AANO Committee Report

Mr. Colin Mayes, MP
Chair of the Standing Committee
on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
House of Commons
OTTAWA ON K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Mayes:

I am pleased to respond, on behalf of the Government of Canada to the Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Entitled "No Higher Priority: Aboriginal Post Secondary Education in Canada," the report was tabled in the House of Commons on February 12, 2007. I would like to commend the Standing Committee for examining in depth the vital question of access to post secondary education for Aboriginal Canadians.

As members of the Committee are aware, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada provides post secondary education support to eligible First Nations and Inuit students through the Post Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) and the University and College Entrance Preparation Program (UCEP). These programs assist students with the cost of tuition fees, books and travel, as well as living allowances, when applicable.

INAC also provides support to post secondary institutions for the development and delivery of special programs for Aboriginal students through the Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP). For example, First Nations University of Canada receives funding for the development and delivery of programs to First Nation students.

The Government of Canada fully agrees with the Chair of the Committee that "improving educational outcomes is absolutely critical to the future of individual Aboriginal learners, their families and children, their communities, and the broader Canadian society as a whole."

We are united on the goal. The issues are about how to achieve it. The Committee's thoughtful report raises many concerns about access for Aboriginal Canadians to post secondary education which the Government takes very seriously, even if it does not always fully agree with the Committee's proposed solutions.

The stated objective of the Post Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) is to support the increased participation and success of First Nations and Inuit learners in recognized post secondary education programs, thereby improving their employability. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's (INAC) support for post secondary education has enjoyed considerable success towards this goal. The number of students supported increased from about 3,600 in 1977 1978 to 27,500 in 1999 2000. Between 1981 and 1996, the proportion of Aboriginal people aged 20 to 29 with a post secondary degree or diploma improved from 19 to 23 percent. Moreover, those entering post secondary education enjoy rates of completion and subsequent employment that are similar to those of other Canadians. In 2004 05 over 3,600 PSSSP funded First Nations and Inuit learners graduated from a post secondary education program.

While it is encouraging that Aboriginal youth achieve similar rates of success as non Aboriginal youth once they reach the post secondary level, it is troubling that the percentage of Aboriginal youth that enter post secondary studies is significantly lower than that of non Aboriginal youth. This gap exists for a myriad of reasons, and a link must be drawn to other socio economic factors that affect some Aboriginal communities like poverty, housing issues, and unemployment. Improvements in these areas will certainly help to support improvements in educational outcomes.

The most serious problem creating this gap is that not enough Aboriginal youth are completing high school and therefore too many are blocked from entering post secondary programs. The overall picture is that 54% of those who identify themselves as Aboriginal have completed high school. One part of a strategy to improve this result is to make sure Aboriginal high school students know that if they graduate they will not face financial barriers to continue to post secondary education. Thus, success in high school and at the post secondary level is inextricably linked, and so should be our thinking about the issues of support for Aboriginal learners.

Indeed, there is general agreement that a broad and balanced approach to all aspects of learning support for Aboriginal Canadians is needed. As the Committee notes, however, there is an important distinction between the statutory nature of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's authority to provide First Nations and Inuit education programming at the elementary and secondary levels and the basis on which Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's post secondary education programming is provided.

The Government believes that a concept of shared responsibility must apply in providing support for Aboriginal post secondary education and that this entails exploring the range of resources available from public, institutional, non profit and private sector sources. Thus a learner might seek funding not only from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's post secondary education programs but also from the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP), the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, the Millennium Scholarships and private scholarships, as well as from personal and family sources. Likewise, a program of Aboriginal studies might simultaneously receive support from an Indian and Northern Affairs Canada program, operate within a provincially funded institution and be sponsored by a not for profit foundation or a corporation.

At the same time, the Government recognizes that it is essential to continuously monitor and reassess ongoing federal programs. Issues of funding for post-secondary education will be considered as part of the required review of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's education programs. However, this must be done in the context of measuring outcomes, evaluating the effectiveness of programs, and exploring alternative models.

Consequently, the Government fully supports that the theme that runs through the report of improving the gathering, analysis, dissemination and application of information about learners, programs of study and eventual outcomes for individuals and communities. Gathering and applying information about results is a key part of policy and program development, implementation and accountability. Measuring performance and using the findings to improve the approach is fundamental to the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's process for strengthening education programs.

