Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

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Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision ONECA and AIAI both highlighted the importance of language acquisition, fluency and use. ONECA recommends that First Nation languages are funded similar to the French language programs in Ontario. AIAI stressed the need for funding and tools to provide First Nations children “with the opportunity to be immersed in their cultural identity.” All submission made some suggestions related to the need for educational system reform. ONECA asserted that First Nations in Ontario want education to reinforce positive self-identity through as system grounded in traditional knowledge and Indigenous languages. The education system should assist First Nations learners in achieving success so they can compete in the workforce and contribute to the economic opportunities within their communities and within the Canadian economy. AIAI and ONECA believe that a First Nation education system must be student based and community centered. The system is recommended to be First Nation driven in order to ensure the diversity of culture, language, governance, service delivery and needs among First Nations is respected. AIAI posits education reform at the grassroots level as an inherent right and necessary to ensure success. OPSBA maintained that the emphasis on education reform “should be on the inherent responsibilities of the Federal government, in consultation with First Nations, to ensure that First Nation children and youth, in common with other students in Canada, have access to equitable education opportunities, services and supports in a manner that respects First Nation cultures, traditions and perspectives.” In relation to consultation with First Nations, the OPSBA maintained that First Nation organizations and institutes specializing in First Nation education are a source of considerable expertise that must be considered when investing funds in education. The Curve Lake submission also included a reference to the importance of consultation with First Nations and asserts that “[u]nilateral decisions made do not have the best interest of First Nation students...[o]nly the local First Nations know what is needed and what is best for their students.” Curve Lake also looked inward to the way First Nations organize themselves and suggest that there must be a clarification of the roles of the organizations within the current First Nation political system in Ontario in order to affect positive change as a cohesive unit while supporting the autonomy of each First Nation to address their local needs. “First Nations must be the decision makers at the local level concerning curriculum and school programming.” Many of the submissions referred to the importance of developing and nurturing relationships between First Nations and the Ontario public school boards. Curve Lake contends that tuition agreements with the province are difficult and do not provide the First Nation with the ability to negotiate realistic funding arrangements given the inadequate funding allocated to First Nations for education. Curve Lake maintains that the fiduciary obligation of the federal government means they should be involved in resolving these issues. 79 Chiefs of Ontario
Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision The OTC recognizes the importance of improving relations and proposes to work with school boards on several initiatives in the upcoming year to foster better relations that will encourage meaningful dialogue between both parties for mutual benefit. OPSBA underscores the importance of these relationships in the following conclusion; “collaboration and partnerships initiated by First Nations with their provincial education partners should be supported by the Federal government in the context of legislated and treaty obligations for First Nation education.” The written submissions provide support for the recommendations of this report. Many thanks to those organizations that took the time and consideration to make a written submission for inclusion in this report. Chiefs of Ontario 80
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Our Children Our Future Our Vision - People for Education

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