Ontario confirms Master Education Agreement negotiations with Anishinabek

By Mary Laronde

The Province of Ontario will move forward to negotiate a Master Education Agreement with the Anishinabek First Nations. The Minister of Education, Liz Sandals, made the announcement at the Anishinabek Nation-Ontario Summit meeting held in Fort William First Nation, Wednesday, August 28, 2015.

“I really want to thank the Grand Council Chief for having the vision to work together on education and the Master Education Agreement. I will sign step one, the Master Education Framework Agreement, later this fall. Then we will be able to move on to negotiate some of the details on how we can collaborate with your new Anishinabek Education System.”

Chief Joe Endanawas of Sheshegwaning First Nation, speaking on behalf of the Anishinabek First Nations, said that the majority of Anishinabek students attend Ontario schools and ensuring their success was a shared interest.

“The Anishinabek Education System will be operational in April 2018. This does not leave us much time to negotiate the formal arrangements necessary to allow our education systems to operate together to support Anishinabek student achievement and well-being. There is much work to be done, and we look forward to continued progress on the Master Education Agreement,” Chief Endanawas said.

The purpose of the current Master Education Framework Agreement is to identify the objectives, negotiations principles, and the topics for the negotiation of a Master Education Agreement between Anishinabek First Nations and Ontario. Signing of the Framework Agreement will take place following Anishinabek First Nation approvals. The Master Education Framework Agreement is based on a Memorandum of Understanding on education signed by the parties on November 25th, 2009.

The proposed Master Education Agreement is intended to establish practical arrangements for ongoing collaboration on strategies to promote Anishinaabe student success and well-being; support transitions between First Nations’ schools and Ontario schools; and assist the Anishinabek Education System to provide high quality, Anishinaabe educational programs and services in First Nations’ schools.

The Master Education Framework Agreement and the proposed Master Education Agreement are separate agreements between the Anishinabek First Nations and Ontario which are complementary to the Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement (ANEA) between the Anishinabek First Nation and Canada.

The Anishinabek Nation Education Agreement is a sectoral self-government agreement between the Anishinabek First Nation and Canada under which Canada recognizes the Anishinabek First Nations’ jurisdiction over primary, elementary and secondary education.