Two Saskatoon MLAs sat down with a handful of Aboriginal youth in the city on Thursday night to gauge their ideas on how education and employment in the province might be improved.
Jennifer Campeau and Rob Norris are with the Premier’s Aboriginal Youth Task Force.
Although the government task force just started its work, task force chair Campeau says some themes are already starting to emerge.
“There’s a theme of identity as well as having to walk in both worlds, in terms of education and also working and keeping the language and cultural preservation while pursuing an education,” she says.
Task force vice-chair Norris adds combating racism and better coordinating educational programming are other things they are hearing.
“I think there’s a lot we need to do in government but also across society to further combat racism and that’s a theme that’s come up pretty consistently,” he says. “And I think another theme is we need to roll up our sleeves and really find ways to better coordinate federal and provincial programs to make it easier for students to navigate.”
The task force is traveling to a dozen Saskatchewan communities and what it hears will advise the government on Aboriginal education and employment policy.