Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision
9. New Agenda Report on Written Submissions
By Julia Candlish, COO Education Coordinator
The New Agenda Working Group provided an opportunity for First Nation individuals and organizations
to offer a written submission to outline issues, concerns and suggestions regarding First
Nation education in Ontario. The Chiefs of Ontario website advised that written submissions would
be accepted from all interested parties who wish to voice their concerns and express their ideas for
improving the reality of First Nations education in Ontario. This avenue of input received contributions
from a representative cross-section of organizations in Ontario.
Education funding is distributed by the federal government directly to First Nations and to various
organizations with an interest in the provision of education. These organizations include Tribal
Councils, Political Territorial Organizations (PTO) and various regional organizations. In most cases
First Nation students will, at some point in their education, have to attend a provincially funded
public school. Therefore, the public school boards have a vested interest in advocating for comparable
capability for First Nations education. Thus it is apt that the written submissions received as
contributions to this report included a First Nation, a Tribal Council, a PTO, a First Nations regional
organization, and a non-First Nations regional organization.
This section provides a brief description of the authors of the written submissions and a consolidated summary
of ideas, concerns and suggestions from the thoughtful written expressions of these organizations.
1. Ontario Native Education Counsellors Association (ONECA)
ONECA represents the administrative service arm of First Nation Education by supporting First
Nation education counsellors whose role is to support First Nation students’ success and achievement
through academic preparedness and personal motivation (self-esteem) and to advocate for
student services through a culturally supportive school environment.
2. Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians (AIAI)
AIAI currently represents eight (8) First Nations in Ontario with a membership of approximately
20,000 people. The member Nations are geographically diverse, living in northern, eastern and
southern Ontario. The tribal affiliations are equally diverse consisting of Mohawk, Potawatomi,
Oneida, Mohawk, Ojibway and Delaware. Despite the diversity, AIAI is a non-profit organization
which advocates for the political interests, such as education, for the eight member Nations.
3. Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA)
The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) represents public district school boards
and public school authorities across Ontario. Together the members of OPSBA serve the education-
Chiefs of Ontario
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