Shawn Atleo, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) faces criticism this week, after supporting a government bill described as a threat to Canada’s Aboriginal communities.
Publicly backing $1.9 billion Bill C-33, dubbed the ‘First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act’, Atleo has stated that the bill is out of respect for treaty rights, language and culture; and a solution in the long-standing demands for better control of Aboriginal schooling.
Within the European Union are there Indigenous Peoples whose education is funded at 50% of other citizen, or have health services and community infrastructure at third world levels. Canada is a vast wealthy country, with the resources to provide equal opportunities for all its citizens. Prior to our 100th anniversary we accepted Indigenous Peoples as almost full persons under the law! Perhaps we could provide equal opportunity to health, safety and education prior to our 150th anniversary.
All First Nation children’s education should be funded to the level of French students in Manitoba. The water has never been special for our Indigenous Nations, regardless of how other nations see us.