Fact Check: Desperate NDP makes false claims about Liberal First Nations funding

September 30, 2015

OTTAWA — The NDP is desperate to change the channel from Thomas Mulcair’s weak debate performance. They are reeling from Mulcair’s decision to adopt Stephen Harper’s budget, and all the cuts and broken promises that go with it.

 In a press release issued earlier today, the NDP claimed that “six weeks after promising specific new money for First Nation’s education, Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has abandoned his commitment to First Nations children” (NDP Press Release, 29 September, 2015).  The Liberals, they falsely claim, are committing only $900 million to First Nation’s education in lieu of the $2.6 billion we announced on 13 August, 2015. 

 Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth.

 Let’s break it down for them:

 The NDP based their claim on the Liberals’ fiscal framework which promised $900 million in new money, on top of the amount promised in the current budget but not delivered – it was booked into the government’s fiscal framework in Budget 2014 and remains there to fund the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act.

 The Liberals have been very transparent about where the money will come from.

 Justin Trudeau’s plan to provide education and economic opportunity for First Nations commits $2.6 billion for core First Nations education over the next four years. It includes not only the funding promised and never delivered by Stephen Harper, but an additional $300 million annually.

 We will also invest $500 million over the next three years for immediate First Nations education infrastructure. This funding is incremental to existing education infrastructure commitments already made to First Nations.

 Our full plan for education and economic opportunity is here.