Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde Speaks at Public Forum in Halifax

HALIFAX, Nov. 16, 2015 – Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Perry Bellegarde today addressed a group gathered at the Public Forum in Halifax “A New Partnership: Building Relationship through Education”, inviting the federal government to engage now with First Nations in a new and honourable process to close the gap in education and work towards First Nations control of First Nations education.

“We welcome the federal government’s commitment to work with us in a respectful, transparent and collaborative process to advance First Nations education and the commitment for additional, much-needed funding,” said AFN National Chief Bellegarde. “Education is a priority for First Nations and we are ready to move now. Our approach must be based on First Nations control of First Nation education. The current approach is failing First Nations, it’s failing our children and it’s failing Canada. It’s time for a new approach and this is a new opportunity to get it right.”

National Chief Bellegarde spoke about the need to invest in First Nations – the youngest, fastest growing population in the country – as key to Canada’s future and ongoing prosperity. The National Chief stated that First Nations have been working to set out their own plans and approaches to First Nations education and are ready to move, not ...