Hon. Carolyn Bennett (St. Paul’s, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Canadians believe in equality of opportunity. They know that education is the key to success. Appallingly, only one in three First Nations students graduate high school and under this government the rate is getting worse.
First Nations receive only two-thirds of the per student per year funding as non-aboriginal students in provincial systems. School is back and not one penny of the government’s “new funding” is targeted to close this $3,500 gap.
Why does the government think that an aboriginal student is worth less than a non-aboriginal student?
Hon. Peter Van Loan (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, our government has been consistently delivering concrete results for first nation students. In fact, since 2006, we have built 33 new schools in first nation communities across Canada and carried out renovations in 22 more. We are not only building schools in first nation communities, we are laying the groundwork for healthier and more self-sufficient first nation communities.
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