Harper's Proposal on Aboriginal Education - Potential Disaster, Smart Politics

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 13) January 29, 2014

The United Way of Calgary has described the plight of aboriginal youth as follows – “Aboriginal youth (First Nations, Metis and Inuit) consistently post lower graduation rates than non-Aboriginal students.  The unemployment rate for Aboriginal people is twice that of non-Aboriginal people and 30 per cent of Aboriginal youth in Calgary live in poverty (2006).  In Alberta the three year high school completion rate 2011/2012 for aboriginal youth was 43.9% compared to 74.8% for the general population.”  What is so tragic and very troubling, a significant number of aboriginal youth cannot see a way out of their circumstance and turn to dangerous drug addiction and even suicide – the coroner of Nunavut has called for a public inquiry into the suicide rate amongst the territory’s youth which last year was 13 ½ times the national average.  As I mentioned in last week’s “Whispering in the Wind” article, it’s time that the federal government and native leaders come together and work together to address a truly tragic situation.  It’s time to stop squabbling over jurisdiction and start cooperative action – the future of Canada’s aboriginal youth is at stake.

Harper’s Proposal on Aboriginal Education

Last October the Harper Government tabled a sweeping proposal for aboriginal education.  Under the proposed legislation, reserve councils will be responsibility for the education system within their respective communities – the reserve council can establish its own educational authority; it can contract out its education program to a provincial school board authority; or it can contract out education to a private sector agency.  The federal government will continue to set “minimum” standards (presumably akin to provincial, territorial educational standards) and monitor performance – if the standards are not met, the federal government reserves the right to intervene with a “temporary” administrator.  The proposal, if enacted as presently proposed, will absolve the federal government of any liability associated with the education set up by the reserve council.  Funding of the proposal is not discussed in the proposal.  For many observers the proposed First Nations Education Act tops the Harper aboriginal agenda.

Aboriginal Response to Harper’s Proposal

Shawn Atleo, Assembly of First Nation’s national chief responded to Harper proposal for educational reform for the nation’s aboriginal communities with a letter to Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt, outlining five conditions for effective educational reform:  First Nation control over education, guaranteed federal funding, protection of language and culture, joint ‘oversight’ of the new educational system, and ‘meaningful’ consultation with aboriginals.  According to the various news reports, the Harper government wants to have the First Nations Education Act debated in parliament sometime in 2014 – with all the sweeping changes recommended, there is not a lot of time for meaningful negotiations.

  My Take on the Harper Proposal

The Harper government’s proposal to revamp the aboriginal education system is all about politics and only about politics – not about the dire circumstances of aboriginal youth.  It’s like Mr. Harper has washed his hand regarding the aboriginal education issue and saying to Mr. Atleo and other aboriginal leaders, you want control of the education system on reserves, here take it all and be responsible for all of it – if something goes wrong and something will surely go wrong, the aboriginal community will be held responsible.