The proposed 50,000 square foot Centre for Youth Excellence to be located in Winnipeg’s inner-city and to be run by Youth for Christ (YFC) should be the ultimate win-win situation. The facility, which will feature an indoor skate park, fitness centre, youth drop in centre, classrooms and many others amenities is exactly the kind of project needed in an area desperate for recreational options for young people.
The federal government and the City of Winnipeg announced that it would be partnering with Youth for Christ to help make the project a reality. YFC is contributing $4 million of private funds to help build the facility and will operate it once it is completed.
This is exactly the kind of partnership that has proven to be successful in other large cities in an effort to combat youth crime and gangs. Partnering with an established and proven organization ensures that government does not have to fund the entire project or establish the infrastructure to operate it.
Unfortunately, some members of the New Democratic Party have taken this win-win proposition and criticized it solely because of the faith perspective that Youth for Christ is founded on. They have said that no public funds should be going to an organization with a faith position.
Of course, they ignore the fact that public funds support a whole host faith based projects and initiatives that represent the whole spectrum of beliefs. The public funding for these projects can be direct or indirect through the allowance of tax deductions.
The NDP’s position that no public funding should be granted to the work being done by YFC or other faith based organizations is one that would leave many of societies most vulnerable with few options and would force government to make up the difference by raising taxes.
There is no way to calculate the financial contribution that faith organizations make to a community and to the province but it would be a staggering figure. Through the distribution of food, clothing and sometimes shelter, they help provide the most basic needs to thousands. They often deal with a number of social, addiction and family difficulties by offering counseling. Faith groups are involved with community clean-up efforts, help provide recreation opportunities for youth and offer social opportunities to those who are alone.
And they do all of these things through essentially volunteer help from those who share the same faith and who donate their own personal money to support a good deal of the efforts.
It is many millions if not billions of dollars that these faith organizations save government and taxpayers each and every year. The proposal by YFC is certain to benefit the young people of Winnipeg’s inner-city. They, and other faith groups, should be applauded for filling a void that government simply cannot do on its own.
