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Windsor Friendship Centre board president denies wrongdoing

Windsor Friendship Centre board president denies wrongdoing

The president of the board of Windsor's Can-Am Indian Friendship Centre says there has been no wrongdoing by officials.

Dozens of people held a protest across from the centre Friday accusing officials of mismanagement of money and bullying. They also said within the last couple of weeks a number of youth programs, such as kick-boxing, drumming and dance classes have been cancelled without warning.

Faith Hale met with some board members Monday morning and put together a press release.

The release said a financial monitor and integrated field visit was completed by its major funding agency and is pleased to report there is no financial irregularities or mismanagement of funds.

Bryan Halfday, a former board member, resigned at the end of March because he said he could not get answers to the questions he was asking.

"Because programs are being closed, money is being funneled some place else, nobody knows where the money is, and there's more funding coming in, but where's it going, where's the money going," said Halfday.

Helen Wolfe, a member of the Friendship Centre said when Halfday resigned the board should have looked into the issues he was raising.

"If I were on that board, and somebody said something to me about mismanagement, legal ramifications, first thing out of my mouth would be, 'Wait, what are you talking about? Let's get this out in the air, I want to know what's going on so I know what I'm going to do.' Nothing was said like that," said Wolfe.

The pair would like the Canada Revenue Agency to conduct a full audit on the centre.

CBC News requested an on-camera interview with the Can-Am Indian Friendship Centre Monday, but were refused.

CBC News also reached out to the centre's major funding agency, the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, but were told no one is available to answer our questions Monday.