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CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Reconciliation takes more than students in orange shirts. But these schools are making progress
Schools are incorporating TRC's calls to action, but it's 'not enough progress' 6 hours ago Duration 1:58 Social Sharing When Niigaan Sinclair visits schools, he always asks, "How many of you have an orange shirt in your closet that you pull out at least once a year?" He considers it progress that nearly every hand goes up these days. "I'm seeing more conversations, more curriculums, and probably most important of all, the change in school culture," said the author and indigenous studies professor at the University of Manitoba. Ten years since the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)'s final report, more students are marking Orange Shirt Day each September. Also known as Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, many spend at least part of the day learning about residential schools, where Indigenous children were forced into government-funded, church-run schools to strip away their culture. Yet Sinclair, also a former high school teacher, notes it's just one day set aside to talk about the impact of residential schools. "Can we do it for the other 364 days?" he said from Yellowknife. Teaching K-12 students about residential schools is just one step toward reconciliation, according to Sinclair and other educators. Sinclair believes many areas with a high Indigenous population — across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Northwestern Ontario, for instance — absolutely understand working together to achieve the TRC's recommendations, which spell out ways to address the legacy of residential schools. Schools talking about reconciliation, but more work needed 10 hours ago Duration 1:39 Yet "in many corners of the country, we're still having a conversation about the why, not about the how," said Sinclair, whose father was the late Murray Sinclair, the judge and senator who chaired the commission. "Virtually every school district in Canada has in some way or another adopted principles of reconciliation. Whether they've committed to the calls to action is a little bit different." WATCH | Urgency needed as Canada lags on 94 calls to action, says Indigenous advocate: 'Greatly concerning' that only 13 calls to action completed: Rose LeMay | Canada Tonight 8 months ago Duration 21:41 In 2023, the Yellowhead Institute, an Indigenous-led research and education group, reported that only 13 calls to action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had been addressed in the nearly 10 years since they were introduced. Rose LeMay, CEO of the Indigenous Reconciliation Group, says all 94 need to be addressed 'within a generation.' Also, Isabella Kulak, 14, shares the origins of Ribbon Skirt Day and talks about what the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation means to her and her family. Theme of education The theme of education runs throughout the recommendations, from calling for federal support to eliminating educational gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. For K-12, the TRC called upon federal and provincial governments to collaborate with Indigenous groups and educators to develop mandatory, age-appropriate curriculums about residential schools, treaties and Indigenous contributions, plus training for teachers. While all provinces and territories do include residential schools in their overall curriculum now, exactly where it appears, how deeply, and whether it's even compulsory varies across regions. According to non-profit group Indigenous Watchdog, which tracks progress of the calls, none of the education-related calls are fully complete. Still, progress inches forward at individual boards and schools. Building intercultural respect and understanding among K-12 students, for instance, is a part of Call 63 that resonates northwest of Toronto at the Peel District School Board, Canada's second largest and with one of the most diverse student populations. Hundreds of PDSB students, staff and community members gathered Friday at the board's Maawnjiding Wiigushkeng Centre for Indigenous Excellence and Land-Based Learning in Cheltenham, Ont., for its second annual powwow. Students spent a glorious spring day taking in dancers in vibrant regalia, drum circles and cultural pavilions that ranged from storytelling and traditional animal hide preservation to street art and Indigenous DJs. For some attendees, the joyful event built on what they learn every day. At SouthFields Village Public School, Indigenous perspectives are blended into different subjects and school-wide events. Students learn about residential schools, but also the value of time outdoors in nature and saying "thank you to what nature has given us," said Grade 4 student Ryka Gill. "Some people [who] are Indigenous, in the past, their culture was taken away," she said. "In this generation, I think it's important to learn about Indigenous culture." Gill's teacher, Laura Gibson, says educators today must "carve out spaces for voices not my own." Seeking ongoing training and development means she's more able to bring Indigenous voices to her students and spark connections. She and her colleagues incorporate Indigenous learning across different spaces. Attending the annual powwow is one example, but there are also school trips to a longhouse and Indigenous speakers regularly invited into their classrooms. Experiences like this weren't available to previous generations, according to PDSB's Indigenous education lead Nicole Reynolds. "That we can share this with students from various backgrounds and from diverse identities is really important.... They are learning with Indigenous people." 'An education system that includes us' At Yukon's First Nation School Board, engaging local First Nations has been a vital pillar of the new school authority, which started in 2022 following decades of Indigenous leaders decrying the "devastating" schooling of their children, according to Melissa Flynn, FNSB executive director. "When the education system hasn't been meeting the needs of our children ... it's not the family and the children that need to change, it was the education system and how it's being delivered," she said from the board's head office in Whitehorse. "It is changing the education system [from] a system that is happening to us as learners and families, to an education that includes us." That's meant changes to how kids are taught, like adopting structured literacy for learning how to read, more trips out on the land and developing high school courses on more resonant topics, like food sovereignty. In just three years, Flynn is heartened to see improved literacy at the board's 11 schools and every time a family reaches out to say their children now feel excited to attend school. The involvement of nine different First Nations governments, as well as Indigenous elders and knowledge-holders, has been key, she said. They consult on everything from school growth plans to next steps after the latest literacy and numeracy data is gathered to building students' sense of duty to the community. "Every single generation has a responsibility in the education of our children," Flynn said, adding that tapping into a traditional practice of multi-generational learning, mentoring and support benefits not only students, but teachers and staff, as well. "How do we bring it back into the learning system where no one learns alone?" Flynn has an eye to improve Indigenous language programs next, but feels confident overall that responding to what Indigenous students and communities need is the right approach to addressing the TRC's calls to action in education. "We all live on the territory of an Indigenous group. What a gift it would be for everyone across Canada to see this is what education looks like: It is guided by the people and the land that you live on."
