The Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) is calling for the federal government to provide support for First Nation University of Canada’s (FNUniv) new campus in Prince Albert.
In a media release sent out early Wednesday afternoon the tribal council said all 12 of their chiefs were in support of making a public call for federal support.
PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte said providing federal funding for the project would be an important commitment from the federal government.
“It is a commitment to the future of Indigenous education, reconciliation and our collective future,” he said.
FNUniv has put in a request to the federal government for $25 million. The university has already committed over $8 million of its own money for the project in addition to securing a mortgage valued at over $10 million. The university is also looking to raise over $5 million to help pay for construction.
The new facility would be located on the west side of P.A. near the Victoria Hospital. The City of Prince Albert has supported the new campus by selling the land to the university for one dollar. Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation (PBCN) Chief Karen Bird, who also serves on the university’s board of governors, said the contribution from the city was an important one.
“Prince Albert has laid the foundation with a land donation and with our finances prepared, we now urge the federal government to advance a campus that honours our distinct cultural traditions and languages,” she said.
(Top Photo: FNUniv’s current campus in downtown Prince Albert. Photo by Michael Joel-Hansen.)