WENDAKE, QC, April 11, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - By tabling his Bill yesterday that is supposed to allow for First Nations control over the education of their children, the Harper Government shows a lack of respect towards the AFNQL Chiefs.
"All this Government respects is its own legislative agenda. After years of neglect of the education of our youth, all that matters now to the Harper Government is quickly to impose its views and to adopt a Bill that we do not want and which is a frontal attack to the autonomy of our nations", said AFNQL Chief Ghislain Picard.
"Let's be very clear, all our Chiefs, all our teachers and all our specialists have been engaged for decades to ensure our young people get quality educational services to which they are entitled and that the federal Government refuses to provide them. We have proposed repeatedly concrete solutions that the federal Government systematically refuses to listen too. He prefers to impose on us its views" declared Chief Gilbert Whiteduck from Kitigan Zibi and the spokesperson for the education file.
On February 19, 2014, the AFNQL and First Nations Education Council (FNEC) requested the Federal Court for a judicial review on the failure of the federal government's duty to consult and accommodate First Nations in the context of this legislative process.
"The Bill that was tabled yesterday by the Harper government is based on flawed consultation under conditions that were imposed by the federal government. By tabling such a controversial bill under such conditions shows that this government does only what it wants and they still claim to be the only one to know the truth. This is absolutely unacceptable", says Chief Ghislain Picard.
About the AFNQL
The Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador is the political organization regrouping 43 Chiefs of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador. www.apnql-afnql.com
SOURCE: Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador
Mélanie Vincent, Cell.: 418-580-4442, Email: [email protected]
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