CUMFI President Shirley Isbister and GSCS Board Chair Diane Boyko sign agreement.
A new partnership between Saskatoon’s Catholic schools and a local Metis organization is aiming to improve Metis education.
The Greater Saskatoon Catholic School Board signed an official agreement with the Central Urban Metis Federation Inc. to ensure Metis culture is more present in their schools.
“This is a day we have been waiting years to happen,” says CUMFI President Shirley Isbister. “We have always had one goal in mind and that is the success of our students, not just for Metis students, but for all students.”
The new framework agreement was signed at St. Michael’s school on Monday afternoon.
CUMFI and Saskatoon’s Catholic schools have been working together in other capacities for many years. The two groups signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2010. That agreement was coming to an end, so this new framework was developed.
In essence the new partnership causes the Saskatoon Catholic School Board to work with CUMFI on Metis education efforts going forward.
“Metis students have not always been well served in our schools,” says GSCS Board Chair Diane Boyko. “But now we have a community partner to ensure Metis education takes place in our Catholic schools.”
Many speaking during the event spoke on the ‘special’ timing of the agreement, just days after a historic Supreme Court of Canada ruling on Metis status.
Boyko does admit they are not entirely sure on the exact implications of how this new agreement will play out.
“We do have a lot of hard work ahead of us and we will use the renewed framework of this relationship to guide us,” says Boyko.
One area that Isbister was really excited about was the possibility of a renewal of the Michif language.
“St. Michael’s school already does Michif Monday’s,” says Isbister. “But moving forward I am so excited to see Michif possibly become a common language taught in our schools.”
The agreement also establishes a working group and governing committee to ensure the parameters of the framework are met.