Ottawa Told To Boost Native Education Spending

Ottawa Told To Boost Native Education Spending

Wednesday, October 06, 2010 at 13:30

 

 

A prominent First Nations think tank is calling on the federal government to re-examine its approach to post-secondary educational funding for Aboriginal students.

 

The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation says more than 10,000 Aboriginal Canadians were denied funding from the Post-Secondary Student Support Program between 2001 and 2006.

 

President Roberta Jamieson says the government should realize that gap needs to close so Aboriginal people can help fill labour needs around the country.

 

She says hundreds of thousands of Aboriginal youth won’t be able to help address Canada’s shrinking labour force or contribute to their own communities.

 

Jamieson says one study shows Canada’s GDP could improve by as much as $400 billion if the gap in employment and education were to close for Aboriginal people.

 

She notes just three per cent of First Nations, Metis and Inuit citizens have degrees, compared to 18 per cent of the general population.

 

According to Jamieson, “this is not an issue of entitlement, this is not about the right thing to do — although it is the right thing to do — this is about basic, hard-nosed economics”.

 

Meanwhile, she says she hasn’t heard any rumours that the government will axe the post secondary student support like some Aboriginal leaders fear.