PRES SS RELEA ASE

For im mmediate re elease FIRSTNAT TIONSEDUCA ATION APropo osalforaBil llonFirstNa ationEducat tion
Akwasasn ne,Wednesday,October23, 2 2013It tiswithdisap ppointment,b butnotsurprise,thattheC Chiefs oftheAss semblyofthe eFirstNationsof Quebecand a Labrador r(AFNQL)rec ceivedthePro oposalforaB Billon First Natio on Education n, released ye esterday by Minister M Valco ourt. Last we eek, the Unite ed Nations Special Rapporteurontherigh htsofindigen nous peoplesnotedthede eepconcerno ofFirstNationsfromacros ssthe country th hat the proce ess for develo oping the pro oposed First N Nations Educa ation Act has s not appropr riately included nor n responde ed to aborigin nal views. The e proposal, r eviewed and discussed by y the Chiefs t today, confirmsour o suspicion ns. Throughout the so called consu ultation proce ess, the Firs st Nations of Quebec an nd Labrador have repeatedl ly explained what we nee ed to improv ve our childre ens educatio on: meaningful support fo or the teachingof o FirstNationslanguages andculturalvalues;agua aranteeofad dequate,equitablefunding g;real control of f the governa ance, manage ement, and delivery d of Fir rst Nations ed ducation, stated AFNQL Chief, GhislainPicard. P The proposal answers s none of our fundamental concerns. First Nations s language an nd culture re eceive only a pa assing menti ion. Adequat te funding is s not guaran nteed. The m means by wh hich First Na ations education n could be go overned and managed m are dictated in t the Bill. Despite months of consultation, the fundamen ntals of the federal f governments prop posal have re emained unch t Nations con ncerns hanged. First andrecom mmendations shavebeenig gnored. First Natio ons have a co onstitutionall ly recognized right to self government t and selfdet termination, w which includes jurisdiction ov ver the educa ation of theirmembers. By y the proposed Bill, the fe ederal govern nment urp First Nations controlover o First Nations educatio on. First Natio ons would be e left to administer would usu asystemdesigned d and dcontrolledby b Ottawabur reaucrats. We unde erstand that, in the Minis sters opinion n, inadequaciies in First Nations educa ation result fr rom a lack of st tructure and mismanagem ment by First t Nations. Fir rst Nations h have long suffered the fe ederal governme ents opinion that it, and only o it, know ws what is bes st for our chi ildren. The fe ederal govern nment 2

LE GRAND CER RCLE DE NOS PREMI RES NATIONS THE E GREAT CI IRCLE OF O OUR FIRST NATIONS

2 has consistently rebuffed First Nations proposals regarding how education could be improved and oughttobemanaged.OttawaspaternalisticattitudetowardFirstNationsisresponsibleforsomeofthe most shameful chapters in Canadian history; this same paternalistic attitude pervades the proposed Bill,indicatedChiefPicard. We have had enough of Ottawas problems being blamed on us. With great effort and determination, First Nations from across Quebec and Labrador are assuming control of our own education. We are succeeding.Nationsassuretheirfuturethroughtheeducationtheygivetheiryouth.TheFirstNationsof QuebecandLabradorarenotwillingtohandcontrolofourfuturetoagovernmentdepartmentthathas consistently ignored us. We are not willing to see our successes undone, said the Chief of Kitigan Zibi, GilbertWhiteduck. The First Nations of Quebec and Labrador are considering every available option to ensure that all First NationsyouthinQuebec andLabradorreceivethehigheststandardofeducation.Theseoptionsinclude thecreationofourownlawtogoverneducation,orifnecessary,alegalchallengetotheproposedBill. The AFNQL is a political organization regrouping 43 chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador. Formoreinformation,visititswebsiteatwww.apnqlafnql.com. 30 Contact: LiseBastien FNECDirectorGeneral 4189327672 info@cepnfnec.com