Trudeau promises billions for First Nations education

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This article was published 13/08/2015 (3686 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA – Liberal leader Justin Trudeau pledged at least $3 billion for First Nations education over the next four years during a campaign stop in Saskatoon today.

It is the first promise directed at Indigenous Canadians in this election and is a clear sign the Liberals are targeting the First Nations vote.

“I believe all children have the right to a high quality education,” Trudeau said from a podium at a Saskatoon hotel. “Unfortunately in Canada that’s not how things are.”

The pledge includes an immediate investment of $515 million in kindergarten to Grade 12 on-reserve education, a figure that will be repeated annually over the next three years. In the fourth year it will rise to $750 million.

Another $500 million will be spent immediately on infrastructure to build new schools and repair damage to existing ones. Another $50 million will be invested the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, which provides financial assistance to help Indigenous students attend post-secondary schools.

“First Nations students are falling behind,” he said. “Canadians know that’s just not right.”

Trudeau pointed out the funding gap for First Nations education on-reserve compared to schools off-reserve has led to poor outcomes for indigenous children, who are behind their peers off-reserve when it comes to reading, writing and  math. As well graduation rates on-reserve are low, with fewer than half the kids who live on reserves graduating from high school.

Trudeau has said for more than two years he will revive the objectives of the Kelowna Accord, an agreement signed between the provinces, Ottawa and First Nations in 2005, that would have invested $5 billion over 10 years in everything from health care to housing.

The accord was scrapped immediately by the Conservatives after winning power just a few months after the Kelowna agreement was signed. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was critical of Kelowna and said it was not properly thought out.

Trudeau was critical of that move and said he will “make up for 10 long lost years.”

The Harper government recently attempted a major overhaul of on-reserve education with a First Nations Education Act that was developed with the Assembly of First Nations. It would have invested $1.25 billion in First Nations education core funding over three years and set minimum standards for on-reserve schools, including curriculum requirements that match or exceed provincial standards, attendance requirements, and teacher certification. Another $500 million was pledged for education infrastructure.

The legislation was shelved just months after it was introduced when a backlash from chiefs across the country who said they hadn’t been properly consulted led to the resignation of AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo. Atleo had backed and agreed to the legislation.

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The funding for education was also shelved. In this year’s federal budget there was $200 million over five years for First Nations education core funding. There was still $500 million for construction and renovation of on-reserve schools.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde said the Liberal pledge would have “an immediate impact” on First Nations education and help close the funding gap.

Bellegarde called it a “positive start” but also said the AFN will be doing a thorough review of all party pledges in this campaign , including this one, and releasing a comprehensive analysis of them all before voting day.

Mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca