First Nations education up for debate at AFN
Posted Jul 16, 2014 11:54:24 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Controversial changes to aboriginal education were debated today at the Assembly of First Nations annual general meeting in Halifax.
Grand Chief Gordon Peters said they’re discussing options for resolutions today, following the rejection of the Conservative government’s bill to reform First Nations education.
He said today’s main focus is academics, but there are a lot of underlying issues that need to be considered as well.
“We haven’t talked about how to solve the poverty that our children live in,” he said. “We haven’t talked about how to solve the housing crisis in our communities where our children are living in overcrowding. We haven’t talked about a lot of things that surround that environment that impact the student.”
Peters hopes to set up a committee that can work with the federal government to come up with a resolution.
“I think we’ll make an agreement amongst ourselves (today), and once we do that, it will necessitate us being able to have a discussion with the minister,” he said.
The talks continue this afternoon, and the three-day assembly wraps up at the World Trade and Convention Centre tomorrow.
