Evidence of meeting #23 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was school.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
Thank you.
I just have one comment on my colleague's comment. I think it's worth pointing out--and I don't want to get into a volleyball match, but it bears repeating--that had they been working at their apparent torrid pace, we probably wouldn't be building schools, because by their math there would be no more schools to build. So we're just trying to get it done.
I just want to shift, if I could, Chief Polson, to get your thoughts on language, culture, and this whole idea of assimilation. I credit you for being a champion of protecting language and culture. Obviously, having spent close to a decade of my life living in isolated first nations communities, over time I've gained a great appreciation for the fact that at least in northwestern Ontario and the Arctic, many of the children are coming through school and English remains their second language, which I think is fantastic, particularly in communities like Pikangikum. It's a real testament to their commitment.
The teachers aren't always speaking the local dialect of Ojibway, for instance, but the teachers' aides are filling in those gaps. Indeed, I've been involved in some early childhood development pedagogy that looks at integrating strong cultural exercises and the use of the language in preparation for that.
Would you share the view that education authorities, in general, in each community should be afforded the opportunity to have flexibility in the development of the education they have to protect those kinds of things and that currently there is enough flexibility in the system to do that?
10:30 a.m.
Timiskaming Community, First Nations Education Council
Language is one thing to bring back the community, and it is definitely a plus, but there's a difference between speaking the language and understanding the language. A word in Anishnabi means many different things, instead of just a translation. It could speak of a drum. A drum in the English language is a musical instrument, but a drum in the Anishnabi language means more. It's the heartbeat of Mother Earth and it can be heard across the country. We're faced with some very serious struggles with trying to bring back the culture along with the language.
10:30 a.m.
Timiskaming Community, First Nations Education Council
In some parts.
10:30 a.m.
Conservative
10:30 a.m.
Timiskaming Community, First Nations Education Council
I am a traditional chief. I practise my tradition; I practise my culture. I don't know the language, so I have to go to the elders to understand what these teachings are. We have an Algonquin teacher in our school who is funded through the budget that is offered to the school. It's not a specific program that we have within our school. We have to make it fit for the benefit of our future generations.
10:35 a.m.
Timiskaming Community, First Nations Education Council
It's like if you have $10, but you need to spend $15. We have to move everything around within the programs to be able to meet our needs. Reporting on these things is always difficult. A lot of the communities and a lot of people are accused of mismanaging their funds, when it's not the case.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
I'm not getting into mismanaging funds there, Chief. This is not an inflammatory question. This is just understanding.... I get the point that it's more than just language. I studied French very intensively, but you have to situate yourself in context to understand how the language can be an instrument of culture.
10:35 a.m.
Timiskaming Community, First Nations Education Council
Yes, that's why it's so hard for you to understand. It's not just there. It's the whole community; all the issues are linked.
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
We'll have to leave it at that. Do you want to finish your statement?
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
10:35 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Thank you very much, Mr. Rickford.
We have four more questions on the list, so we're going to try to keep those to about three minutes or so, with some short questions. We'll go to Monsieur Lemay, Madame Crowder, and Monsieur Bagnell, and then I have a final brief question as well.
Monsieur Lemay.
10:35 a.m.
Bloc
Marc Lemay Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
I am well acquainted with the file. We will be receiving the “authorities” from the Department following today's meeting. Other than the hypothetical possibility that the 2% will be done away with, what clear education-related questions would you like us to ask them in order to arrive at quick solutions?
10:35 a.m.
Director General, First Nations Education Council
The only thing that comes to mind is to ask them if they think the funding formula, which has not been reviewed in 20 years, is still adequate and, if their answer is no, what they intend to do about it.
10:35 a.m.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I just want to go back to the point that Chief Polson raised about the fact that if you have students on reserve who go to off-reserve schools—provincial schools—the band is required to pay the provincial rate for that region and it does not get any additional funding to compensate for that gap. So in many cases you end up, as I understand it, with a shortfall in your education fund, because you're having to pay out at a higher provincial rate.
Do I have that correct?
10:35 a.m.
Timiskaming Community, First Nations Education Council
Yes, that's correct.
10:35 a.m.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Do you have the reverse situation, with provincial students coming on reserve to first nation schools?
