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on native education

prompts skepticism

By TERRY GLAVIN :
A B.C. government committee designed to increase post-

oposal

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secondary education among native Indians sounds like a good

idea — but is likely just for show, sa
native students’ association.

“It sounds good, but the pr vincial government is undermin- |

and the federal
government,” Univer-
sity of B.C. political-
science major Bev
Scow said Monday.

Over the protests of
native leaders, an
increasing level of ser-
vice-delivery pro-
grams have been
passed in reeent years
from the federal
government, which has a constitu-
tional obligation to native Indians,
to the provincial government, which
does not.

The B.C. government is compen-
sated by Ottawa for the money the
education ministry spends educat-
ing native Indians.

Aim to build enrolment

The committee announced Mon-
day by Advanced Education Minis-
ter Stan Hagen and Native Affairs
Minister Jack Weisgerber will
advise the government on how to
increase the post-secondary native
student population and make
recommendations about how col-
leges and universities can be made
more sensitive to Indian needs.

Hagen said the panel “will focu
directly on =

post-sec-
ondary
education
more rele-
vant and |
advise on
how post-
secondary |
institu-
tions can
exhibit a -3

sensitivity SCOW

to and respect for the native culture.
and lifestyle.”

HAGEN |

WEISGERBER

and Weisgerber for the calibre of
panel appointees. °

ys the president of B.C.’s

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(Among the native panel members |
are Coldwater Band Chief Gordon |
Antoine, Ed John, former president —
of the Carrier-Sekani Tribal Coun- |

cil, Howard Green of Vancouver's
native education centre and Ed
McMillan of the Nisga’a Tribal
Council.)

“But there’s one advisory body
after another and I don’t see any
action,’ Hanson said.

Hanson, an anthropologist with a
long-standing commitment to

aboriginal rights who introduces a |

private members’ bill every year

calling for a native-languages insti- |

tute, introduced a motion in the
legislature last Thursday calling for
a select standing committee on
native affairs. His motion was voted
down.

|

‘to close for a day to
‘the new federal cuts.
’ In B.C., demonstrations are
planned in Vancouver, Terrace,

Willing to pursue options

He said the B.C. government
should join the protest against the
federal government’s cuts in Indian
student aid. 3 |

Antoine, panel co-chairman, said

»he does not dispute the views of

Scow or Hanson, but he is willing to

’ pursue any option to ensure native

Indians have more hope of a

post-secondary education: .

> “Dll do just about anything to
‘increase enrolment, to ensure that
‘native people, the native population,

is more fairly represented.”

Antoine is chairman of the Nicola
Valley Institute of Technology,
where more than 200 students,

_ Mostly native Indians, are enrolled. |

__’ Seow said the prospects look par-
ticularly grim for native Indians who

hope to go to college or university,
and the response to the federal cuts
in student aid has been overwhelm-.

ingly negative. oo os 3

“We've got busloads coming
down,” she said of plans for Wednes-
day’s demonstration in Vancouver.

Students in Thunder Bay are
planning a two-week hunger strike
Starting Wednesday and schools at
many locations across Canada plan |.
protest against

-

Prince George and Nanaimo.

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