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