Question Period Note: Education

ISC fully supports First Nations control of First Nation
education for all students, and encourages full
partnership with First Nations in support of student
success in all education systems.
• Education falls under the jurisdiction of provinces and
territories, with the exception of education for First
Nations students ordinarily resident on reserve.
• For First Nations in the North, off-reserve First Nations,
Inuit and Métis, education is provided by their
respective province or territory.
• Through collaboration, First Nations students will have
access to a high quality education that responds to their
needs.

April 24 Toronto Star News Article
New report highlights progress — and disappointments — in province’s Indigenous education. Elementary school science courses got a failing grade, Toronto Star
Note: This article focusses on students who attend provincial schools, which is outside the scope of federal responsibility, as it does not include First Nations education systems on reserve.
Elementary and Secondary Education
Budget 2016 invested $2.6 billion for elementary and secondary education programming for First Nations on reserve, including significant additional investments in language and cultural programming, literacy and numeracy, and special education. With
these investments, the Department also worked with First Nations to fundamentally transform funding for elementary and secondary education on reserve. The co-developed policy proposal to strengthen and transform First Nations elementary and
secondary education was endorsed by Chiefs-in Assembly in December 2017 and was used to establish a new policy framework that was ratified by Cabinet in 2018.
Launched on April 1, 2019, this new framework is aimed at fundamentally improving the way Indigenous Services Canada funds First Nations elementary and secondary education while supporting regional and local diversity and implementing the principle of First Nations control of First Nations education. This includes supporting formula-based regional funding for elementary and secondary education to ensure that students attending First Nations schools are supported by predictable funding that is more
directly comparable to what students enrolled in provincial education systems receive.
On top of this base funding, the Department provides additional funding for expanded language and cultural programming, full-day kindergarten, before-and-after school programming, and other initiatives that respond to the unique needs of First Nation
students, as well as regional education agreements that advance First Nations’ selfdetermination
over their education systems.
In addition, Budget 2021 invested $726 million over five years and $188 million ongoing
to support work with partners to adapt elementary and secondary education funding to
meet First Nations’ needs. This investment provides supports to enhance funding
formulas in critical areas such as student transportation, to ensure funding for First
Nations schools remains predictable year to year, as well as to develop and conclude
more Regional Education Agreements. Budget 2021 also invested $350 million over five
years to support adult education on reserve, which will fill a long-standing gap in the
Government of Canada’s support for First Nations’ education. As part of the Canadawide
early learning and child care program, Budget 2021 invested $515 million over five
7
years and $112 million ongoing for before- and after-school programming on reserve.
Increasing access to on-reserve before- and after-school programming is expected to
support parents and primary caregivers in balancing work and family, and could also
reduce barriers by providing more opportunities for young parents to attend school or
enter and remain in the workforce.
Regional education agreements respond to the education goals and priorities set by
First Nations. These agreements identify collaborative education service delivery
strategies, and outline how the Government of Canada can best support First Nations
schools, students, communities, and education organizations in ensuring that First
Nations students receive a high quality, linguistically and culturally appropriate
education that improves outcomes.
Budget 2022, announced an investment of $310.6 million to support better student
outcomes through a regional education agreement with the First Nations Education
Council, which includes 22 member communities in Quebec. This agreement
demonstrates Canada’s active partnership with those First Nations in implementing their
vision for education to improve student outcomes.
In recognition of the challenges facing First Nations as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, on August 26, 2020, the Prime Minister announced $112 million to support a safe return to First Nation elementary and secondary schools on reserve. This is in
addition to the $2 billion that was provided to provinces and territories through the Safe Return to Class Fund. Of this, $100 million was provided to First Nations to directly support the needs of students and education staff, including salaries for staff, access to technology, purchase of e-learning software, and the development of take-home learning materials. The remaining $12 million supported schools to undertake retrofits needed to follow public health guidelines and respect adequate physical distancing as school activities resumed. This investment enabled First Nations the flexibility to respond to operational and student needs. Budget 2021 also provided an additional $112 million in 2021-2022 to extend this support for a safe return to elementary and
secondary schools for First Nations on reserves.

If pressed on Reform of Provincial School Curricula
• The Government of Canada has no direct control over the
development of curricula.
• Indigenous Services Canada supports First Nations to engage
with provincial and territorial governments on such matters.
• Canada has worked to leverage relationships with organizations
such as the Council of Ministers of Education, in order to
enhance the knowledge and awareness of Indigenous history
and culture across Canada. However, provinces and territories
are wholly responsible for modifying school curricula to
ultimately raise awareness on residential schools and
Indigenous peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions
to Canada. If pressed on Elementary and Secondary Education:
• ISC co-developed a policy framework to transform the way First
Nations elementary and secondary education on reserve is
funded. ISC also provided funding that is comparable to what
students receive in provincial schools.
• Through this approach, funding for elementary and secondary
education has grown by 74% between 2015-16 and 2021-22 and
ISC increased investments in First Nations language and
cultural programming.
• Since 2015, the Government has invested over $5.9 billion for
elementary and secondary education to help First Nations
children living on reserve receive high-quality schooling. This
also includes $1.8 billion in infrastructure funding, which has
already supported 261 school facility projects. If pressed on Language and Cultural Programming
• Our Government recognizes that investments in language and
culture are a critical component of successful on-reserve
education systems.
• That is why we provide up to $1500 per student per year to
support language and culture programming in on-reserve
schools.
• Close to 92% of students attending First Nations administered
schools are taught at least one subject in a First Nations
language.