A First Nations Education Timeline 2010-2012 - AFN Call to Action on First Nations Education Reconciliation the federal government and provincial governments must reconcile our rights within education acts across the country to ensure consistency with constitutional provisions First Nations Education Guarantee a secure fiscal framework is needed for funding for education Sustainability statutory funding arrangements based on real costs, indexation and appropriate treatment for northern and remote communities Systems First Nation education must be supported through professional and accountable institutional supports delivering second and third level supports Support and Partnership creating a learning environment in our communities and linking with organizations, the public and private sector to invest in our schools and for our kids July, 2012 Resolution 28-2012 Special Assembly on First Nations Education Affirming First Nations control of First Nations education as a national priority, Chiefs-in- Assembly called for a Special Assembly on First Nations education to identify a way forward for learners and communities. July, 2012 Human Rights Challenge on the Underfunding of First Nations Schools The Assembly of First Nations supports the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador and Nishnawbe Aski Nation in their efforts to form a coalition of First Nations and First Nations organizations to file a human rights complaint to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, in collaboration with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada. The complaint is aimed towards addressing the underfunding of First Nations schools across Canada, and alleges that Canada discriminates against First Nations students by providing inadequate school facilities and inequitable education services, and that services provided do not adequately support First Nations cultures and languages. April 18, 2012 Federal Court Orders New Hearing for First Nations Child Welfare The Federal Court rejected the federal government's attempts to prevent First Nations groups from arguing for better funding for child welfare on reserves and has ordered the Canadian 1
Human Rights Tribunal to hold a new hearing. First Nations children dominate the child-welfare system across Canada, and there are far more native children in care now than at the height of the residential school system. There are a number of First Nations human rights complaints and legal actions in progress which raise similar legal issues, including one about special education funding, and the Treaty right to education, amongst others. The outcome in these cases will decide whether First Nations people can use the human rights process to fight for equality in government services. These cases also may set new, legally binding standards for government services provided to First Nations people, and therefore have significant implications on lawsuits currently underway. April 11, 2012 Aboriginal Affairs Working Group Aboriginal Education Report Following up on the 2009 Council of the Federation (CoF) meeting, provincial and territorial (PT) Premiers formed a working group with National Aboriginal Organization (NAO) leaders 1 to examine how governments and NAOs can work more effectively to improve outcomes for First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples. The working group was directed to focus on tangible, concrete and results-oriented action in the areas of Education and Skills Training (i.e., Lifelong Learning) and Economic Development with the intention of having this action serve as the foundation for a possible First Ministers Meeting (FMM) on Aboriginal Issues. A joint AAWG- CMEC Terms of Reference has been developed and planning for the FMM is ongoing. The It s Our Time First Nations Education Toolkit is being considered as part of the Aboriginal Education Communication Strategy. March, 2012 - Federal Budget - Investments to Improve First Nations Education Commits the Government to introduce legislation by September 2014, and explore new funding mechanisms for First Nations elementary and secondary education, and provides $275 million over three years to support First Nations education. February 27, 2012 - Shannen s Dream Motion 571 Shannen s Dream is a grassroots movement begun by Shannen Koostachin, who challenged the notion that First Nations schools receive far less funding than provincial schools. The Shannen s Dream NDP motion was supported unanimously in the House of Commons to put First Nations schools on an equal footing with provincial schools. 1 The five NAOs include the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP), the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the Métis National Council (MNC) and the Native Women s Association of Canada (NWAC). 2
January 24, 2012 - First Nations Crown Gathering Education Reform The Joint Action Plan launched a collaborative engagement process to make recommendations on quality K-12 education for First Nation children living on reserve. Upon mutual review of the National Panel s report, First Nations and the Government of Canada will work to implement agreed-upon recommendations as quickly as practicable and establish a process to work constructively through any areas of disagreement. February 8, 2012 - National Panel Report Nurturing the Learning Spirit of First Nations Students, the final report of the National Panel on First Nations Elementary and Secondary Education provides recommendations to implement First Nations jurisdiction over education, implement education systems, address the need for adequate funding, inclusion of language and culture, and support data systems. The core recommendations of the National Panel are generally congruent with historical positions taken by the Assembly of First Nations, and consistent with recent First Nations education reports: The Report on Priority Actions in View of Improving First Nations Education (FNEC/FSIN/NAN, Dec 2011) Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision First Nation Jurisdiction Over First Nations Education in Ontario (Chiefs of Ontario, Feb 2012) Challenges and Needs in Kikinahamaagewin (Education) (Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Feb 2012) December 7, 2011 - Senate Committee Report This report, Reforming First Nations Education: From Crisis to Hope, is the culmination of work that began in April 2010 by the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples. The study focused on examining potential strategies for the reform of on-reserve First Nations elementary and secondary education in Canada. The report outlines four recommendations regarding the creation of a First Nations Education Act, and the development of a concrete joint-action plan for First Nations education to include collaboration, resourcing, and timelines for implementation. The Standing Senate Committee Report recommendations are viewed through the lens of First Nations Control of First Nations Education (FNCFNE). November 23, 2011 Grand Council Treaty #3 - Legal Action on the Treaty Right to Education Grand Council Treaty #3, on behalf of the members of the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty #3, is initiating legal action against Canada related to education. The Council s claim is that the Treaty right to education has been breached and this claim is being filed in Ontario on behalf of 28 communities in Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba. 3