To this end, the Department is working with interested parties including First Nations and Inuit representatives on a broad review of its education policies and programs in preparation for renewal of the Department's education programming authorities in March 2008. This review is a key element in the Government's responses to several of the Committee's recommendations, as it provides the means to address post secondary education issues in the larger context of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada education programs.

I would like to express the Government's appreciation for the constructive review of Aboriginal post secondary education support undertaken by the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. We agree that the issues raised in the Committee's report are important ones and we look forward to working with partners and stakeholders, as well as members of the Committee, to find solutions.

The review of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's educational programming currently under way in collaboration with First Nation and Inuit organizations and other stakeholders, including HRSDC, will provide the opportunity to address the issues raised by the Committee in a context that provides appropriate perspectives and links to other related areas of policy and programming. In particular, it will enable possible post secondary initiatives to be assessed in relation to the critical prerequisite ensuring that more young Aboriginal learners qualify by completing high school. It will also allow the results of post secondary support to be identified in terms of both academic success and ultimate contributions to employment.

I look forward to further discussions with the Committee as this process unfolds.

Attached you will find the Government responses to each of the specific recommendations and proposals offered in the Committee report.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Jim Prentice, PC, QC, MP

Encl.

c.c.: Ms. Bonnie Charron

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Department, in collaboration with Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal stakeholders, develop a national database web site, accessible via the Internet, for the purpose of making information about successful programs and initiatives in Aboriginal post‑secondary education widely available to Aboriginal organizations, communities, learners and Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal institutions;

that the database include information about successful initiatives developed by First Nations, Inuit and Métis segments of the Aboriginal population; and

that the Department ensure information about the database, and annual reports outlining its contents, are widely disseminated.

Response

The idea of a website designed to make information about successful programs and initiatives in Aboriginal post‑secondary education more easily available to a wide range of organizations, communities, learners and institutions, both Aboriginal and mainstream, is one that the Government supports and will be implemented in consultation.

The Government agrees that the database made available through the website should include information about successful initiatives developed by all segments of the Aboriginal population, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

The Government also agrees that information about the website database should be widely and regularly disseminated and is prepared to work with interested organizations to achieve this on a regular basis. Rather than a separate annual report, however, it considers that this should be a continuous process conducted primarily through the website itself.

A closely related purpose of the INAC website is to provide information about sources of financial assistance for Aboriginal students. The target groups for such information include both those eligible for assistance under the Department's Post‑Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) and other Aboriginal learners. Relevant financial aid programs include those intended specifically for various segments of the Aboriginal population, as well as those available to Canadians generally, from federal and provincial governments and other sources.

These updates to the INAC website will be made as part of the regular maintenance and upkeep of the site www.ainc-inac.gc.ca.

A directory Scholarships, Bursaries, and Awards for Aboriginal Students was for some years distributed in paper form to First Nation and Inuit communities and since 2000 has been made available on‑line. This valuable resource identifies more than 300 sources of funding available to Aboriginal Canadians entering or returning to post‑secondary studies. It also serves as a guide to universities, colleges, professional associations and businesses offering scholarships, bursaries or honorariums to students with Aboriginal ancestry studying in Canada.

This on‑line directory helps Aboriginal students pursue post‑secondary studies by identifying awards made available by various organizations and institutions. Entries may be searched by regions, disciplines, providers and key words. Students can visit the Web site at http://pse-esd.ainc-inac.gc.ca/abs/

In addition, information is available from a wide range of other sources, notably the CanLearn website developed by the Department of Human Resources and Social Development Canada in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments and Canadian learning and career development organizations. CanLearn provides information and services to help learners decide what and where to study and how to cover the costs. CanLearn is at http://www.canlearn.ca/en/about/index.shtml.

All of these resources are complementary, and INAC will work with stakeholders to better identify user needs for delivery of this information.  INAC and Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) will also work together to ensure that links among this information ensure easy and consistent access for users.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the 2% annual cap on spending increases for the Department's Post‑Secondary Education Program be eliminated immediately

that the Department's spending increases for PSE programming be based on actual costs associated with program components and not be subject to discretionary caps;

that the Department make it a priority to provide adequate funding under the PSE Program to every eligible First Nations and Inuit learner and put in place a plan to achieve that priority by the end of 2007, said plan to include implementation measures with clear target dates;

that the Department ensure financial assistance for eligible First Nations and Inuit learners under the Department's PSE program is based on actual costs incurred for tuition, travel and living expenses, and indexed annually to reflect rises in both tuition costs and the cost of living; and

that the Department review the categories of eligible expenses under the PSE program in order to ensure that the real expenses routinely incurred by individual eligible First Nations and Inuit learners are covered. Such expenses may include, but are not limited to, child care, special needs, and special shelter. This review should occur immediately, and at regular intervals thereafter.

