REGINA – A First Nations University of Canada professor says he’s heading back to Ottawa to push for the restoration of $7 million in annual federal government funding that is set to expire March 31.
Randy Lundy, chair of the university’s academic council, said he expects to be a witness at hearings of the House of Commons standing committee on aboriginal affairs and northern development next week.
"I’m hopeful that the committee, at the end of the hearings, will pass a motion in support of the federal funding being restored," said Lundy.
But during question period in Ottawa on Thursday, Prime Minister Stephen Harper gave no reason to believe funding will be reinstated. In response to a question in the House of Commons from Liberal MP Ralph Goodale about the funding, Harper made reference to past issues at the school, saying the government would "ensure those students are protected but no level of government will continue to support the kind of abuse we have seen at that particular institution."
The Saskatchewan Party government has also pulled $5 million in annual funding from FNUniv, but has suggested provincial funding could flow again if a new formal partnership is established that would see University of Regina control the finances.
But Lundy, who came to the provincial legislature Thursday, said the Saskatchewan government should be doing more to ensure federal funding is returned. Lundy even provided a pre-written letter that he said Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris could sign and send to Ottawa to demand the reinstatement of funding.
Norris later told reporters that he hadn’t seen the letter in detail.
"We certainly appreciate the level of interest that’s received from students, faculty members and other stakeholders. But we’re also hearing from taxpayers and those taxpayers said after five years of controversy, after unaccounted for trips, after compensation packages that have been excessive, taxpayers have had enough. There’s a balance. We remain focused on the students’ success and at the same time, higher levels of accountability," Norris said.
Lundy said it’s a shame that even though long-awaited governance changes at FNUniv have now been implemented by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, the future of the school is at risk due to the loss of government funding.
Professors and students were among those lobbying for change over the last five years as calls were made for the institution to be governed by a smaller, less political board, he said. Now, there’s a new board of governors and new senior administrators.
"We’ve had all of the same concerns that both levels of government have had. We’ve been fighting this fight every day," Lundy said.
"It seems that our funders at the provincial and federal level are now ready to abandon us and abandon the five years of work that faculty and students have been doing to bring about the changes that have recently happened."
U of R social work student Liberty Kreutzer was one of about 20 people who joined Lundy at the provincial legislature. She said she has learned about practices such as pipe ceremonies and taken courses through FNUniv that she wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to.
"Having that university bridges the gap between mainstream society and other cultures that aren’t always represented," she said.
The continued existence of First Nations University is "imperative," she said, adding that the school is welcoming to students of all backgrounds.
-with files from Tim Switzer
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