Question

Evaluate the current system of First Nations education in Canada Describe the limitations of the Indian Act as a framework for First Nations education . What is the motivation for the new funding approach? Assume that the policy is under review and that you have been called upon to make five (5) recommendations. What would your five (5) recommendations be?

Answer 1

Education is nice in Canada.

In fact if you are planning to live there, the education part is the best part of being in Canada.

Canadian universities are very multicultural, way more than work life.

You meet all type of people, the teachers are competent, programs are varied. If you add to your track a coop placement, you are golden. Also, I recommend that you work on campus as it is usually the best jobs when you study there.

Yes, but not just because it has an inappropriate and paternalistic name, Indeed the components of the Act itself are paternalistic and condescending. And not because the act still fails to address the root problems facing Aboriginal peoples in Canada, those are far deeper than legislation alone can fix, but because the Act itself adds to the problem.

To be clear, the Act was put in place to codify and amalgamate how the Government of Canada would address the treaties that were signed between the crown and the various first Nations. Created in 1867, its entire purpose was to facilitate the assimilation of aboriginals into Canada's "British" society. (In hindsight it is a ridiculous premise since we are apparently much more open to multiculturalism from other cultures than our own aboriginal culture. When's the last time you went to a "Cree Restaurant"?)

First Nations are (and have been for 150 years) asking that Canada honour the treaties that they signed with the crown. That is sonething that has never been done.

Granted, I'm a first generation white male of British ancestry, so I'm definitely the wrong person to answer this, but what I think is needed is a new approach, created collaboratively with Aboriginal peoples, their chosen representatives and the Canadian government. That new approach must honour the treaties while also enshrining the rights, roles, and special place of Aboriginal peoples into the Canadian constitution.  

The details of that approach obviously need to be defined, but it must be done collaboratively with the Aboriginal peoples that it effects. It must respect the treaties, it must recognize Aboriginals as equals and it must empower Aboriginals to improve their own economic and social conditions. In the end, the only way to help our First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples is to let them find the respect, honour and sense of place that white colonial rule and years of oppression, neglect and racism have taken from them.

Following ae the policy I would rcommend -

1 First of all the education should be free for each and every child of this country and anyone should be allowed to get trained irrespective of their age

2 Career counselling workshops to help them discover what careers they can explore.

3 Expert sessions in specific fields (like Entrepreneurship, Law, etc.) of their choice so that they can learn more about the careers in that field.

4 Animated online career based courses in the fields of their choice so that they can explore that field.

5 Skill based learning should be added to our education system. If one student is interested in repairing mobiles their should be a provision for engineering etc This would ensure one thing -SELF EMPLOYMENT