First Nations rally for fair education funding

Hundreds of Aboriginal students, families and dignitaries converged on the campus of the First Nations University of Canada(FNUC) to lobby the federal government to preserve funding for First Nations post-secondary education.

As part of similar protests held across Canada in Sept.—including one on Parliament Hill in Ottawa—the Regina event was held in hopes of staving off more cuts to education and to urge Ottawa to restore full funding that First Nations students have seen decreased over the years.

Leaders say many students can’t attend college or university due to the two per-cent cap increase to tuition and living expenses. And the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) argues First Nations students have been under-funded to the tune of $2-billion in the last 14 years.
As well, just under half of Aboriginal students graduate from high school, compared to about 80 per cent of non-Aboriginal students who graduate overall across Canada.

“What Stephen Harper doesn’t understand is that Native education is a right,” said Candace Innes, a FNUC student in her second year of education. “It’s something that the federal  government already agreed to
Starblanket First Nation Chief Michael Starr said First Nations people must join together to help protect First Nations education funding and added that First Nations people are continuously fighting to attain post-secondary education.

“Students learn the knowledge, and learn about the cunning of the white man, as they say. Those are important for our people so that we can (stand) together,” he said.

Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chief Guy Lonechild told the crowd that the protection of First Nations education is important to all First Nations people, not just the students. It’s not up for debate because the protection of education funding is included in treaties signed with the federal government.

“First Nations education is an inherent and treaty right as is life-long learning,” Lonechild said, adding that it only makes sense for Ottawa to maintain education funding to support Saskatchewan’s resource-based economy with the growing First Nations population.

“In about five years, one in every four 20-year-olds in the province of Saskatchewan will be a First Nations. These young people will play a critical key role in avoiding the looming long-term labour shortage,” Chief Lonechild said.
“In order to compete, we need investment in education now. This investment must be tied to Indian control of Indian education,” he added.

Also at the rally was National Chief Shawn Atleo of the Assembly of First Nations, who told the crowd that being unified across the country will aid in the First Nations dispute. He said it was important to protect education as a way to honour the work done by First Nations people throughout history.

“We are united in our fight for First Nations education. There are rallies being held in Manitoba and in the Northwest Territories. Your activism is an honour to the ancestors who came before you and to the rich heritage you were born into,” he said.

He encouraged protestors to continue to attend rallies as a way to help teach other Canadians about treaty rights and to fight for the preservation of funding for First Nations people.

“It’s time to bridge the gap of misunderstanding. Make sure that people know about where we are coming from,” he said.

Photo Caption: A rally to demand the federal government properly disperse funds for First Nations education was held in September at the First Nations University of Canada. The event attracted supporters ranging from First Nations leaders, students, parents, and children who held up signs throughout the building to show their support.