Chiefs and governments partner to improve education

An education bundle was created at the Whitecap Dakota First Nation community school to commemorate an agreement that is the first of its kind in Saskatchewan.

Elders, government officials, chiefs, band members and students looked on as a document was signed Oct. 14. The document focuses on providing the 11,000 students in band schools at Whitecap, Kinistin, Mistawasis, Muskeg Lake, Muskoday, One Arrow and Yellow Quill First Nations, and provincial schools within the Saskatoon Tribal Council service area, with a greater understanding of First Nations culture and people. It also promises that the federal, provincial and First Nations governments will commit to working together to enhance education outcomes for First Nation students.

Indian and Northern Affairs Minister John Duncan, tribal council Chief Felix Thomas, and the province’s Minister of Education Donna Harpauer signed the document.

“We are keen and ready to work with willing partners to improve First Nations education,” said Minister Duncan.
“To help mark the importance of this partnership, we are creating an education bundle which will serve as both a symbol and a tool.”

The bundle held a variety of items, including a copy of a treaty document—this was placed into the bundle by Thomas—a Canadian flag from Minister Duncan, and a brass bell from Minister Harpauer.

“I want to encourage everyone to work together,” said Harpauer while addressing the students in the crowd.
“I want to say to the students, ‘You are why we are here,’” she added.

Currently there are no specific funding committments set out in the agreement, said the tribal council’s acting director of education John Barton, as the partners have just begun to work together.

The agreement was based on a proposal the tribal council submitted to Indian Affairs to access funds from a $30-million pot of cash made available for regional First Nations governments seeking to develop educational programming.

Barton said the idea for the bundle came from First Nations Elders of the Cree, Saulteaux, Sioux and Dakota groups who had gathered to speak on new education partnerships.

“We tried to find something that was connected to education that was important in all the cultures (of the) communities,” Barton said. “In terms of actually putting it together, Louise Smokeyday and Albert Scott were two key people from Kinistin First Nation, who helped.”

“The bundle is like a baby,” said Scott. The handing over of the bundle is like saying “My children’s lives are in your hands”.

After the education bundle changed hands from Chief Thomas to Minister Harpauer to Minister Duncan, it was taken by an elder, after which all parties exchanged gifts of Native paintings.

Master of Ceremonies George Lafond told the crowd gathered that gift giving was a traditional practice in treaty making to solidify relationships and bring friends together.

Afterward, Minister Duncan spoke briefly with reporters and was asked about recent concerns brought up at a Regina rally about the $2,000 funding gap per student between Saskatchewan’s on reserve schools and provincial-run schools.

Duncan said his ministry was addressing those funding concerns alongside the provincial governments, because they deliver a lot of the educational services.”

He said the two per cent cap in funding growth in education has not always applied in the strictest sense because in these types of agreements Indian Affairs puts extra money into educational partnership proposals.
“Yes, this money goes into the education partnership program, which is over and above the two per cent (funding cap),” he told reporters.

Photo Captions: Indian and Northern Affairs Minister John Duncan places a Canadian flag into an education bundle.

Below: After signing an education agreement on Oct. 14, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Education, Donna Harpauer, hands an education bundle to Minister of Indian Affairs John Duncan as Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Felix Thomas looks on.