03) SHARP DIVISIONS OVER NEW FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION ACT

 

PV Vancouver Bureau

 

            The Harper government has finally unveiled the next version of its First Nation Education Act, renamed to give a veneer of "consultation." But the "First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act" has met with a negative response from Indigenous grassroots activists.

 

            The legislation was announced on Feb. 7 by PM Harper during a surprise visit to the Kainai Nation (Blood tribe) High School near Calgary. A large group of First Nations and corporate leaders were in attendance, but word had leaked out about the event. A peaceful rally was held outside the school, and Harper's news conference was briefly interrupted by one protester. Shannon Houle said not all First Nations were consulted on the agreement and it did not have their support.

 

            In a statement issued the day before, Idle No More members of the Blood Tribe condemned the process leading up to the announcement, regardless of the content of what the Prime Minister may promise to First Nations regarding education.

 

            The statement went on to say, "There was no prior information provided to the First Nation Peoples across Canada and given the track record of the Harper government there is no reason to believe or trust the that Prime Minister Harper has the best interests of First Nations in mind. We also condemn the collaboration with the federal government by the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) through National Chief Shawn Atleo and the AFN Executive Committee who are undermining the collective Inherent, Aboriginal and Treaty Rights of the First Nations and organizations who also oppose the proposed federal First Nations Education Act."

 

            Grassroots activist Twyla Singer stated "Information regarding the Prime Minister's visit to our local high school was leaked to our community members the same day the Prime Minister's announcement, press conference and photo opportunity were being confirmed to the national media. Our community members have not been given any advance information about the federal government's plans for the Proposed First Nations Education Act (FNEA). Our people have been left in the dark and left to guess what the details of this announcement will be." 

 

            The protesters said that First Nations are concerned about "how the FNEA will impact our Treaty relationship and the promises made under Treaty to respect our control over educating our children. There has been consistent opposition to the FNEA across the country for various reasons, primarily the unilateral imposition of federal legislation ignoring the inherent rights of First Nations to exercise control and jurisdiction over education and the blatant disregard for the Treaty nation to nation relationship. The FNEA is the latest proposed Bill in a suite of unilateral federal Bills amending the Indian Act to assimilate First Nations into the Canadian mainstream while denying First Nations Inherent, Aboriginal and Treaty Rights. The track record of the Harper government leaves no choice but for grassroots peoples to stand up and say `NO to the FNEA and other legislation, agreements and policies' that undermine our sovereignty and right to self‑determination."

 

            "Our people are opposed to the whole approach taken by the Federal Government to make this announcement.  Any type of decision that affects our future, our children's future and our Treaty needs to be done openly for our people to be able to provide meaningful input into.  No more back room deals without the people knowing" said Rachel CrowSpreadingWings. 

 

            The statement concluded, "We want to remind Prime Minister Harper and the First Nation Chiefs that any approach to First Nations education should be based upon the international standard of Free, Prior and Informed Consent, Articles 3 and 14 among others of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the requirement to include First Nations Peoples in any reforms of education policy or law from the ground up, not the top down."

 

            Meanwhile, educators at a reserve near Maniwaki, Quebec, have also warned that the prime minister's new plan to recognize First Nations control over schooling may have the opposite effect.

 

            The Anishinabeg people have been managing their own education for more than 30 years on the Kitigan Zibi reserve, said director of education Anita Tenasco.

 

            "First Nations have the authority and the jurisdiction to control our education. We have a lot of very important work to do and we're ready to do it," she said.

 

            Tenasco said she was "saddened" that the Assembly of First Nations stood by Stephen Harper as he made his announcement.

 

            Harper promised a funding commitment of $1.9 billion, which includes $1.25 billion over three years for aboriginal schools across Canada beginning in 2016, an amount that he pledged would increase by 4.5 per cent each year. He also announced $500 million for new infrastructure on reserves over seven years starting in 2015, and $160 million for an implementation fund starting in 2015. It remains unclear to what extent these numbers will address the historic underfunding of First Nations students and schools.

 

            The plan also requires that teachers on reserves acquire provincial certification, calls for minimum education standards and allows for the establishment of First Nation education authorities that will act like school boards.

 

            "We do not need any provincial school board or any outside organization or agency to tell us what needs to be done for our youth, for our children and our community," Tenasco said.

 

            The education program on the Kitigan Zibi reserve currently interweaves language and culture into core courses, like English and math, said teacher Lynn Whiteduck. Making sure the community continues to develop its own education program is "vital," she told the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. "If we're going to serve the students that are in our classroom we have to do it on our terms and that can't be dictated from an external source," she said.

 

            Prominent Mik'maq activist Pamela Palmater was scathing in her response to Harper's announcement.

 

            Presenting a long list of Tory scandals, Palmater says, "I wouldn't want them anywhere near my children or making decisions on their behalf. These people are scary and not the kind of role models we want for our children...If you were a First Nation whose band members had suffered through the rapes, torture, medical experimentation and abuse that occurred in residential schools, would you want the Canadian government running your schools again? If you were a First Nation and the Conservative government was telling you that your choice was status quo under‑funded schools, or extra funding under the condition of federal legislative control, would you feel safe sending your kids to those schools? If you were a First Nation and Harper was standing beside you in a headdress saying "Trust me" ‑ would you?

 

            "The last thing we need is for a federal party, who acts without accountability or any moral compass going anywhere near our kids. We are already suffering the inter‑generational impacts of residential schools ‑ we don't need to hurt our future generations too.

 

            "Say No to FNEA. Stay away from our children. Recognize First Nation control over their own education systems; and properly fund these systems. We have treaty rights and internationally protected rights to fully‑funded education. It's time Canada lived up to its obligations."

 

            APTN National News reports that the Feb. 7 announcement came as a result of negotiations between the AFN and senior federal officials in the PMO, PCO and Aboriginal Affairs.

 

            The government argues that the bill establishes a stable, statutory education funding stream for transition and long‑term infrastructure investment.  The bill would also create a "Joint Council of Education Professionals" to advise Ottawa and First Nations on the implementation of the proposed bill. First Nations will also be able to incorporate language and cultural programming into their education systems under the new statutory funding stream.

 

            "I do join in marking the beginning of a new way forward to mark the beginning of a new way of life," said AFN National Chief Atleo. "We can do this in our time."

 

(The above article is from the February 15-28, 2014, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading socialist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)