CBC
4 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Hundreds of Indigenous students to lose dedicated educational assistants under changes to Jordan's Principle
Social Sharing School boards say hundreds of educational assistants dedicated to Indigenous students in schools across the northeast are facing lay-offs next year triggered by recent funding changes that Indigenous Services Canada has made related to Jordan's Principle. Jordan's Principle is named after Jordan River Anderson, a Manitoba boy with multiple disabilities who died in hospital waiting for the province and Ottawa to decide who should pay for health supports that would allow him to go home. Following a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision, the federal government has provided some $10 billion in funding to ensure that First Nations children get equal access to public services. But concerned about reports of abuse of the funding, the Canadian government made sweeping changes including a review of its policies and procedures starting last February. "This will ensure more consistent and clearer policies and communications about the services First Nations children can access through Jordan's Principle and the required documentation to access those services and supports," it said in a bulletin. Now those changes are trickling down and being felt by families applying for dedicated educational assistants for Indigenous students in northern Ontario with special needs. Some 74 educational assistants may be laid off at the Huron Superior Catholic School Board, based in Sault Ste. Marie. Director of Education Fil Lettieri said that Indigenous Services Canada had informed schools across the country of a change in funding criteria for Jordan's principal applications as of April 1. "The criteria now is that it is no longer intended as an enhancement in support for students, but rather to to address unmet needs," he said. "And so in subsequent conversations with Indigenous Services Canada, they had indicated that school boards do receive provincial funding for special education and therefore unmet needs should be funded through that envelope, which they are, and which has always been our practice as a school board." Lettieri said some families of Indigenous students had applied for dedicated educational assistants through Jordan's Principle to "enhance" existing services. He said he's seen the number of applications for Jordan's Principle-funded educational assistants grow over the last few years from 22, to 74 this year, primarily due to more awareness among families seeking support. Lettieri said he feels for the families who are accustomed to the one-on-one help for their children, but is working with them to determine how best to provide board supports, which may be shared with other students. The union representing educational assistants at the board said the loss of 74 positions will be devastating to students. Crystal Krauter-Maki, the president of CUPE 4148, says this is another case in which Indigenous children are caught in the crossfire between levels of government, and this will worsen the understaffing crisis in schools across Ontario. Nogdawindamin Family and Community Services— the Indigenous child welfare agency for Sault Ste. Marie and the north shore of Lake Huron— says it's trying to help the families. "We are actively working to understand the full implications of these changes and to support families in navigating the updated application process," spokesperson Jonathan Boyer-Nolan said in a statement. "Our priority remains ensuring that Indigenous children receive the services they need to thrive, and we will continue to advocate for policies that uphold the principles of equity and fairness. While applications have always been made by the families on a year-to-year basis, Indigenous Services Canada says existing or previously-approved requests are not guaranteed to be renewed or approved. Melanie Gray, the superintendent of teaching and learning with the Near North District Board,said they've had "lots of conversations" with the federal government trying to understand some of the new requirements for Jordan's Principle funding. But she said a handful of students in their board, which covers the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts, are affected. The Rainbow District School Board, which runs English public schools in Sudbury area, said they had 80 Jordan's Principle-funded educational assistants, while the Sudbury Catholic District School Board has 18. Perhaps the biggest impact will be felt in the English public school board stretching from Hearst to Temagami, including Timmins and Temiskaming Shores. District School Board Ontario North East said there are almost 200 Jordan's Principle-funded educational assistants in their schools. "We are working hard to minimize the impact to students and families and maintain the positive momentum of achievement for students who self-identify as Indigenous," spokesperson Andreanne Denis said in a statement. "We are looking to allocate some additional educational assistants during the 2025-2026 to ease the transition of the reduction of this support from the federal government." As for Indigenous Service Canada, it says the changes are being made to help the long-term sustainability of Jordan's Principle. "Funding for school-related requests will only be approved if the requests can be clearly linked to the specific health, social or educational need of the First Nation child or if it is required as per the principle of substantive equality," reads a statement provided to CBC News. "Requests for First Nations children, whether on reserve or off reserve, can continue to be made to Jordan's Principle. Each request is reviewed on a case-by-case basis based on the needs of the children involved with the request."
