Canada

Harper government’s First Nations education plans collapse

The Canadian Press (October 4, 2012)

National Chief Shawn Atleo

With graduation rates below 50 percent, Ottawa and the Assembly of First Nations hoped to see a legislative joint action plan by 2014, but the plans dissolved after three days of deliberation.

National Chief Shawn Atleo said, “The instructions that you have afforded here by this resolution are very clear and that is to reject, to say no, to federal legislation.”

Ottawa wanted legislation to establish school-boards that would give native governments control over their own education, but chiefs questioned the federal decision-making process and a “one-size-fits-all law that would not work for reserves whose rights are defined by treaties.”

The decision of the chiefs on Wednesday to walk away from that process is a major blow to the relatively peaceful Crown-First Nation relationship of the past few years.

For more information:

Native Leaders Reject Education Overhaul

Plans for Ottawa-First Nations Co-opperation on Education Reform Collapse