Manitoba addictions centre offers limited treatment services for $10K monthly fee: advocates, former client

programs. But in November 2023, she was fired after raising concerns about the lack of Indigenous programming at Aurora in Brandon.

Messing said she was told by Bruneau that he didn’t see the need for Indigenous programming at the facility, despite the majority of clients being Indigenous. She said she was also told to stop speaking to clients about Indigenous culture and traditions.

“I was basically told to stop being an Indian with the clients,” Messing said.

She said she was fired after refusing to comply with these directives, and that she was devastated to see how the facility was taking advantage of vulnerable people.

“I felt like I had sold my soul,” she said.

Messing believes that charging almost $10,000 a month to live in a converted motel room is exploitative and unethical, especially when the majority of clients are not paying out of pocket.

“They’re using taxpayer dollars to profit off of these vulnerable people,” she said.

Advocates and former workers are calling for more oversight and regulation of facilities like Aurora in Brandon, to ensure that vulnerable people are not being taken advantage of and that taxpayer dollars are being used appropriately.

Florence Halcrow of Ask Auntie said she hopes that by speaking out, they can bring attention to the issue and make sure that facilities like Aurora are held accountable for their actions.

“We need to make sure that these places are actually helping people and not just lining their pockets,” she said. “We need to do better for our community.”