First Nations Education Act relieves the government of responsibility.

John Richards and Michael Mendelson in the Globe and Mail outline the essentials of the recently released bill draft for the First Nations Education Act. The act defines the responsibilities of the reserve schools; for instance, the designation of a school inspector and director of education, and community education committees. The First Nations have been given three options in terms of governance: They can continue to run schools under the standards according to the new act. They can enter into partnerships with nearby provincial school districts. They can form First Nations school board of various reserve schools. The act outlines in detail what the First Nations need to do; however, it leaves out crucial details of what the government will contribute to this act. According to surveys and research the First Nations youth is at great risk from lack of reforms and government support. The First Nations are insistent that the government add a statutory commitment to funding in order to make this act successful.




Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/time-to-negotiate-a-schools-act-for-first-nations/article15308627/

Education on the reserves being overhauled

John Ibbitson and Gloria Galloway for The Globe and Mail report that a review of the First Nations Education Act has revealed that many schools on reserves fall short of the province school standards. These changes will be needed in order to help break the cycle of underperformance that contributes to the poverty on reserves. Debates between First Nations leaders, Ottawa, parents, reserve leaders and students will make it harder for Ottawa to push this plan into action for the start of the 2014 educational year. Marley Googoo, chief Assembly of First Nations, says that many problems with the Education Act could have been prevented to begin with if First Nations leaders had been included in the process at the offset. Some issues that the schools are facing are due to lack of funds provided by the federal government, and this new act will not be able to solve those problems because it does not recognize the issue.

Read more about the issue: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/harper-government-set-to-enforce-standards-for-schools-on-reserves/article14981123/

First Nations give United Nations an earful

Tyler Clarke reports that the Prince Albert Grand Council's 12 member bands are joining hands with 74 bands within the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and rejecting the federal government's First Nations Education Act. They will be proposing their own education acts based on the cultural needs of their bands. The bands will have a chance to meet with the United Nations rapporteur on the rights of the indigenous peoples. During the few minutes they will get with Anaya, the bands have put together points in their favour citing Article 14 of the United Nations Declaration of Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, which states that First nations have the right to establish and design their own education systems. The band members will also use the meeting to point out other ways the Canadian Government is ignoring the United Nations Declaration of Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.



Read more: http://www.paherald.sk.ca/News/Local/2013-10-09/article-3422927/United-Nations-to-get-an-earful-from-Sask.-First-Nations/1

First Nations take control of their health care in BC

Peter O'Neil at the Vancouver Sun gives us details about a new health care action being taken by the federal government in BC. The federal government, under a 10-year life agreement, is handing over the budget, a staff of more than a hundred people and the offices to a newly formed body known as First Nations Health Authority. The newly formed authority will receive $377.8 million budget from the federal government bringing the grand total to $4.7 billion over the 10-year agreement. The authority will also receive $83.5 million from the BC government. Despite weariness exhibited from some of the staff being transferred, but Sto:lo Tribal Council Grand Chief Doug Kelly, also chairman of the First Nations Health Council, is set to make it a success. 

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/First+Nations+take+control+their+health+care/8980854/story.html 

iPhone app for Aboriginal Youth.

Chris Zdeb at the Edmonton Journal reportes that the rates of obesity among Canadian Aboriginal Youth are strikingly high. Kyle Wolfe, a volunteer on a reserve community south of Edmonton, places blame on lack of facilities for Aboriginal Youth to indulge in healthy activities. That's what made him download the free app called 'Spirit Runner.' It is an app, founded and designed in Edmonton, to encourage youth to pursue more healthy and positive activities. The icon for the app has been designed by aboriginal artist Jessica Desmoulin. Using the app on a regular basis Chelsea Wahsatnow is now a regular gym-goer and says the encrouraging statements embedded within the app have helped her come this far.

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Spirit+Runner+active+aboriginal+youth+developed+Edmonton/8974476/story.html

First Nations band cuts welfare in favour of jobs.

Matt Gurney's article in the National Post outlines how a small Saskatchewan First Nations band, Little Pine, decided to employ its unemployed band members instead of paying them welfare. The entire process was done in various steps involving assessing the availability of work opportunities in the community, collecting resumes, providing necessary work training where needed, and also establishing a bus service for those band members. Earlier some band members were unemployed simply because they did not have transportation to get them to their jobs. To set up training and the bus service the community raised money on its own. The First Nations consider this a step towards independence and the assertion of independence.


Read the article in detail at: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/09/25/matt-gurney-how-a-first-nations-band-is-fixing-its-big-welfare-problem-with-a-small-solution/ 

Document on display.

Peter Robb of the Ottawa Citizen reports on the display of a key document outlining the relationship between the Crown and aboriginal peoples. A proclamation issued by King George III in 1763, it is the first document that recognizes the right of the First Nations over a vast amount of Canadian land. It further recognizes the aboriginal entitlement to land and states that the Crown is legally obliged to consult with the aboriginal peoples in matters pertaining to their rights.

Read more about the document: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/document+between+Crown+First+Nations+display+Museum+Civilization/8933837/story.html