Education Rally Planned
“Ensuring the future of our Post Secondary Education, And Canada’s workforce”
September 16, 2010
Batchewana First Nation and Garden River First Nation will be hosting a local education rally in conjunction with the national rally held in Ottawa on Thursday
September 23, 2010.
The demonstration is in response to chronic under funding for First Nation’s post secondary education. While the Provincial Education system is continually modified and receives revisions to funding formulas to improve their student’s education outcomes, First Nations funding formula’s have not been revised since developed in 1988. The demonstration is about expecting the same quality of life as the rest of the country says Chief Dean Sayers, “ Once again a failure on the part of the Federal Government to honour the Crown by way of post secondary access at comparable levels of support based on our Treaty relationship.”
Canadians enjoy exemplary levels of support and attain higher levels of education while First Nations struggle with meager outcomes due to lack of real support aligned with real needs. First Nations education programs are struggling to meet the needs of a growing student population especially with the cost of living increasing significantly. Education units from both First Nations felt it was their responsibility to create a forum where local students, teachers, elders, youth and community members could stand together with a strong, collective message.
Chief Dean Sayers of Batchewana First Nation and Chief Lyle Sayers of Garden River First Nation will be meeting with Provincial representatives and attending the National rally in Ottawa and applaud the efforts and initiative of their communities.
Chief Lyle Sayers commented, “ The Government of Canada will not run rough shod over our Treaty Right to education…any policy change will have a detrimental effect on the tuition agreements we have with the local school boards which would impact service delivery and jobs for teachers at all levels, we call on everyone to join with us in this rally to stand up and do the right thing!”
We call upon the Canadian Government to commit to working with First Nations toward a focused and short-term process to review the funding formula to achieve a sustainable and secure fiscal framework for First Nation education. The demonstration looks to remind Canada that post secondary education for First Nations Peoples is not a discretionary program, but a legal right and government obligation.
Local First Nations governments have shown through documented proof and practices that they are responsible money managers and have the product to prove it, from the period of 2005-2010 Garden River and Batchewana First Nation’s have collectively produced 357 post secondary graduates. First Nation administrators can teach Canadian bureaucrats a few lessons on sound financial management and transparency, not visa versa.
The demonstration will engage First Nation’s from along the North shore, as well as local secondary and post secondary institutes. Local supporters are welcomed to join us at the Garden River Truss Company, 177 Highway 17 East, Garden River on September 23, 2010 at 12:00 pm. We are especially encouraging all of the 2010 local Mayoral and Ward Councilor’s to stand with us and show their support.
