Free education could vanish By: Deyra Fontaine
Ottawa is considering turning post-secondary grants for aboriginal students into repayable loans under a review that critics say will erode treaty rights for First Nations and hamper efforts to solve Manitoba’s labour shortage.
Patricia Valladao, a spokeswoman for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, confirmed the Post-Secondary Student Support Program is under review.
She wouldn’t say if the department has decided to transfer control of $314 million in student grants for First Nations university and college students to the existing Canada Student Loans Program, administered by provinces.
The review is raising worries among aboriginal leaders and university officials across the country.
The Quebec-based First Nations Education Council is circulating a web-based petition against any changes. More than 13,000 supporters have signed it since it was launched Nov. 13.
Manitoba has a higher proportion of aboriginal residents than any other province and a shortage of skilled workers. Labour market analysts warn the future of the province’s economy depends on improving education for aboriginals so they can fill the gap.
Statistics Canada reported this month that the employment rate for aboriginals who have not graduated high school is 50 per cent, but it jumps to 80 per cent for those with a post-secondary education.
University of Winnipeg president Lloyd Axworthy said fewer aboriginals will attend university or college if they have to apply for a loan.
According to the 2006 census, 35 per cent of the aboriginal population had graduated from a trade, college or university program, compared to 51 per cent of the general population.
“The gap is actually widening over the last couple of years,” Axworthy said. “Before they change the policy, I really think there has to be, and should be, a much broader consultation with the universities and with the aboriginal student groups and others to come up with a formula that really makes sense…”
University of Winnipeg student Ryan Bruyere graduated from the aboriginal governance program last summer. He said he was funded by Sagkeeng First Nation, 145 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, because they could see he was determined to improve his life.
“You just won’t get that through a bureaucrat,” Bruyere said. “They’re looking at us as numbers, whereas we’re (now) being looked at as community members.”
Before attending university, Bruyere was involved in petty crime. Now he’s considering a master’s program.
Sagkeeng First Nation Chief
Donavan Fontaine said transferring funds to a loan agency ignores the real issue of underfunding.
“Why should you pay back a loan for something that is a right? We’ve paid many times over for our rights and resources.”
“Off-loading to the province is dangerous,” Fontaine added. “Our treaties are not with the province.”
Education is a treaty right, but the Indian Act makes no reference to training at the post-secondary level. For that reason, the federal government often argues that support for post-secondary education is a matter of public policy rather than a treaty obligation.
Gilbert Whiteduck, chief of the Kitigan Zibi First Nation, 130 kilometres north of Hull, Que., said Ottawa justifies the change by claiming First Nations abuse the grant by diverting student funds toward other reserve programs such as emergency housing.
“Those are tough choices, when Indian Affairs does not provide those basic needs at a level that would meet the needs of First Nations and the growing family,” Whiteduck said. “I don’t buy at all into their criticism of mismanagement to the level that they claim.”
Status First Nations and Inuit people hold treaty rights granting them access to federal funding for education. The money is distributed by individual bands, but no student is guaranteed sponsorship.
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation said in a 2008 report that aboriginal students prefer grant-based education funding through their bands to repayable financial assistance.
Valladao said there’s no deadline for the review.
A year ago, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine accused Ottawa of denying post-secondary education to 10,000 aboriginals because of underfunding.
At the same round table at the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba’s senior cabinet minister, Vic Toews, said the shortage of skilled labour could be alleviated by educating young natives.
deyra.fontaine@freepress.mb.caThe bottom line on aboriginal education
In its 2008-2009 budget, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada invested $1.7 billion in First Nations and Inuit education programs for an estimated 23,500 students.
Supporters of the online petition intend to give it to members of Parliament, who they hope will present it to Parliament in February.
“Why should you pay back a loan for something that is a right? We’ve paid many times over for our... resources.”
— Sagkeeng Chief Donavan Fontaine
The petition can be found online at
www.cepn-fnec.com/petition/petition_e.aspx.
Since 1996, federal funding for aboriginal education has been capped at two per cent annually. That limit means more than 30 students from Sagkeeng were turned away even though they qualified for university or college training, Fontaine said.
What do you think folks. Personally, I think there should be more consultation with all parties involved before any steps are taken.
CKA Uber 
(20%) 
