Proposed education act more ‘crap’ from Harper
Anishinabek News
With CBC files
THUNDER BAY — Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee says a proposed federal First Nation Education Act is another example of the Harper government using unilateral legislation to ignore the rights of First Nations citizens.
Speaking on behalf of 39 Anishinabek Nation communities, Madahbee used a megaphone to address about 50 people protesting an April 11th meeting between First Nations representatives and officials with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, one of eight scheduled regional “consultations” to discuss a proposed First Nations Education Act.
“I know some of our leaders are (in the meeting),” he said. “But they’re going in there because they’re so desperately underfunded that they’re trying to tell these people…change…what you’re doing to our people.
“This isn’t just a one-day rally here; we’re going to be constantly working to eradicate this. There’s been many times they’ve tried to ram this… crap down our throats and there’s no damn way we’re going to accept it.”
Madahbee said Prime Minister Stephen Harper needs to visit a dentist to rid himself of a bad case of “truth decay”.
Protestors expressed particular concern about a lack of consultation.
“Basically consultation is being done after they drafted the legislation…they’re doing it backwards,” said Emily King, one of the demonstrators. “They should go to the communities because the communities know what’s best for the children.”
Laura Calmwind from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug was among the demonstrators who expressed concern about how the First Nations Education Act will affect treaty rights.
“It’s going to undermine the treaty right to education,” she said. “Because once you put a treaty (right) under legislation from another government, then you undermine the original relationship which was a treaty relationship between the British crown and Indigenous peoples.”
“There’s no…consent on my part for that legislation to be passed that will affect my children and my children’s children,” she added.
The protesters were later allowed to come in to the Aboriginal Affairs consultation meeting and make a deputation. They were asked to leave their signs at the door before heading in. Some protesters were told it was because of health and safety reasons.
A CBC reporter was asked by an Aboriginal Affairs official to leave the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs of Ontario, coordinating body for the 134 First Nations in Ontario, pledged to continue to support the position of First Nation leadership in Ontario to oppose any activity related to the development and imposition of a First Nations Education Act.
Ontario Regional Chief Stan Beardy attended the Thunder Bay protest and says COO continues to encourage the Aseembly of First Nations to take a more prominent role in opposing the federal process
COO hosted a May 7-8 Education Symposium in Toronto to build on the Our Children, Our Future, Our Vision education report produced in 2012. The symposium was designed to collect grassroots input on education issues in Ontario and produce recommendations for Chiefs at June’s annual general assembly.
Please check the COO website http://chiefs-of-ontario.org/ regularly for updates and feel free to contact Education Coordinator Julia Candlish at julia@coo.org or (416) 597-1266 or Education Assistant Sally Hare at educationassistant@coo.org for further information.