NDP Says Province Has To Commit To FNUC First

NDP Says Province Has To Commit To FNUC First

Monday, March 15, 2010 at 14:36

The Opposition says if the provincial government is really interested in seeing federal funding restored to the First Nations University of Canada, then it has to do it first.

The province’s Advanced Education Minister, Rob Norris, plans to travel to Ottawa tomorrow to discuss the FNUC funding issue with Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl in person.

NDP First Nations and Metis Relations critic Warren McCall says while he is encouraged by the meeting, he notes that Strahl repeatedly cites the provincial decision to pull funding as justification for the federal decision.

McCall says Norris should be telling Strahl that provincial funding will be provided in the new First Nations University model involving the University of Regina, and that the federal government needs to follow suit.

According to McCall, a failure to make that commitment will be a clear sign from the Wall government that it wants to “kill” the FNUC.

He adds Norris is leaving the federal government with no real incentive to restore its funding.

McCall says the provincial government has to make it clear what it will do in the event federal funding is not restored.