The TRC’s 94 Calls to Action #7
#7. We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
So what has happened since 2015? From https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1524495412051/1557511602225
Below is the exact wording of the budget and what happened. I found it interesting that students were supported by predictable and sustained base funding. I wonder if that translates into the same amount of dollars to dollars that a student going to school off-reserve would get? It is also interesting to note that many on-reserve schools are considered independent schools and therefore do not receive the same base funding usually. I will have to look into this more.
Below is a detailed account from the link above on what has been done to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Canadians to date.
Budget 2016 provided new investments in primary and secondary education on reserve, totalling $2.6 billion over 5 years. This includes funding to address immediate pressures and to keep pace with rising costs in the medium term, as well as provide for additional investments in literacy and numeracy programs and special needs education.
Building on this investment, on April 1, 2019, Indigenous Services Canada began implementing a new approach to First Nations elementary and secondary education, which was co-developed with First Nations education leaders and experts from across the country. This approach includes new formula-based regional models for First Nations education that will ensure that students attending First Nations schools are supported by predictable and sustained base funding that is more directly comparable to what students enrolled in provincial systems receive. On top of this base funding, this new approach will provide additional funding to on-reserve schools for language and culture programming and full-time kindergarten for children aged 4 and 5.
Budget 2016 invested $969.4 million over 5 years for the construction, repair and maintenance of First Nations education facilities. With respect to post-secondary education, Budget 2016 provided $1.53 billion over 5 years to increase amounts of the Canada Student Grants and $329 million per year after that. Budget 2016 also announced that funding provided by the Post-Secondary Student Support Program will no longer impact eligibility for the Canada Student Loans Program’s non-repayable grants and loans support. As a result, Indigenous students can access both student funding programs as long as they meet eligibility criteria. This measure will increase the amount of non-repayable Canada Student Grants and Canada Student Loans that Indigenous students may receive.
Budget 2017 provided:
- $90 million over 2 years, beginning in fiscal year 2017 to 2018, for the Post-Secondary Student Support Program
- $100 million for the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy Skills Link and Summer Work Experience program
- $5 million per year for 5 years, starting in fiscal year 2017 to 2018, for Indspire, a national Indigenous-led registered charity that invests in the education of Indigenous peoples, conditional on Indspire raising $3 million per year in matching funds from the private sector
The Government of Canada undertook a comprehensive and collaborative review with Indigenous partners of all current federal programs that support Indigenous students who wish to pursue post-secondary education. The purpose of the review is to ensure that these programs provide Indigenous students with the resources and support they need to attend and complete post-secondary studies.
Building on this engagement, Budget 2019 announced $815 million over 10 years, starting in fiscal year 2019 to 2020, and $61.8 million ongoing in support of Indigenous post-secondary education. This includes:
- $327.5 million over 5 years to support First Nations post-secondary students and the development of regional education strategies
- $125.5 million over 10 years and $21.8 million ongoing to support an Inuit-led post-secondary strategy
- $362.0 million over 10 years and $40 million ongoing to support a Métis-Nation strategy
Budgets 2016 and 2017 committed to renew and expand the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy beyond March 31, 2018. Budget 2018 announced $2 billion over 5 years and $408.2 million per year ongoing, to support the creation of a new Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program, which will replace the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy. Extensive engagement took place with Indigenous partners in 2016 and 2017 to develop a proposal for future labour market programming. The Government of Canada has consulted with, and heard from, Indigenous partners on the importance of a distinctions-based approach that recognizes the unique needs of the First Nations, Inuit and the Métis Nation. To that end, the new program will provide:
- $1.1 billion over 5 years and $235.7 million per year ongoing, for a First Nations stream
- $325 million over 5 years and $67 million per year ongoing, for a Métis Nation stream
- $161.2 million over 5 years and $32.6 million per year ongoing, for an Inuit stream
- $213.4 million over 5 years and $45.2 million per year ongoing, for an urban or non-affiliated stream
Work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis organizations and service providers to ensure all Indigenous people have access to the skills development and employment training they need to fully participate in the Canadian economy will continue.”