YUKON FIRST NATIONS CONTROL OF FIRST NATION EDUCATION

YUKON FIRST NATIONS CONTROL OF FIRST NATION EDUCATION The Epic Journey

Contacts Daryn Lease – daryn. leas@me. com Rose Sellars – rose. sellars@cyfn. net Melanie Bennett – melanie. bennett@cyfn. net Jenn Wykes – Jennifer. wykes@cyfn. net Bill Bennett – bill. bennett@cyfn. net Tracy Bruce – tracy. bruce@cyfn. net

14 Yukon First Nations & 8 Language Groups • • • Ta’an Kwach’an Council First Nation of Nacho Nayak Dun Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation Kluane First Nation Carcross Tagish First Nation Champagne Aishihik First Nation Teslin Tlingit Council Vun Tut Gwich’in First Nation Selkirk First Nation Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Kwanlin Dun First Nation • Ross River Dene Council • Liard First Nation • White River First Nation

Yukon’s foundational document Together Today for our Children Tomorrow, was presented to PM Pierre Trudeau in 1973. The document initiated modern land claim processes leading to the Umbrella Final Agreement (1990) and Land Claims Agreements with 11 of 14 YFNs.

2/3 rds of the document is about the education of our students: Goals: 1) the stimulation of pride in one’s culture and background; 2) the development skills and knowledge necessary to compete in today’s world.

46 years later: • Despite numerous initiatives, studies and reports, little has been done to address Yukon First Nations’ goals and aspirations in education. • Canada continues to flow dollars for First Nation education to the territorial government through the TFF with no accountability measures in place. • Yukon Education continues to fail First Nation students and communities.

Master Tuition Agreement • 1964 the federal government gave responsibility of “Indian Education” to the Territorial Government”. • This was done without consultation with any of the YFN’s.

14 rural schools: Old Crow – Chief Zzeh Gittlit Dawson City – Robert Service Pelly Crossing – Eliza Van Bibber Mayo – JV Clark Carmacks – Tantalus Faro – Del Van Gorder Ross River – Ross River Watson Lake – Johnson Elementary & Watson Lake Secondary Teslin - Khàtìnas. àxh Carcross - Ghùch Tlâ Haines Junction – St. Elias Destruction Bay – Kluane Lake Beaver Creek – Nelnah Bessie John

16 Urban Schools Catholic: Christ the King Elementary Holy Family Elementary Vanier Secondary French First Language: Emilie Tremblay Elementary Académie Parhélie Secondary Mainstream: Takhini Elementary Hidden Valley Elementary Grey Mountain Primary Golden Horn Elementary Elijah Smith Elementary Jack Hulland Elementary Porter Creek Secondary French Immersion: Whitehorse Elementary Alternate: Individual Learning Center Aurora Virtual School Dual Track: Selkirk Elementary FH Collins Elementary *Gadzoosdaa Student Residence

Education: Current Reality ■ All schools in Yukon are public schools ■ All funds for schools in Yukon are under the discretion of the Territorial Government- block funds in the Territorial Financing Formula from the Federal Government ■ There are no reserve schools in Yukon ■ There are 28 schools in Yukon ■ Yukon First Nations make up 1/3 of the total student population ■ Both 2009 and 2019 Auditor General Reports give clear recommendations to improve YFN education in Yukon. ■ Yukon Education has not addressed the Auditor General’s recommendations from either report

YFN’s School Visioning In 2016 -18, we began to explore First Nation champions of education across Canada: • Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey (MK) • Legislated Sectoral SG Agreement with Canada • Bilateral Provincial Education Services Agreement • BC’s First Nation Education Steering Committee (FNESC) • Federal and Provincial legislation recognizing FN jurisdiction over education • Local Education Agreements (LEAs) • Tripartite Education Framework Agreement • Anishinabek Nation Education System (AES) • Legislated Sectoral Federal Agreements • Bilateral Provincial Agreement

DEVELOPING A YUKON PLAN FOR FIRST NATION CONTROL OF FIRST NATION EDUCATION Yukon First Nations have a range of tools that could provide a substantive role to them with respect to the education of their citizens. Whether these tools are found in the Final or Self-Government Agreements or the Education Act, there must be political will and funding commitments from the federal and territorial governments to make those tools work effectively.

