The AFN is party to that. Seven years ago, the AFN and the Family Child Caring Society jointly made the case to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.
When the decision came down on discriminatory funding practices, we knew that's what would happen, because that was the case: discriminatory funding had been in place. It was clear from the ruling that the crown has to change its practices when it comes to children. It's discriminatory funding. So we're pushing to make sure that's addressed. We're pushing as well to make sure the crown doesn't appeal. You talk about reconciliation. You talk about repairing the relationship between indigenous peoples and the crown. It should not be appealed, and so we're putting pen to paper to make sure that it's not appealed. We're doing that.
There's the issue, though, of Jordan's principle, and that's what should be respected, honoured, and implemented. It keeps coming back to that for children's care: make sure the child gets the services.
When it comes to special education, we were always the brown cash cow as Indian people, and our children would be classed as special education, special learners, because the tuition goes up from the $6,500 per child to maybe $10,000 or $11,000 per child. That's the system that was there, and that's what has to be overhauled.
It's not going to be enough just to increase the fiscal resources in place. The overall system has to be overhauled to start working in partnership towards Indian control in the educational question. We want to make sure standards are in place, but we need to respect first nations control. Our kids aren't dumb. They are valuable individuals. The way the system was set up they were the cash cows. That's passé now. We're going to move way beyond that.