Federal New Democrats introduced a motion today calling on the Tory government to close the funding gap between what First Nation schools receive and what provincial school systems receive.
NDP Leader Nycole Turmel says “there is simply no excuse for why First Nations students receive less from the government than everyone else”.
Turmel points out that the graduation rates of First Nations students are nearly half that of other students, and cites poorly funded schools on reserves as a major cause.
She adds the Harper Conservatives maintain a 2% cap on annual funding increases for First Nations education.
The New Democrat motion calls for the government to “declare that First Nations students have an equal right to quality education”.
It also calls on the government to “work with First Nations leaders on an action plan that ensures students on reserves receive a properly funded, culturally-sensitive education”.