The head of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations is calling the government’s new First Nations education legislation “completely unacceptable.”
FSIN Chief Perry Bellegarde is one of a number of Aboriginal leaders speaking out against the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act.
Bellegarde says he has reviewed in-depth analysis from legal and constitutional experts and concluded that Bill C-33 fundamentally fails to address the five conditions set out by Canada’s First Nations leaders.
“The minister is going to be very clearly in this bill the individual with all the authority but little responsibility,” he says. “The responsibility rests with the chiefs and councils but they don’t have any authority under their First Nations jurisdiction.”
He says he will recommend chiefs attending the next FSIN assembly later this month reject Bill C-33.
The legislation was introduced in the House of Commons yesterday for second reading and now goes to committee.