Response

The Government sees post‑secondary education as one of the keys to enabling Aboriginal Canadians to share in and contribute to Canada's prosperity, a goal set out clearly in the Speech from the Throne of February 2006. To this end, in 2006‑07, INAC's Post‑Secondary Education program provided $308 million for programs, and supported approximately 23,000 First Nation and Inuit learners in their pursuit of post‑secondary education.

One of the most encouraging recent findings is that, overall, Aboriginal learners who enter post‑secondary education enjoy levels of success equivalent to those of other Canadians. Not only do they have similar rates of completion of their studies but they go on to find rewarding jobs with similar success. Unfortunately, however, even today far too many Aboriginal learners fail to obtain a secondary diploma.

Hence focussing on post‑secondary education in isolation from the larger picture of Aboriginal education is not, in the view of the Government, the way to make substantive progress. Rather, federal, provincial and territorial governments must collaborate with Aboriginal organizations and communities, as well as other stakeholders, to address the whole range of learning needs of Aboriginal learners at all levels and throughout life. Micheal Mendelson reaches this conclusion in his July 2006 report Aboriginal Peoples and Postsecondary Education in Canada where he observes that Aboriginal learners who have graduated from high school are as successful in their pursuit of a post‑secondary education as non‑Aboriginal learners.  Rather, he identifies an increase in the rates of Aboriginal high school completion as one of the most important areas to improve in order to increase Aboriginal success in post‑secondary education.  Important steps have been taken already to foster cooperation in addressing Aboriginal education as a whole, and the work will continue.

The Government therefore considers that the issues of post‑secondary education support raised by the Committee need to be addressed in the larger context of the review of education programs currently being conducted by INAC and its partners. As well, they must be related to other priorities of the department and of the Government in serving First Nations and Inuit as well as Canadians generally.

The Government also believes that the responsibility for financing post‑secondary education should be shared by learners and their families, according to their financial circumstances. It agrees that levels of support provided through INAC post‑secondary education programs should take into account the real needs of learners, but this does not mean trying to meet all of the costs they incur in pursuing post‑secondary education.  Instead the Government will take a closer look at the overall efficiency of programming and ways to improve upon it.

The aim is to ensure that Aboriginal learners have access to education and training opportunities. This approach is consistent with longstanding principles of shared responsibility accepted by Canadians and applied through programs such as Canada Student Loans (CSLP) and a wide range of provincial/territorial and other programs, all of which aim to provide sufficient student financial assistance rather than "full funding." The success of such student assistance should be measured by the access that is achieved by qualified students to post‑secondary education.

INAC will continue to work with the CSLP, as levels and criteria of support for learners under PSSSP are directly linked with those developed for CSLP. This ensures that INAC support reflects current costs, and that the two programs provide complementary support for First Nation and Inuit learners. In this process, costs having special significance for these students, such as travel from remote locations and child care, can be addressed as part of the larger range of issues.

INAC will also work with other federal and provincial programs of support, as well as institutional and private sources, to identify other forms of student assistance potentially helpful to First Nation and Inuit and other Aboriginal learners. The resulting information will be available on the website (see response to Recommendation 1).

In addition, as part of its overall review of education programming in cooperation with First Nations and Inuit organizations, INAC is examining the level and functioning of its support to determine how best to maximize opportunities for access to post‑secondary education.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Department's budget, in the 2007 2008 and ensuing fiscal years, be increased to reflect increased expenditures associated with providing more funding to more eligible First Nations and Inuit learners.

Response

As indicated earlier, the Department will be reviewing PSE Program funding needs in the context of the larger INAC education review.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the Department take immediate steps, together with its regional offices and First Nations and Inuit administering organizations, to ascertain, by the end of 2007, the identities of eligible First Nations and Inuit learners who have been denied PSE funding owing to insufficient allocations;

that a special fund be established for the specific purpose of providing these learners with adequate PSE funding for one year, following which they would fall under the regular PSE regime we propose; and

that the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians seek one‑time special authority for this purpose.

Response

The Government believes that efforts to strengthen post‑secondary education support for First Nations and Inuit learners should be forward‑looking rather than retrospective. The aim is to maximize opportunities for all qualified learners and to work steadily and cooperatively to improve rates of participation and success.

