Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

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Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision provincial school board through an Education Services (Tuition) Agreement. INAC also provides other education related funding directly to First Nations for postsecondary education; however this funding is currently allocated by First Nations based on their membership regardless of residency. Additional federal education funding is also provided to the Chiefs of Ontario, each of the four Political Territorial Organizations, several Tribal Councils, and other education related organizations. Some of these funds are accessed through core budget allocations, while others are accessed through the proposal-based programming offered. In 1996 a 2% funding cap was placed on all programs and services to First Nations, including education. 145 This funding cap means that inflation rates, rising cost of tuition, cost of living, transportation, teacher salaries, and a fast growing demographic are not considered in the allocation of funds. The only new money that has recently been infused into First Nations education, aside from the yearly 2% increase, was in Budget 2008 when $70 million was dedicated over two years to support tripartite agreements (agreements that include the provinces). 146 First Nations have been cautious in pursuing this avenue because there are other means to achieve the designated purpose (to improve financial and performance management systems and implement community-based school success plans) without involving a third jurisdiction in First Nations governance over education. Additionally the 2008 Budget designated $27.3 million for the development and implementation of Education Information System (EIS). 147 First Nations in Ontario have expressed serious concerns that the development of the EIS has been without meaningful input directly from First Nations and that any input provided to date has not been duly considered. One of the main concerns expressed is that INAC has not respectfully incorporated the OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession) principles of the First Nations into the design of the system. The INAC Ontario Regional Office utilizes a regional funding formula to distribute funds to over 90 First Nations schools in Ontario for elementary and secondary education. Information from the INAC Nominal Roll information (includes only those students ordinarily resident on a First Nation), indicates there were 21,822 First Nation elementary/secondary students enrolled. Of these students, the majority (12,949) attended Council-operated schools, 6,639 attended provincial schools, 1,573 attended federal schools (these are operated by INAC as opposed to the First Nations Council), and 661 attended private schools. 145 Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, “Formative Evaluation of the Elementary/Secondary Education Program On Reserve” (Ottawa, INAC, 2010) at 10. 146 Ibid. at 14. 147 Ibid. 31 Chiefs of Ontario
Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision 2009-10 Nominal Roll Breakdown 3% 31% Council Operated Schools Federal Schools Provincial Schools 59% Private Schools 7% The problem with this methodology is that even though the majority of students attend counciloperated schools a larger portion of First Nation expenditures go to supporting provincial schools because the tuition rates are so high. Unfortunately, INAC was unable to provide recent figures for the province of Ontario, but a 2009 analysis by the First Nations Education Council in Quebec indicates that Canada-wide over 41% of INAC’s federal budget for elementary and secondary education is transferred to provincial and private schools. This only accounts for 34% of the students in Ontario. 148 (b) Programs Early Childhood Education and Development “First Nations must have capacity with full funding including jurisdiction to provide programming that is created by our people” (Elder) Programs established by the federal and provincial/territorial governments to address the needs of children age 0 to 6 include Aboriginal Head Start (AHS), Brighter Futures, the Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) funded by Health Canada – First Nations and Inuit Health Branch. INAC cost shares daycare with the Ontario Ministry of Education, and offer the National Child Benefit (NCB) Reinvestment Fund. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) offers the First Nations/Inuit Child Care Initiative (FNICCI). Jointly the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOH-LTC) and the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS) offers the Early Years program. The MCYS also offers 148 First Nations Education Council, “First Nations Education Funding” (2009), online: . Chiefs of Ontario 32
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