks the authority and willingness to make independent decisions, often aligning with the Board’s interests over the needs of the staff and community.

Inaction on Community and Staff Concerns: Despite numerous attempts to bring forth concerns, there has been a consistent lack of follow-through and meaningful action. This has led to a sense of frustration and disillusionment among staff and the community.

Undermining Staff Roles: The ED's failure to advocate for staff needs and support their professional growth has further damaged morale and hindered the organization's overall effectiveness.

2. Cultural Program Management

Incompetence and Lack of Community Sensitivity: The Cultural Program Manager's inability to effectively manage cultural programs and their disregard for the diverse needs of the Indigenous community have raised serious concerns.

Discriminatory Practices: The imposition of restrictive requirements, such as mandating status cards for participation in workshops, has alienated and excluded significant portions of the Indigenous community.
Failure to Address Complaints: The lack of response to complaints against the Cultural Program Manager has further eroded trust and demonstrated a lack of accountability.

3. Human Resources Management

Unprofessional Conduct and Breach of Confidentiality: The HR Manager's unprofessional behavior, including gossip and the sharing of confidential information, has created a toxic work environment for the staff that are our communities direct supports.

Lack of Action from the Executive Director: The ED’s failure to address these concerns has left staff feeling unsupported and vulnerable.

4. Leadership Style and Community Engagement

Inconsistent Leadership: The ED's inconsistent leadership style has created confusion and uncertainty among staff and the community. While she may appear approachable, her lack of follow-through and support has undermined her credibility.

Lack of Community Engagement: The Board, ED, and HR Manager’s failure to engage with the community and address their concerns has led to a sense of disempowerment and alienation.

5. Board Accountability and Transparency

Lack of Accountability and Transparency: The Board’s historical failure to address internal concerns in a transparent manner has fostered a culture of mistrust and fear.

Decision-Making Disconnected from Community Needs: The Board’s decisions often seem disconnected from the needs of the Indigenous community, leading to feelings of alienation and frustration.
Leadership Instability: Frequent changes in leadership have contributed to a lack of stability and continuity, exacerbating existing challenges.

 

Conclusion:

We urge the Board of Directors to take immediate and decisive action to address these pressing issues. This includes conducting a thorough investigation into the concerns raised, taking appropriate disciplinary action, and implementing measures to ensure accountability, transparency, and effective leadership.

We believe that the future of the NCCT depends on a fundamental shift in leadership and a renewed commitment to the needs of the Indigenous community. The Community of the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto is calling for the Board of Directors public recognition of longstanding concerns about poor leadership, a lack of accountability, and an environment where complaints go unaddressed. The failure of the Board of Directors to act in the interests of the community, the Executive Director’s lack of responsiveness, and the unprofessional behavior of the Cultural Manager and the HR Manager have created a toxic work environment. The community and staff have lost confidence in the leadership, and the failure to act on grievances or complaints has made it clear that they feel no other option remains but to call the Board of Directors emergency attention to these matters.

For trust to be rebuilt, systemic changes in governance, communication, accountability, and professional conduct need to occur. These changes should involve a restructured relationship between the Board, Executive Director, Staff and Community, with clear channels for addressing grievances, greater Community and Elder representation in decision-making, and better leadership at the Executive and HR levels.

 

We are proposing a leadership accountability plan to be implemented, including a leadership accountability committee to be formed by two Long Standing/Lifetime Community Members, one Long Standing membership holding Eldar, two Senior Board Members, two Senior NCCT staff/management to provide guidance to the executive director on a weekly basis. Then form a quarterly Board of Directors led Community and staff engagement sessions to ensure all needs are recognized and addressed.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

NCCT Community Members

 

If you want to contact the Board of NCCT about this directly, you can email them at President@ncct.on.ca