Toward a Métis Nation Education Strategy

March 25, 2014

The Seminar was organized around five key objectives:

1. Increasing the learning outcomes of Métis learners;
2. Enhancing and profile the cultural heritage and history of the Métis Nation in provincial educational curricula;
3. Establishing collaborative shared strategies, expertise, best practices to accelerate improvements on Métis educational outcomes;
4. Enhancing broader understanding of the need to address understanding of Métis education issues and challenges; and
5. Establishing a structural platform for long-term change in Métis education.

The seminar focused on the need to develop a Métis Nation education strategy that can be reviewed and adopted by the MNC General Assembly and used in the Métis Nation’s discussions with the federal and provincial governments under different processes. The strategy will focus on all aspects of the life long education continuum and will include a special focus on transitioning Métis students into the workforce.

One of the processes is the work being undertaken on education by the Provinces and National Aboriginal Organizations through the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group. Some of that work is being done with the Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC). Christy Bresette of CMEC presented on this work and an upcoming symposium in July including the MNC that will address how the education system can deal with the skills shortage in Canada.

In a panel discussion. MNC Governing Members’ educational institutes discussed the key challenges and issues that their governments are facing. The key challenges and issues include: jurisdiction and funding inequalities, lack of Métis-specific curriculum in mainstream education, access and integration, and accountability and capacity building. Métis have not shared equitably in the allocation of early childhood development resources that the federal government has transferred to the provinces through the Canada Social Transfer. The jurisdictional barrier has compounded the problem of social and economic disparities including poverty, poor health, and inadequate housing that produce lower than average education and employment levels for Métis.

Despite these barriers, however, the Métis Nation is moving forward. The best practices include Métis ASETS program (Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy), Métis Nation Endowments, and the establishment of the Métis Nation educational institutions such as the Louis Riel Institute in Manitoba, the Gabriel Dumont Institute in Saskatchewan and the Rupertsland Institute in Alberta.

MNC Policy senior advisors John Weinstein, David Boisvert and Marc LeClair presented on how education and labor market development will figure in the long-term Métis economic development strategy being developed under the MEDS process. “Education is one of the pillars of the Métis Nation Economic Development Strategy” stated President Chartier, “we will continue to use our relationship with the federal government under the Métis Nation Protocol and our relationship with the provinces through the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group to advance this process.”

Through the roundtable discussion, the Governing Members articulated broad goals for Métis education that take into account the link between educational achievement and economic potential. Governing Members expressed their intention to work more closely and share experiences to assist in the development of an education strategy.

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