File Hills Qu’Appelle
Tribal Council
Room 222-740 Sioux Avenue, Box 985, Fort Qu’Appelle, SK, SOG
OCO
Phone: (306) 332-8200 Fax: (306) 332-1811 www.fhqtc.com
COMMUNIQUE
February 13,2013
The File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council and its leadership attended the AANDC Education
Meeting with Minister John Duncan in Saskatoon on February 8, 2013, as part of their
regional “consultation” for an impending nationally imposed First Nations Education
legislation. FHQTC Chiefs and Tribal Council Chairman emphasized that their attendance at
the meeting was not to be seen as consultation with, nor acceptance of, the current process
put forth by the Federal government for creation of the national education legislation for First
Nations.
The FHQTC Chiefs and Tribal Chairman Edmund Bellegarde vehemently stated that the
current “consultation” by the Federal government is not fulfilling international standards or
the Supreme Court of Canada decisions on consultation. Instead, the Tribal Council stressed
the lack of accountability and imposition of the provincial systems by the Federal government
through this proposed national legislation that is being done without true consultation (free,
prior and informed consent) of the First Nations, and without concern for the actual
education requirements of our First Nations children. This additional piece of federal
legislation is further eroding jurisdiction from First Nations. FHQTC strongly stated that
there will be no compromise on the jurisdiction over education, it is and must continue to
remain within the First Nations – it is an Inherent and Treaty Right.
The Federal and Provincial governments jointly assert that their impending education
standards and structure benefit First Nation students and is rationalized by attempting to
spend less and “streamline,” but instead this is coming at the expense of assimilating First
Nations into provincial jurisdiction. However, there is evidenced-based international
research that demonstrates and strongly supports there are more interrelated factors that
impact First Nation student educational achievement beyond cost-savings and standardized
education reform. Tribal Chairman Bellegarde stated that nothing has demonstrated that the
blanket application of provincial standards alone will be good for the First Nations student
achievement since there are many First Nations students in the provincial schools system that
are not graduating nor fulfilling provincial standards at the same rate as non-First Nations.
The provincial standard and system continues to be unsuccessful for our students and further
imposition of this system will compound the inequalities between First Nations and non-First
Nations educational achievement.
FHQTC leadership continues to advocate that language and culture must be the foundation to
any education for our students. Both for on reserve and off the reserve education. Schools
should have cultural and language programs integrated into the curriculum, as recognized in
the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous .Peoples at article 14 (3), where it asserts:
States shall, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, take effective measures, in
order for indigenous individuals, particularly children, including those living
outside their communities, to have access, when possible, to an education in
their own culture and provided in their own language.
Consultation with full participation of First Nations is also required at the planning level
before education standards and curriculum are developed and implemented. The regional
“consultation” that is occurring by the Federal government is not fulfilling their fiduciary duty
to consult. The issue of funding for development and implementation of education that fulfills
Inherent and Treaty jurisdiction is not about getting the same funding but instead funding
sufficiently and adequately that addresses the problems that are encountered by our First
Nations students. First Nation Inherent and Treaty Rights to education, along with control
and implementation of it is not for negotiation, but instead must be developed with First
Nations as full partners in our children’s’ future.
FHQTC has initially recommended the following for the discussion and to start the
consultation, assessment and inventory of our requirements for education among the FHQTC
First Nations to facilitate the inclusionary development of student achievement and outcomes
that have language and culture as our foundation:
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Standards and creation of legislation without an assessment of the current state and
future goals of First Nations will not achieve favourable student outcomes. There is no
evidence that shows that the provincial standards produce equal achievement and
outcomes of First Nations students. A realistic view is that, in practice, poor student
achievement is linked to socio-economic status and housing issues, as well as the
marginalization of our youth. These are areas that are linked to First Nations
education and must be addressed when looking to gain more positive student
outcomes in order to produce a ‘whole’ child.
Funding is needed to do an adequate assessment of the First Nations by the First
Nations in order to create effective, responsive and holistic education of our children.
Core funding, instead of proposal driven funding, should be increased to allow the
natural evolution of standards based on First Nations needs and within the First
Nations decision-making capacity that includes language and culture as the
foundation.
The real need is not for predictable and stable funding, but for sufficient and adequate
funding, that addresses the needs of First Nations education that includes language
and culture, and not just provincial standards.
There is a need to enhance existing boards and committee structures of education,
including adequate funding.