Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is standing behind his embattled education minster.
Wall said Wednesday he was concerned with remarks Bronwyn Eyre made on treaty education but is satisfied with her apology and clarification of her comments.
He stressed his government was the first to ensure treaty education was part of school instruction in Saskatchewan.
Eyre gave a speech in the legislature earlier in the month suggesting Indigenous material may be too infused in the school curriculum and pointed to her own son’s homework as an example.
She later said she supports treaty education 100 per cent and apologized for any confusion.
Wall sought to put an end to any confusion, stating there are only two curriculum changes under consideration.
“Those will be around coding, making sure we are doing a better job in computer science and technology by our kids in school and also a math curriculum change, and that is it,” Wall stated.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) Chief Bobby Cameron said he spoke to Eyre after her remarks and said they had a “good conversation.”
“The comments that she made, what she really meant was maybe we need to look at different avenues or different approaches of teaching treaty, because her stance was teaching treaty in the classroom has to continue.”
There have been calls for Eyre to resign or be removed from office.
NDP education critic Carla Beck said Eyre has “betrayed the trust of teachers, students and parents.”
“The minister’s misunderstanding of treaty education and her misleading comments about curriculum are dangerous and fly in the face of reconciliation,” Beck said as she called for Eyre to resign from cabinet.
Eyre again apologized for causing confusion and says she is committed to treaty education.
Over 2,700 people have signed a petition calling for Eyre’s resignation.
With files from David Baxter and The Canadian Press