The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says the federal government needs to recognize the strong response by provincial bands to draft their own education acts is evidence of how seriously they take this treaty right.
The FSIN made the request earlier this year as way of responding to the Harper government’s own First Nations education act which the organization says has been drafted without proper input from Indigenous leaders.
FSIN Vice-Chief Bobby Cameron says the organization is pleased with how its member First Nations have been responding to the call.
“I’m guessing say 50 per cent of our communities out there have submitted it and the majority are starting to revise it to meet their own community needs,” he says. “So the work is definitely starting.”
Cameron adds the FSIN is encouraging Saskatchewan First Nations to be proactive in drafting their own acts.
The template bands are using is one originally created by FSIN Senator Sol Sanderson and his wife Carole back in the mid-1980’s.
The federal government is expected to release a draft of its education act sometime in mid-October.