Tribe takes control of reserve education

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Indian people are better qualified to form their own education system for their own children than government officials, says the regional director of Indian Affairs (DIAND).

Following a special signing ceremony at Fort Chipewyan Sept. 2, Dennis Wallace remarked, "we state openly and often that Indian people can better run education than we can."

The document was signed by Cree Chief Rita Marten, Chipewyan Chief Archie Cyprien, Northland School Division (NSD) chairman Jeff Chalifoux and secretary-treasurer Fred DeKleine, Alberta Education's director of business schools Steve Cymbol, and Wallace, and was the high point of the ceremonies.

The signatories of the agreement view it was an "historic and unique occasion" in that it is the first of its kind in Alberta and, perhaps, Canada.

Prior to this agreement, Indian education was exclusively under the control of DIAND, but now the responsibility falls on a tripartite structure that includes the Fort Chipewyan Education Authority, NSD and Her Majesty The Queen, represented by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

The new education authority consists of the Chipewyan and Cree bands.

Virtually every speaker at the ceremonies heralded it as "a unique agreement" because it is the first pact to lace education directly into the hands of the Indians in cooperation with the province and the federal government.

Wallace said there are similar agreements in other parts of Canada but those do not give control to the Indian governments.

Negotiations to achieve the agreement took close to two years according to Chief Marten. Nowe, she added, "we should start moving in a unified manner to try and improve the quality of education for the betterment of the children." Native curriculum development is one of example of the tasks we should see to, she stated.

Chief Cyprien said the agreement gives the education authority "more control and involvement with the community school." It also guarantees a student career counsellor he added.

The agreement also establishes a new precedent for Indian education which is being pursued in other communities.

As a new trend aimed at improving said Dennis Wallace, indicating other communities that may follow the Fort Chipewyan example are the St. Paul and Slave Lake areas, High Level, and some of the southern communities.

Wabasca-Desmarais is one community Wallace and NDS chairman Jeff Chalifoux feel very excited about. The atmosphere said Chalifoux "is a lot more positive and the chief and myself are very optimistic that we can have something signed by the New Year," he commented.

In an interview, Cyprien said the authority, which has two appointed and two advisory members on the local school board, will "hire an education coordinator to implement and oversee the whole agreement."

Wallace stressed the importance of the agreement in terms of self-government. Not only does it address local control he said, "it permits them to put in a curriculum which is unique to the area" and allows for advisory services as well.

Improvements, such as the hiring of a liaison worker who would help bring the school and community families together was only one example said Wallace, adding that DIAND cannot fund the federal school system alone. However, because education funds will now come under band and community control, the control funds will now be a decision of the community rather than government he said.

"What we're talking about, said Wallace, "is changing a hundred years of history and, in many respects, we're doing it in the space of a few years now," he added.

There are, he said, those who oppose the concept and argue that it absolves DIAND from a Treaty responsibility in Indian education. Wallace assured Windspeaker "that the federal government does have responsibility for education for Indian people as a result of the constitution, Treaties and the Indian Act."

Assistant deputy minister of education Bill Duke said he "sensed a new sense of cooperation and purpose which will improve education" in the community. Unlike Blue Quills and other reserve-based educational institutions, this one has involved direct negotiation and decision-making by the boards.

The signing of the tuition agreement was witnessed by students, community members and visitors in attendance and was followed by a steak dinner for dignitaries and invited guests at the new Fort Chipewyan Lodge.