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The Funding Requirement for First Nations Schools in Canada (May 2009)  

AFN press release 

AFN National Chief Welcomes Report by Parliamentary Budget Office on First Nations Schools: "The Government is Literally Failing First Nations Students" 

OTTAWA, May 25/ - Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine stated that today's report by the Parliamentary Budget Office on funding for First Nations schools should be seen as an urgent call to action by all parliamentarians to address the government's mismanagement of First Nations schools and First Nations education in general.

"The Parliamentary Budget Office's report is an independent, peer-reviewed piece of research that validates what First Nations have been saying for years: the government is literally failing First Nations students," National Chief Fontaine said. "The report shows that First Nations schools are critically under-funded and, further, that the government has no plan at all when it comes to providing for or maintaining First Nations schools."

The report was prepared by the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) following a request from NDP MP Charlie Angus that it examine the government's approach to school construction for First Nations communities. The PBO found there was an utter lack of data or baseline indicators in this area, which means that funding decisions for school construction and repairs becomes a purely random exercise. The PBO found that resources for First Nations schools are not "fenced in", which means the federal government can re-allocate the funding and spend it in other areas. The PBO report found that First Nations schools are under-funded by at least $200 million annually, and that this shortfall grows each year.

"This report clearly shows that government is mismanaging its resources and short-changing First Nations," the National Chief stated. "We need better data and better management and First Nations can play a lead role in improving the situation because the schools are in our communities.

Education is a treaty right for First Nations and Indian Affairs shouldn't view funding for education as 'discretionary'. The report by the PBO provides some very useful recommendations and we hope that elected officials and the government will work with First Nations to find solutions because education must be a non-partisan issue. Our position is and always has been that First Nations should be in control of First Nations education."

The National Chief pointed to an internal audit carried out by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) on the Post-Secondary Education programs released in March that had similar conclusions: INAC was mismanaging the program and the program is under-funded. As a result, there are less First Nations students graduating from post-secondary institutions.

"These are difficult economic times and Canada is about to face a shortage of skilled and educated workers. Canada should be doing all it can to ensure First Nations - the youngest and fastest growing segment of the population - are getting a quality education comparable to other Canadians," the National Chief said. "The PBO report makes the case that we must move away from an attitude of 'spending' towards an attitude of 'investing'. In part, this means removing the arbitrary 2% cap on growth in base spending for First Nations that has been in place since 1996 and only works to ensure our people fall further and further behind. Investments now save money in the long term and, equally important, ensures First Nations are equipped with the skills and education they need to improve their lives and communities and ensures that Canada remains a strong and competitive country."

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada.

For further information:
Don Kelly, A/Communications Director, Assembly of First Nations, (613)241-6789 ext. 334, cell: (613) 292-2787, dkelly@afn.ca.