The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and First Nations University of Canada faculty, student and Aboriginal leaders want the federal government to reverse its decision to end funding at the end of March for the only Aboriginal university in Canada. It's not too late - sign this open letter to Prime Minister Harper to show your support for a sustainable future for FNUC.
From CBC:
"Both the federal and provincial governments suspended FNUC's funding earlier this year.In recent years, there have been numerous dismissals and departures of top administrators, allegations of misuse of funds, repeated deficits and declining enrolment. Ottawa and the province [Sask.] both said they cut funding because FNUC wasn't fixing the problems fast enough."
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/03/31/sk-fnuc-not-enough.html#ixzz0jsGCrjWf
Today, from Maclean's:
"Students at First Nations University of Canada should be able to finish the school year after Chuck Strahl, minister of Indian and Northern Affairs,that the federal government will provide $3 million in bridge funding."
And finally, from today's Regina Leader-Post:
"On June 11, 2008, Prime Minister Stephen Harper acknowledged the disastrous failure of Indian residential schools in a statement of apology. He stated: 'Two primary objectives of the residential schools system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes, families, traditions and cultures, and to assimilate them into the dominant culture ... Today, we recognize that this policy of assimilation was wrong, has caused great harm, and has no place in our country.'
The decision to cut funding to FNUniv is not only disrespectful to First Nations families, traditions and cultures, it is also a new form of the old colonial policy of assimilation. If the doors of the university were closed, the students would have to be assimilated into other mainstream institutions. If the prime minister truly believes the policy of assimilation is harmful and wrong, then he should have the funds reinstated."
FLIF
image from http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/first_nations_university_of_canada.html
