Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is promising $2.6-billion of new funding over four years that he says would help close the funding gap that separates First Nations children from other kids.
First Nations students, whose education is funded federally, get far less per capita than students in provincial systems, he said in a speech to supporters in Saskatoon.
鈥淎s a result, First Nations students are falling behind in reading, writing and numeracy, and less than half of all first nations students on reserves graduate from high school,鈥� he said.
鈥淐anadians know that鈥檚 just not right.鈥�
Trudeau is promising an immediate new investment of $515 million per year in core annual funding for First Nations kids in Kindergarten through Grade 12. That would rise to over $750 million per year by the end of a Liberal government鈥檚 first term.
The Liberals are also promising a new investment of $500 million over the next three years for First Nations education infrastructure.
On top of that, they say they would make another $50 million available for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP), which provides financial assistance to Indigenous students in post-secondary education.
Trudeau also promised 鈥渟ubstantial new funding to support the ability of First Nations to promote, preserve and enhance their languages and cultures.鈥�
鈥淜nowledge of one鈥檚 language is directly related to better physical, mental and spiritual health,鈥� he said.
Trudeau emphasized that First Nations people would be put in control of their education, instead of having it directed by Ottawa.
The Liberal leader also said that he would invest in areas beyond education, after engaging in a 鈥渘ation-to-nation dialogue,鈥� similar to that which led to the Kelowna Accord.
The Kelowna Accord was an agreement made in 2005 between Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin and indigenous communities that included a commitment to spend $5 billion over five years on aboriginal health, education, housing and more.
Stephen Harper鈥檚 Conservatives took control of the government in 2006 and have not fully implemented the previous government鈥檚 funding promises.
Trudeau said he was committed to 鈥渋mmediately reengage in a renewed, respectful and inclusive nation-to-nation Kelowna process,鈥� because he believes 鈥渢he best education system in the world means nothing if you don鈥檛 have safe drinking water or a safe place to live.鈥�
Among the things he expects on the agenda would be issues like housing, infrastructure, health and mental health care, community safety, policing and child welfare, he said.
Asked how he would pay for the new spending, Trudeau said that leaving young people 鈥渙ut of Canada鈥檚 success鈥� hurts the economy.
鈥淚f you think education is expensive, try ignorance and see how expensive that is,鈥� he said.
When pressed again on how he would pay for the plan, Trudeau said, 鈥渢he Liberal party is committed to balance the budget (but) how long it takes to do that depends on the size of the mess Mr. Harper has left behind.鈥�
Trudeau also pointed out that he would raise taxes for the 鈥渨ealthiest one per cent鈥� and stop sending child care benefit cheques 鈥渢o millionaires.鈥�
鈥楢 better plan,鈥� says AFN leader
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde said he will work with whoever is elected on Oct. 19, but so far the Liberals鈥� announcement is 鈥渁 better plan鈥� than what the Conservatives have proposed.
Bellegarde said a 鈥渂ilateral process鈥� would be needed to 鈥渕ake sure that they get their numbers right,鈥� but that 鈥渞ight now the Liberals have a better plan because the monies are immediately accessible and it's not tied into any legislation.鈥�
The Conservatives鈥� proposed First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act was unsupported by chiefs because it was 鈥渦nilaterally imposed鈥� and 鈥渄idn't speak to Indian control of Indian education,鈥� according to Bellegarde.
鈥淚 would encourage the other parties as well to make similar commitments and similar announcements,鈥� he added.