Consequently, INAC does not contemplate the introduction of special measures to identify or fund individuals who may in the past have been denied support for whatever reason. Rather, it will continue to work with First Nation and Inuit organizations and other stakeholders to review funding needs and mechanisms and to find ways to help learners themselves identify and access the most appropriate post‑secondary education opportunities, including those provided by INAC programs. In that regard it will work to ensure that adequate mechanisms for dealing with applications, allocating available program funding, and reviewing cases in response to requests for reconsideration are in place.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the Department's new policy and management frameworks outline specific measures, developed in close collaboration with First Nations and Inuit administering organizations and its regional offices, for gathering accurate information about the numbers of First Nations and Inuit learners eligible for as well as those applying for funding for each following academic year;

that the participation of First Nations and Inuit administering organizations in the development of these measures be financed by the Department;

that the measures developed include provisions for enhancing the information gathering capacity of First Nations and Inuit communities and administering organizations; and

that the information gathering measures outlined in the Department's policy and management frameworks be implemented by all regional offices.

Response

The Government fully agrees that an important matter to be addressed in the review of INAC post secondary education programs is the gathering of accurate data on First Nation and Inuit learners, as well as its analysis, reporting and dissemination. Such information is important for several purposes, including program planning and resource allocation at the national, regional and local levels. As well, the information is needed as a foundation for measuring and understanding the results achieved by learners, both in the education or training process and in their subsequent careers. It is thus important for the evaluation of policies and programs and for efforts by First Nation and Inuit communities to achieve social and economic advancement. This need will have to be balanced with the concerns of the Auditor General that there is too much information already being required from First Nations.

INAC will therefore work, with First Nation and Inuit organizations and other stakeholders and partners, to determine how best to strengthen the information gathering approach. This effort will include exploration of systems for consolidating, reporting and sharing data on applicants for support under INAC post secondary education programs. Interested parties will be consulted appropriately in these discussions, as will INAC regional offices. Changes that result from this work will be applied nationally but in a flexible manner to allow for regional and local differences.

The approach to post secondary education information gathering should not, of course, be undertaken in isolation but should be part of the larger effort to improve information about other aspects of learning for First Nation and Inuit people, including high school completion and the earlier stages that lead up to it. Moreover, data systems that manage information on learners should be part of the overall effort to enhance the information gathering capacity of First Nations and Inuit communities and administering organizations, rather than a separate initiative.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Department take immediate steps, in collaboration with Aboriginal organizations with expertise in the area, such as the First Nations Statistical Institute, to establish and finance an information and tracking national PSE data base; and

that the Department and its regional offices ensure comprehensive information about the PSE data base, including privacy protection measures, is widely disseminated to First Nations and Inuit administering organizations and communities.

Response

The Government agrees in principle with this proposal as a logical extension of the ideas discussed above for gathering information about First Nation and Inuit learners, the support they receive, their post secondary education experiences, and the results of their education and training. Measuring both inputs and results is essential both for INAC and for First Nation and Inuit groups working to improve opportunities for their people.

It is important to take a coherent approach to the entire field of information management across the full range of socio economic issues. In particular, it will be necessary to gather better data to link learning experiences at all levels, from pre school to post secondary, including longitudinal series. Careful attention will be given to all aspects of the design of an information system to ensure that accurate, relevant and comparable data can be gathered efficiently and shared in a timely fashion without imposing an undue burden on those providing and gathering the data.

INAC will consider plans for a national PSE database as part of a larger effort to improve education related data generally. A range of stakeholders and partners with technical and policy expertise will be consulted, including the First Nation Statistical Institute, Statistics Canada and HRSDC. Later, other stakeholders such as national, regional and local First Nation and Inuit organizations, interested First Nation and Inuit peoples, and relevant institutions will be consulted to ensure the practicality of any plans.

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Department's new policy and management frameworks set out a precise methodology, developed in collaboration with Aboriginal organizations with expertise in the area, to be used by all regional offices in allocating and delivering PSE funds to First Nations and Inuit administering organizations;

that the Department ensure all administering organizations are made aware of its new policy and management frameworks, and any associated guidelines related to PSE allocation and delivery; and

that the Department, in collaboration with administering organizations, establish appropriate mechanisms to monitor the allocation and delivery of PSE funds.