Frustrated with a long history of government inaction, ongoing racism, jurisdictional issues, lack of accountability and limited collaboration with government, in May of 2018, the Council of Yukon First Nations leadership established the Chiefs Committee on Education (CCOE). The purpose of the CCOE is to develop a path forward. The direction given to the CCOE was twofold and designed to evolve in sequence: 1. Establish the YUKON FIRST NATION EDUCATION DIRECTORATE, a central and foundational agency required to address critical capacity gaps and support processes; and, 2. Negotiate the draft FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT, which would lay out the process, timelines and milestones leading to the negotiation of an AGREEMENT whereby Yukon First Nations assume various levels of responsibility for First Nation citizens in existing schools and/or full control and administration of First Nation school(s).

Community Consultations Community visits consisted of meeting with Chief & Council and the community. Each community was different with some being just Chief & Council presentation. Resulting in: 9 communities passing resolutions at the Chief & Council tables, to support the direction set by the CCOE Community consultations is an on-going process in our work moving forward

Yukon First Nation Control of First Nation Education ■ Purpose - To provide quality education model First Nation education system that meets the cultural, linguistic and holistic needs of their student citizens. ■ Process – Using the process document - Framework Agreement- to subsequently allow each FN negotiate an agreement specific to their FN’s needs, YFN’s intend to establish primary and secondary school system in Yukon the provides high quality education to Yukon First Nation students premised on First Nations’ cultural values, principles and perspectives. ■ Path – The formation of the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate as the body that would develop the direction set out in Framework Agreement. The YFNED would be the entity that would implement the Framework Agreement specific to each Yukon First Nation. The YFNED will be guided by the key tasks of Accountability, Support & Advocacy, Research & Assessment, and Program & Initiatives

Yukon First Nations Education Directorate (YFNED) Structure CCOE Board of Governors Corporate Finances Human Resources Policy & Analytics Communicatio ns Administrative Assistant * Accountability Executive Director Executive Assistant Key Tasks * Support & Advocacy * Research & Assessment * Programs & Initiatives

RECOMMENDATIONS • The CCOE is requesting a multi-year commitment for funding from the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon in order to create a Yukon First Nations Education Directorate (YFNED or “Directorate”) that will take responsibility for the education of First Nations and address the significant gaps in the achievement of their students. • Policy required to ‘hold back’ Yukon First Nation tuition dollars contained within the block funding that is allocated through the Territorial Financing Formula as an interim solution to ensure tripartite discussion and accountability, until the draft Framework Agreement has been negotiated. There is an expectation that we will discuss how money is transferred from Canada for Yukon First Nation education in the territory. • In consideration of the crises identified in the 2009 and the 2019 Auditor Generals Reports and current achievement results, a multi-year financial agreement must be developed immediately. • Given that the few reserves in the Yukon are managed as settlement land under the Yukon First Nation final agreements, ensure that any criteria for federal funding to be “on reserve” for purposes to “support system transformation to improve education outcomes” includes settlement land retained by Yukon First Nations. This would ensure that the Yukon First Nations are able to meet the criteria and make applications to access this important funding.

The destiny of a people is intricately bound to the way its children are educated. Education is the transmission of cultural DNA from one generation to the next. It shapes the language and pathways of thinking, the contours of character and values, the social skills and creative potential of the individual. It determines the productive skills of a people. Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples

Kwä nä schis Shäw níthän Southern Tutchone Whitehorse and south-west Yukon (Carmacks, Destruction Bay, Haines Junction, Carcross) Máhsin cho Northern Tutchone Mid-east Yukon (Mayo, Stewart Crossing, Pelly Crossing, Faro) Gunałchîsh Tlingit Teslin and Swift River area Gùnèłchīsh Tagish South-east of Carcross and north-west B. C. Sógá sénlá’ Kaska South-east Yukon and north-east B. C. (Ross River to Watson Lake) Màhsi’ choo Gwich’in Old Crow and northern Yukon Mä hsi’ cho Hän Dawson area Tsin’įį choh Upper Tanana Beaver Creek area