July, 2011 Resolution 18-2011 Moving Forward on First Nations Control of First Nations Education Following up on the Call to Action on Education in 2010, Chiefs in Assembly re-affirmed First Nations control of First Nations education as a national priority, and called for the development of a strategy for engaging with the Federal Government to implement the inherent and Treaty right to education recognized and affirmed in Section 35 of the Constitution Act and in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). July, 2011 Resolution 19-2011 - Support for the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) to Conduct a Survey on Education and Employment On- Reserve and in Northern First Nations Communities Data Collection: Chiefs support FNIGC to implement a First Nations driven survey on education and employment for on-reserve and northern First Nation communities, that is compliant with Ownership, Control, Access and Protection (OCAP) principles and incorporates a holistic framework. 2011 Report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) Education is critical to raising the social and economic strength of First Nations individuals and communities to a level reached by other Canadians. Efforts to close the significant education gap have yet to yield results. December, 2010 Resolution 49-2010 - United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and First Nations Education Chiefs-in-Assembly call upon the Federal Government to comply with the principles and standards of the UNDRIP with respect to any new legislative, policy, or program initiatives on education, and to respect the right of free, prior, and informed consent. December, 2010 Resolution 54-2010 Support for Shannen s Dream ~ Motion 571 Chiefs-in-Assembly support Motion 571, Shannen s Dream to address funding inequities in First Nations schools, call upon all Members of Parliament to support Motion 571 in the House of Commons, and call upon the Federal Government to consult and work in meaningful collaboration with First Nations Governments to make Shannen s Dream a reality. 4
December, 2010 Resolution 55-2010 Actions Necessary to Save First Nations Languages from Extinction Chiefs-in-Assembly call for a nation-wide campaign to raise awareness about the benefits and critical importance of mother-tongue medium education using a variety of strategies, urge that the mother-tongue be the official language in every First Nations territory or community, promote the development of immersion curriculum and teacher training, support immersion programs for all learners, and support a court challenge establishing the constitutional right of First Nations to educate their children in their own languages. November 12, 2010 Canada s endorsement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) Article 14 Indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning Article 15 Indigenous peoples have the right to the dignity and diversity of their cultures, traditions, histories and aspirations which shall be appropriately reflected in education and public information September 19-24, 2010 National Week of Action on First Nations Education A series of parliamentary and grassroots events were held at the national, regional, and local levels to call attention to the plight of First Nations education. This generated much public attention and increased the interest in partnering to support First Nations education initiatives. July, 2010 Resolution 11-2010 - Taking Action for First Nations Post-Secondary Education: Access, Opportunity, and Outcomes Chiefs-in-Assembly adopt and endorse the Discussion Paper as a key resource for the development of a national First Nations position on post-secondary education, confirm and support current goals, objectives, and delivery structures of the Post-Secondary Education Program and the need for First Nations to play a significant role in the development of policy solutions to improve and enhance PSE. July, 2010 Resolution 12-2010 - First Nations Control of First Nations Education Chiefs-in-Assembly adopt FNCFNE as the new national First Nation education policy and commit to supporting communities in the development of regional First Nation education policies to inform and strengthen FNCFNE. 5
July, 2010 - Resolution 13-2010 Support for Filling a Human Rights Complaint on Unequal Funding for First Nations Education Chiefs-in-Assembly support the creation of a First Nations coalition to file, in the name of First Nations children, a discrimination complaint on unequal funding for First Nations education against INAC with the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and support an alliance with the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society in the preparation and presentation of the case. July, 2010 Resolution 27-2010 - Creating a National First Nations Heritage Committee Chiefs-in-Assembly mandate the AFN to create a National First Nations Heritage Committee to assist in the recognition and furtherance of our languages, cultures and traditional knowledge. 2010 Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development Issued a report on the reduction of poverty which calls for the removal of the 2% cap on FN education. 2009 - New Credit First Nation Special Education Human Rights Challenge The Mississauga s of the New Credit First Nation (MNCFN) Council filed a human rights complaint arguing that First Nations children with special needs do not receive the same level or quality of special education services as compared to non-first Nations children in the mainstream provincial school system. The case arises from the fact that INAC/AANDC would not provide funding to MNCFN to adequately support two children with special needs, yet the same services were available in a provincial school. 2009 CMEC Summit on Aboriginal Education In their declaration Learn Canada 2020, education ministers stressed the need to eliminate the gaps in academic achievement and graduation rates between Aboriginal and non-aboriginal learners in Canada. The 2009 Summit on Aboriginal Education focused on this goal. Four priorities form the basis of the CMEC Strategic Plan on Aboriginal Education: Definition, collection, and sharing of data; Teacher education; Federal engagement; and Informationsharing and reporting progress. 2009 INAC Internal Audit PSE and Elementary/Secondary Audit findings focus on INAC program mismanagement, not First Nations. 6
