Conservatives Threatening to Withhold Funding for First Nations Education

May 28, 2014

OTTAWA – Liberal Critic for Aboriginal Affairs, Carolyn Bennett, today issued the following statement in response to the Conservative government’s threat to withhold funding for First Nations education if Bill C-33, the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act, is rejected:

“The Conservative government is holding First Nations hostage by telling them they must accept a fundamentally flawed education bill or lose the essential funding that was cynically promised to flow after the next election.

“It is unconscionable that the Conservative government is willing to play politics with the futures of First Nations children.

“In order to address the unacceptable gap in learning outcomes for First Nations students, there must be stable, predictable funding based on actual needs. This is an issue of fundamental fairness, and is part of Canada’s fiduciary obligation to First Nations.

“This funding should flow immediately. First Nations communities, educators, and students should not have to wait one more day for these critical resources.”