Opinion – Bird’s Eye View: First Nations Education Act – Not.

Posted On 08 Feb 2014

Harper and Atleo shake hands (Photo: CBC)

The Feds announced a bunch of $ for First Nations education on Feb 7, 2014:

1.9 billion additional funding (to start in 2015)
$1.25 billion over 3 years for aboriginal schools across Canada beginning in 2016 — an amount that would increase by 4.5 % each year after
$160 million for implementation
$500 million for infrastructure over 7 years (starting in 2015)

The money is a nice start since funding on reserve schools is atrocious as compared to provincial schooling (40-50% funding difference). But if one takes a close look – it’s to start in 2015…that’s the election year. How much of this can we believe will be implemented and is it a ploy to persuade Indigenous voters to side with the Conservatives for the dollars?

Smells like the Kelowna Accord to me.

Another claim is that First Nations will be able to develop ‘education authorities’ akin to the Provincial boards and have many of the same standards: (a) teachers on reserves to acquire provincial certification and (b) include measures to improve attendance records and low graduation rates.

That’s sounds fine and dandy to me but the bigger issue is this – did a First Nations educational council create the legislation? What input did First Nations have to address the schooling issues in their communities? Was this another ‘top-down’ approach where the Feds do what they think is best for Indigenous people?

I don’t know, but it does seem like it is the latter (top-down approach).

The Blood reserve that hosted this announcement said this “(we) in no way endorse the proposed legislation in its present form.” (Chief Charles Weasehead)

Really? The band that hosts this announcement is against it? What does that alone say about what FNEA means?

Firstly, 500 million over 3 years ($166.5 million/year) for infrastructure is not a lot. In Saskatchewan, last year, $120 million was set aside for keeping schools up to par…that was one province.

Secondly, Can a government keep its promises when it likely won’t be in charge of future budgets? Conservatives are losing in every poll and could be part of a minority government after 2015…does this mean they can keep what was promised in the FNEA? No, they cannot.

Plain and simple, this is electoral blackmail.

By Jay Bird, Bird’s Eye View