2009 Resolution 13-2009 - A Revised Indian Control of Indian Education Policy 2009 2009 Resolution 37-2009 - First Nation Control of First Nation Education 2009 Resolution 41-2009 - Support for Constitutional Challenge to Ensure Parity of School Funding Between On-reserve and Off-reserve Schools June 9, 2008 Statement of Apology by the Prime Minister of Canada The Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, made a Statement of Apology to former students of Indian Residential Schools, on behalf of the Government of Canada, stating The Government of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the Aboriginal peoples of this country for failing them so profoundly. He references the Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a unique opportunity to educate all Canadians on the Indian Residential Schools system. 2008 Resolution 01-2008 - First Nations Language Strategy Implementation 2008 Resolution 07-2008 - Education Funding Renewal 2008 Resolution 08-2008 - Emergency Resolution on Post-Secondary Education 2008 Resolution 46-2008 - Options For Protecting First Nation Education 2008 Resolution 47-2008 - Data Collection and Management Education 2008 Resolution 56-2008 - Opposition to Unilateral Government Development Of New Education Program Initiatives September 13, 2007 - UN General Assembly adopts the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) 2007 Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Specific recommendations made to INAC regarding the need to increase PSSSP funding and removal of 2% cap on FN education. 2007 Resolution 12-2007 - National First Nations Language Strategy 2007 Resolution 13-2007 - Education: Overarching Principles 2007 Resolution 27-2007 - Education Funding Shortfall 2007 Resolution 48-2007 - First Nations Languages 2007 Resolution 49-2007 - Education: Chiefs Support for AFN CCOE/NIEC Critical PSE Initiatives 2007 Resolution 58-2007 - Traditional Knowledge 2006 Resolution 20-2006 - Establishment of an Education Foundation 2006 Resolution 27-2006 - First Nation Jurisdiction over Education 2006 Resolution 54-2006 - Joint Assembly of First Nations & Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Plan Forward For First Nations Education 7
2006 Resolution 62-2006 - National Languages Strategy 2006 Resolution 67-2006 - First Nations Language Legislation 2005 Resolution 13-2005 - Direction for International, Languages and Learning Secretariat to Implement the Recommendations of the Task Force on Aboriginal Languages and Culture 2005 Resolution 53-2005 - First Nations Education and First Ministers Meeting (FMM) (November 2005) 2004 - Report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) INAC roles and responsibilities in education need to be defined; the department lacks proper management and administrative regimes for education programs. 2004 Resolution 27-2004 - Taxation Of Post-Secondary Education Payments 2004 Resolution 41-2004 - Adequate Resourcing For National Education Initiatives 2004 Resolution 66-2004 - Support For Community Based Education Programs 2004 Resolution 93-2004 - Full Jurisdiction and Resourcing For National First Nations Education and Life Long Learning Initiatives 2004 Resolution 98-2004 - Cultural Education Centres Program Funding 2004 Resolution 103-2004 - Lifelong Learning Roundtable 2003 Resolution 27-2003 - Protection of Intellectual Property Rights and Traditional Knowledge 2002 - Report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) First Nations are over-reporting, filing on average 168 reports a year to respond to federal requirements, with limited use being made by government. 2002 Resolution 21-2002 - Education Lobby Strategy 2000 - Report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) INAC roles and responsibilities in education need to be defined; the department lacks proper management and administrative regimes for education programs. 2000 Resolution 02-2000 - National Association Of Indigenous Institutes Of Higher Learning 2000 Resolution 37-2000 - National First Nations Language Strategy 2000 Resolution 49-2000 - First Nations Special Education 8
1999 Resolution 22-1999 - First Nations Languages 1999 Resolution 89-1999 - Provide On-going Support for Priorities/Resolutions First Nations Education 1998 Resolution 35-1998 - First Nations Languages 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples Report RCAP was a Canadian Royal Commission established in 1991 to address many issues of Aboriginal status that had come to light with recent events such as the Oka Crisis and the Meech Lake Accord. The commission culminated in a final report of 4000 pages, published in 1996 that set out a 20 year agenda for implementing change. To date the federal government has not implemented the RCAP recommendations. 1994 Resolution 21-1994 - First Nations Literacy Report 1994 Resolution 22-1994 - Report of the National First Nations Elders/Language Gathering 1993 Resolution 03-1993 - Aboriginal Languages Month 1992 Resolution 14-1992 - The Chiefs Committee on Education Mandate and Conference 1992 Resolution 27-1992 - First Nations Languages 1991 Resolution 12-1991 - First Nations Languages and Literacy 1990 Resolution 09-1990 - Protection of First Nations Languages 1989 Resolution 05-1989 - Aboriginal Languages Foundation 1988 - Report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) A legislative basis is required for INAC programs to ensure departmental accountability to parliament. 1988 Resolution 37-1988 - Aboriginal Language Policy Statement 1988 Resolution 38-1988 - Aboriginal Language Policy Implementation Mechanism 1988 Resolution 40-1988 - National Review on First Nations Education 1987 Resolution 19-1987 - Protection of Aboriginal Languages 1986 Resolution 46-1986 - First Nations Linguistic Convention 9