Statement made on 07 June 2012 by Senator Claudette Tardif
Hon. Claudette Tardif (Deputy Leader of the Opposition):
Honourable senators, I was saddened and concerned to learn this week that First Nations schools in my province of Alberta are being shortchanged $15 million a year in funding compared to their provincial school counterparts. The numbers come from a new joint study by provincial, federal and First Nations staff that also found that an average of 39 per cent of children and young adults on reserves across the province are taking a pass on school altogether.
Honourable senators, there are huge gaps in funding between First Nations schools and provincially run schools. What is the government prepared to do in light of these alarming figures?
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