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Grouard protests AVC move

Author

Jeanne Lepine

Volume

4

Issue

2

Year

1986

Page 1

Grouard residents fear that plans are underway to move major Alberta Vocational Centre programs to High Prairie, and that this is the first step in plans to move the entire facility to High Prairie.

Grouard was once a major fur trading post, but today the community of 250 relies on the vocational centre almost entirely for its economic base.

Fred Dumont, director of Alberta Vocational Centre, claims that "moving from an isolated centre would cause participation rates to increase with the added convenience of the amenities of an urban centre."

"There's no question that this is the first step to move the entire facility," says Sam Sinclair, president of the Metis Association of Alberta. He regards this as a political move by Dumont, who is also the mayor of High Prairie. "The move would be a new economic base for High Prairie. But what about the residents of Grouard?" he questioned.

Sinclair met with Larry Shaben, Alberta minister of housing, on March 25 to discuss the matter and the concerns of the people, and says he expects an answer soon.

Not only is Grouard considered the educational centre of the north, the centre's historical background, first as a mission, later is a school and now as a vocational centre, has led Native people to view it as the educational capital for Native people.

"With a Catholic church, Grouard was traditionally considered to be the educational centre of the north, attracting students from as far away as Fort Chipewyan," said Jeff Chalifoux, Zone 5 director of the MAA.

There are definite plans for construction of 50 student/family units in either Grouard or High Prairie, along with facilities in High Prairie to accommodate extension courses already offered there.

Pauline Prahm, chairman of the Grouard Community Council, feels that as mayor of High Prairie, Dumont should have no say in where the units are to be built. She claims that plans had construction scheduled to begin in Grouard this spring.

According to Dumont, the final decision on the location of construction has not been decided on as yet.

Prahm expressed her concern that with the student units being built in High Prairie, there will be ongoing temptation for students with the bars and liquor stores in the area. She says "It would undermine the original aim of the vocational centre to help the disadvantaged people."

Other council members expressed concerns that the housing units built in the name of Native people will be filled by non-Native students or staff if the housing units are built in High Prairie.

The move would be economically disastrous to the community of Grouard, they said.