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NAN press release

NAN Rejects Process for Education Review

Thunder Bay, ON - Aug 8, 2011: Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) First Nations will not participate in a proposed national education review process established by the federal government and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN). Citing the National Panel process as both flawed and deficient, NAN will undertake their own review, working in conjunction with other First Nations in Ontario as well as with those in Saskatchewan and Quebec. Together, they will submit their views directly to the federal government and the AFN.

The National Panel was established without input from any First Nations in Canada to conduct a national review of elementary and secondary education for First Nation students who live on reserve, and to submit a report to Canada and the AFN. The First Nations of NAN see no need for the National Panel’s work, given that issues impacting First Nation education are well known, and have been set out in many reports completed in the past, the Auditor General reports of recent years, and in the NAN education strategic plan.

NAN Deputy Grand Chief Terry Waboose who holds the education portfolio for NAN, is concerned that the legislative focus of the National Panel’s work threatens the Treaty right held by the First Nations of NAN. “The National Panel will recommend legislation to govern First Nation education,” said Waboose. “This has the potential to arbitrarily define and diminish our Treaty right to education. It amounts to a backdoor revision of the Indian Act and holds little prospect of actually improving the quality of education our children deserve.”

The National Panel has no mandate to review pre-school education, post-secondary or vocational education nor’ to address the current and significant funding gap that exists between funding provided to provincial schools and that provided by Canada to First Nation schools. The well-known and much needed improvements in education facilities, education support services, special education, teacher salaries and curriculum education outcomes will not improve simply because Ottawa passes legislation. Appropriate funding to address these issues must be on the table and it isn’t.

“The federal government talks about restraint,” said Muskrat Dam First Nation Chief Gordon Beardy. “But why is that burden being placed on the shoulders of our children and their education. Funding for First Nation education is an investment for Canada not a cost. But unfortunately, real investment in the future of our children is clearly not on National Panel’s agenda.”

NAN Chiefs have expressed concern that having their voice heard in Ottawa by the AFN and the federal government requires their views to be filtered through a panel whose members include only one First Nation person.

“We are perfectly capable of speaking for ourselves and don’t require a National Panel with a limited mandate and minimal First Nation representation to do it for us.” said Waboose. “That is precisely what we intend to do through submission of our own report directly to the National Chief and the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development”.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation is a political territorial organization representing 49 First Nation communities in James Bay Treaty No. 9 and Ontario portions of Treaty No. 5 – an area covering two thirds of the province of Ontario.

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For more information please contact Amy Harris, Director of Communications – Nishnawbe Aski Nation (807) 625-4906 or (807) 252-2806 mobile or by email aharris[at]nan.on.ca

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From CTV.ca

230 First Nations pull out of national education panel

The Canadian Press - Aug. 10, 2011

SASKATOON

— Aboriginal leaders in Saskatchewan say First Nations in the province, along with many in Quebec and Ontario, are closing the book on a national panel on education.

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, which represents 74 First Nations, said 230 First Nations from Saskatchewan, Quebec and Ontario won't take part in the panel's regional meetings. They said the overarching intent of the panel is to help the federal government to create "one-size-fits-all education" legislation.

But they say that won't take into account the diversity of cultures and languages among First Nations or respect the First Nations right to control the education their children receive based on treaty right.

"At the end of the day, the panel will consult with an unrepresentative group of First Nations across Canada and then influence federal legislation that is not aligned with our belief systems," federation vice-chief Lyle Whitefish said in a news release issued late Wednesday afternoon.

"While the federal government issued a residential school apology that included a commitment not to repeat the mistakes of the past, this national panel seems like a step back to the 'we know best' colonialist attitude."

The panel was announced in December 2010 by Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister John Duncan and Shawn Atleo, chief of the Assembly of First Nations. It's looking at options, including legislation, to improve elementary and secondary education outcomes for children who live on reserve.

According to the panel's website, www.firstnationeducation.ca, the high school completion rate for First Nation residents on reserve is 40 per cent, compared to 56 per cent for aboriginal students in provincial public schools and 86 per cent for all Canadians.

The website states that First Nation children who attend schools on reserve are the only children in Canada whose education is not governed by comprehensive education-specific legislation, except for a limited number of First Nation children whose education falls under self-government agreements.

It says while legislation alone cannot ensure better education results, it could govern the quality of education. Some educational experts recommend the introduction of First Nation education legislation to provide the framework for reform and better results.

The panel started travelling across Canada in June to hear from First Nation leaders, parents, students, elders, teachers and provinces.

Whitefish said the work is moving forward despite objections.

"Unfortunately, the AFN, our own national First Nations organization, is not listening to us, and appear to have been co-opted by the federal government in supporting a process that will only serve to create legislation that weakens our treaty right to education," said Whitefish.

"As Prime Minister Stephen Harper has stated: 'There is no place in Canada for the attitudes that inspired the Indian residential schools system to ever prevail again.' If that is the case, then our voice should be listened to and respected."

"With federal legislation, the federal government will assume full control over First Nations education; they will drive it, develop it, change it, and do whatever they want with it, and First Nations children will be forced to dance to their tune, again," he added.

The AFN could not immediately be reached for comment. The panel said in an email to The Canadian Press that it would try to respond Thursday morning. It is expected to report its findings by the end of the year.

The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations said a parallel report from First Nations in Saskatchewan, Quebec and Northern Ontario will be delivered to the federal government and the assembly.

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Press release

National Panel members say that they are focusing on First Nation students

Toronto, Aug. 12, 2011 - Members of the National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education issued the following statement.

Our mandate is to hear from First Nation students, parents, elders, teachers, school administrators, community leaders, and others in each region across the country. We fully respect that some people may want to engage with us, while other may not. We respect those First Nations that have chosen to run their own parallel processes and provide a separate report to the National Chief. As Panel members, we value their input and we will take their feedback, as well as what we hear from others, into account when we build our report and recommendations.

We will listen to all who participate in this very important undertaking to find ways to better support K-12 First Nations students. Throughout September, October and November, we will hold eight regional engagement activities and one national roundtable. We look forward to visiting First Nation communities and to hearing directly from First Nation youth in particular.

As previously stated, on June 24, we visited Akwesasne First Nation at the invitation of the community. We visited four First Nation schools and met with the leadership and education officials. We also had the privilege of hearing directly from young adults in that community.

Since then, we met with representatives of the Chiefs Committee on Education (CCOE) on July 6 and we participated in a discussion with board members of the First Nation Education Steering Committee (FNESC) in British Columbia, during their Annual General Meeting on July 7.

More recently we spent a day in Saskatoon on July 29 and two days in Vancouver on August 8 and 9, meeting with community leaders and Chiefs who wanted to share their perspectives with us.

It is not physically possible to meet with everyone in person, but we invite those who are interested in sharing their views, thoughts and innovative ideas to make submissions or post ideas on our website at www.firstnationeducation.ca. It is also possible to write to us directly at:

National Panel on First Nation Elementary and Secondary Education
255 Albert Street, Room 900
Ottawa, ON K1A 0H4

The Panel entered this process with no preconceived ideas regarding the outcomes. We clearly understand that our job is to take in everyone's suggestions and to develop recommendations for improving educational outcomes for First Nations students based on the information that we receive along the way.

To us as Panel members, First Nation students must come first. We are deeply committed to finding solutions that will enable them to succeed in school, develop their many talents, and fulfill their hopes and aspirations.

For further information:

Chris McDonell
Director, National Panel Secretariat
613-996-8522