By Kelly Malone

Former PM says aboriginal education should be front and centre

Sep 19, 2014 | 8:47 AM

Aboriginal education and engagement is critical to Saskatchewan's future according to a former prime minister of Canada.

The Right Hon. Paul Martin spoke to a packed room at the Mayfair United Church in Saskatoon during an event hosted by St. Andrew's College. The theme of the event was “All My Relations – Aboriginal Education and the Future.”

While there has been substantial progress in terms of indigenous education within universities, there is room to grow, he told Saskatoon Afternoon Thursday.

“The fact of the matter is almost no progress can be seen in the way that indigenous education, especially on reserve with the First Nations, has been dealt with over the last number of years.”

Martin was prime minister from 2003 to 2006 and minister of finance from 1993 to 2002. Once out of office, he founded the Martin Aboriginal Initiative “in order to identify issues affecting aboriginal Canadians.” The initiative focuses on elementary and secondary education for aboriginal students.

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“When you think of those very high high school drop out rates; the fact that children in grade school are not learning to read and write the way they should despite the fact that there are tremendous aboriginal teachers that are working really hard,” Martin said.

“It's just the under funding by the government makes it virtually impossible.”

Provincial governments are in charge of funding education except when it comes to First Nations schools which are funded by the federal government. Martin said that under funding from the federal government can range from 30 to 50 per cent. In Saskatchewan, graduating rates for First Nation students currently is at only 30 per cent while the general population sits just above 70 per cent.

“What that means is if you go to reserve school (rather than) another school 10 miles away, the children, if they have disabilities there will be programs for them; they are going to be given better access to math, geography, history,” Martin explained.

“There is, within this indigenous community in this country, a tremendous understanding of education, what it's all about, why it's important, how we should go at it. Ottawa doesn't have a department of education.”

Martin said that if the funding gap between on reserve and the rest of students was removed there would be a different outcome for aboriginal students.

“It's really very important that we put the money where it belongs and we give the level of government, in this case on reserve… a chance to show what they can do,” Martin said.

“When you see what they've done with so little money than you can really only imagine how well they will do with fair funding.”

For Saskatchewan with a young, quickly growing aboriginal population, Martin said taking these steps are critical.

“You are going to have the highest number of kids going into Grade 1 than other part of this country,” he said.

“The future of Saskatchewan and the future of Canada is going to depend very heavily on how those children do. If we don't give them a good education than we are going to suffer for it.”

After the formal interview session, Martin fielded questions from people in attendance. 

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