CBC
29-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Impacts of Jordan's principle funding cuts already evident in N.W.T. community
An N.W.T. MLA says funding cuts to federal Jordan's Principle funding will affect school teaching assistant funding in Łutsël Kʼé. The federal government announced sweeping changes to the program earlier this year. In February N.W.T. educators questioned if the funding changes would impact teaching assistant positions, considering the majority are funded through Jordan's Principle. MLA for Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh, Richard Edjericon says schools have since realized that the cuts will in fact affect those positions. "Let me give you a concrete example of how devastating these cuts are. Last week I learned that Łutsël Kʼé Dene First Nation School is losing five full-time education assistants, all of whom were funded through the Jordan Principle program," said Edjericon. Edjericon gave Fort Resolution as a second example, and said that its Deninu School stands to lose a significant amount of federal funding with the new eligibility restrictions. He added that even schools in Yellowknife are at risk of losing funding with around $50 million in serious jeopardy come fall. "For weeks now, schools across the North have watched as their applications for Jordan Principal funding for the fall have come back denied," said Edjericon. "When schools reopen this fall, a crisis of Indigenous education will begin unless this minister takes immediate action to restore the Jordan's Principal funding." In 2024, the education department funded 127 support assistants. The other 205 were funded by Jordan's Principle. Edjericon asked Caitlin Cleveland, N.W.T. Minister of Education, how she is working with community school boards and First Nations to restore funding. Cleveland said she has a close working relationship with the territory's education bodies and education ministers in the Yukon and Nunavut. She said that while conversations are taking place, it isn't possible for the N.W.T. government to carry on the program with funding in place of the federal government. "When this program was introduced and over the last number of years, officials at the Department of Education have reiterated to officials within the federal government that we cannot afford to take on this program should they choose not to continue it," said Cleveland. Edjericon noted how education is a treaty right to be upheld and questioned why the schools in the territory became so reliant on the federal funding. Cleveland said the territorial government accounts for school positions within their funding formula and the federal government has created additional positions through their program, entirely separate from territorial government methods. Cleveland said that she and the N.W.T. Minister of Health and Social Services will be bringing concerns to the federal government and looking to discuss them with Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs.
CBC
17-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School's 2025 graduating class
Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School held its 2025 graduation in Thunder Bay, Ont., earlier this week. The First Nations high school primarily serves Indigenous students from remote First Nations who travel hundreds of kilometres from home to get an education. The CBC's Mary-Jean Cormier was there to take in the celebration.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
U of O offering free tuition to students from some Algonquin First Nations
The University of Ottawa is offering free tuition to students from the Algonquin Anishinàbeg Nation starting in the fall semester, the school announced Thursday. As part of the university's 2025-2030 Indigenous action plan, tuition fees will be waived for students in undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs who are members of a federally recognized Algonquin First Nation. "Education is the new life force for Indigenous people ... to become educated and to reinstate ourselves as the great nations that we were before colonization," said Tareyn Johnson, director of Indigenous affairs at the University of Ottawa. "I do think that it's a very important gesture, and it's one of many important gestures that need to be made." The offer will not be applied retroactively, but qualifying students who are already enrolled won't have to pay to complete their studies. The 10 federally recognized Algonquin First Nations in Ontario and Quebec are: Kitigan Zibi. Barrière Lake/Rapid Lake. Kitcisakik. Lac Simon. Abitibiwinni/Pikogan. Long Point/Winneway. Timiskaming. Kebaowek. Wolf Lake. Pikwakanagan. Housing, other fees not covered The offer will not cover housing or other ancillary fees for services such health insurance, Johnson said. The student or their First Nation would pay those, though Johnson noted the university offers a bursary to some Indigenous students to help cover some of their costs. Students who are interested should apply through their First Nation, the same way they have applied for bursaries and scholarships in the past, Johnson advised. "We're removing that burden of expense, then they can redistribute it to other people in their community," she said. Johnson wasn't sure how much the offer will cost the university, but called the potential cost "negligible compared to the impact it's going to have." Johnson said depending on how many Algonquin students take the university up on its offer, the program could be expanded to include other First Nations. "I'm hoping that after the first year showing the institution it's not this really significantly high number, that my goal would be to extend it to all of Ontario," she said. Carleton University and Queen's University offer awards and funding for Indigenous students. Indigenous action plan Beyond offering free tuition, the university's Indigenous action plan includes other changes: All faculty and staff will be "required to complete a First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) 101 workshop including competency modules related to their specific employment sector." The Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies will be "revitalized" and eventually master's and doctoral programs in addition to its undergraduate program. It will also host a new Algonquin research chair. The university's library will address harmful terminology and language in line with the "decolonize the library" movement that's "emerging across Canada." A committee will be formed to determine whether buildings and other infrastructure on campus need to be renamed. The university will offer Indigenous food on campus.
