By Jorge Barrera
APTN National News
OTTAWA–The Harper government is planning to allow First Nations leaders to study proposed legislation governing on-reserve education before tabling it in the House of Commons, APTN National News has learned.
Aboriginal Affairs is expected to release a discussion paper this week on their consultation plans around the proposed First Nations K to 12 education legislation. The paper could be released as early as Tuesday, a source with knowledge of the file said on condition of anonymity.
The move by Ottawa to allow First Nations leaders view and provide input on a draft of the legislation could go a long way in attracting buy-in from chiefs who’ve rejected the idea outright.
Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan’s office issued an emailed statement to APTN National News saying no details would be provided until the official announcement. The minister’s office did not directly respond to a question on whether chiefs would get a look at the draft of the legislation.
“As we’ve stated, we are committed to intensive consultation,” said Duncan’s spokesperson Jan O’Driscoll.
Duncan has been meeting directly with First Nations leaders on education since September.
Chiefs from treaty nations in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan have opposed plans for legislation saying education is a treaty right that Ottawa has failed to respect.
The chiefs also passed resolutions at a special education gathering earlier this fall and at last week’s special chiefs assembly against the legislation. It was widely believed that Duncan would follow the Harper government’s recent pattern and table the legislation as a done deal.
The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Shawn Atleo faced criticism from some quarters after he met with Duncan following last week’s chiefs gathering to discuss education. The head of the chief’s committee on education, Nova Scotia regional Chief Morley Googoo, also attended the meeting. The meeting was requested by chiefs on the AFN’s education committee.
The chiefs, however, indicated earlier this year they would consider supporting it if they got a good look at the draft before it hit parliament.
This past July, during the Assembly of First Nation’s annual gathering in Toronto which re-elected Shawn Atleo, chiefs passed a resolution calling on the government to first get approval from chiefs for the legislation before it tabling it in the House of Commons.
The issue has been extremely contentious and chiefs from Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec recently withdrew from participating on a blue-ribbon education panel endorsed by Ottawa and the AFN. The panel’s recommendations were to form part of the basis for the legislation.
Nice gesture but if AFN Chiefs have no real sizeable impact on these “position papers” then what’s the use? Currently there are no rules on consultation with First Nations, it’s very much open ended. AFN should go about this “Nation to Nation” not as “Editors-in-Chief.”