Response

The current review of education policy and program issues, accountability and authorities is being conducted by the Department in consultation with First Nations, Inuit and other parties. The Government agrees that in this context, discussions on methodologies for allocation and alternative delivery mechanisms of post secondary education support need to be undertaken with interested parties.

National principles and formulas are needed but must be applied with sufficient flexibility to enable them to meet varying requirements at the regional level. Mechanisms for monitoring allocation and delivery will be an important part of the overall framework, as specified in the INAC Education Action Plan.

Recommendation 8

The Committee recommends that the Department's new policy and management frameworks outline specific measures, developed in collaboration with organizations representing Aboriginal and mainstream post secondary institutions, for gathering accurate information on an annual basis about the actual funding needs of those institutions; and

that the Department take immediate steps, in collaboration with organizations representing Aboriginal and mainstream post secondary institutions, to evaluate the adequacy of ISSP allocations overall, and develop a funding methodology for the ISSP that is based on the actual funding needs of Aboriginal and mainstream post secondary institutions.

Response

Through ISSP, the Government seeks to help colleges and universities develop and deliver special programs and courses for First Nations and Inuit students. ISSP also supports research and development related to programs tailored to the cultural and educational needs of First Nations and Inuit learners in order to improve their access to post secondary education. The great majority of ISSP programs are delivered by First Nations or their administering organizations.

In this context, the Government fully agrees that it is important to gather and disseminate information on issues related to the participation of Aboriginal learners in post secondary education. In addition, information on all aspects of programs specifically intended for Aboriginal learners, including their funding and their results, is needed to help strengthen the contribution of these programs.

However, ISSP is a program that is intended to complement rather than replace funding provided by provinces and territories for the operation of their post secondary education systems. The federal government provides substantial support for those systems through the block funding mechanism of the Canada Social Transfer and other means. In fact, the Government announced in Budget 2007 that it would increase funding for post secondary education through the Canada Social Transfer by $800 million starting in 2008 09 with a 3% increase per year afterwards. It also provides major funding for research and development activities in universities and other institutions. Issues regarding the overall funding needs of the institutions thus need to be addressed primarily by provinces and territories.

When it comes to understanding the nature and location of demand for various types of programming for First Nation, Inuit and other Aboriginal students, what is needed is a wide ranging discussion. This should examine issues such as relationships to mainstream post secondary education, questions of governance and accountability, and links to other aspects of federal and provincial support for post secondary education. Any efforts to improve the availability of information on Aboriginal post secondary education must be rooted in and support a larger discussion on roles, responsibilities, funding and implementation. The Government would welcome and participate in such a discussion. The National Association of Indigenous Institutes of Higher Learning and other interested organizations could provide valuable input.

The specific issues of ISSP funding will be considered as part of the larger review of education support, taking into account a study of the program that has already been completed and engaging principal stakeholders.

Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that the Department take immediate steps to ensure ISSP funding is accessible to otherwise eligible post secondary programs originating in Canada's territories.

Response

The Government agrees in principle that the program should be accessible in all parts of Canada and will examine the issue of the application of ISSP north of 60? as part of the review mentioned above.

Recommendation 10

The Committee recommends that the Government enter into immediate consultations with NAAF and Métis, Non Status and urban Aboriginal organizations, with a view to developing a collaborative plan aimed at providing more financial assistance, including eligibility and access under the PSE Program, to more Aboriginal post secondary learners.

Response

The Government of Canada has long been committed to improving access to post secondary education for all Canadians. The Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) and other related programs of student financial assistance are intended to meet this need. Budget 2007 called for a review of student financial assistance provided through the Canada Student Loans Program; INAC will work with HRSDC to ensure that the needs of all Aboriginal learners will be fully considered as part of this review.

In addition, provinces/territories, post secondary institutions, businesses and the not for profit sector all make important contributions to student aid. Additional information about some of these financial opportunities is available on the Aboriginal Canada Portal at www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca, on the CanLearn web site at www.canlearn.ca, and on the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada web site www.aucc.ca. The combined result of these various efforts is that qualified Canadians can generally enjoy access to the university, college and vocational training programs they need to develop their talents and fulfil their aspirations. Aboriginal Canadians share in this range of opportunities, and in some cases special programs have been created by governments to help them overcome specific barriers to participation.

The Government's view is that the way to approach the educational and training needs of Aboriginal learners other than First Nation and Inuit is to look to the full range of both generally available and targeted programs of post secondary support offered by federal and provincial governments and other sources, while identifying possible gaps in the coverage and working cooperatively to address them.