Treaty Education Pledge Included In Throne Speech
Monday, December 10, 2007 at 14:43
It will soon be mandatory for teachers in Saskatchewan schools to teach the history and content of First Nations’ treaties in the classroom.
That is one of the new Saskatchewan Party government’s commitments included in today’s Throne Speech.
An excerpt from the speech states: “There must be an appreciation in the minds of the general public that Treaties are living, breathing documents that continue to bind us to promises made generations ago.”
The government also pledges it will “work with First Nations and Métis to develop a protocol for protecting their rights and interests by ensuring that the duty to consult and accommodate is fully honoured”.
The Saskatchewan Party is also promising that First Nations and Métis will play a vital role in Enterprise Saskatchewan — the new private-public partnership the government says will establish the province’s economic goals and targets.
The new government is also vowing to explore “value-added opportunties” in the province’s uranium industry.
As well, today’s Throne Speech re-iterates the Saskatchewan Party’s position that any new initiatives in the forestry sector will not include direct government investment in specific companies — a reference to the M.O.U. signed between the previous NDP government and Domtar to re-open the Prince Albert pulp mill.
The government says it will soon begin funding 100 new long-term addictions treatment beds — and when “possible and practical”, it will have these beds operated by community-based and First Nations organizations.
Premier Brad Wall’s government is also pledging to negotiate a new revenue-sharing agreement with municipalities that will “increase revenue-sharing to provide immediate assistance to municipalities”.
As well, the Saskatchewan Party is promising to provide more funds for school lunch and anti-hunger programs across the province.