8/12/2019 Deplorable Reaction of Minister Valcourt Following Decisions Made by the Chiefs

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PRESS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

Deplorable Reaction of Minister Valcourt Following DecisionsMade by the Chiefs of Canada

Wendake, M ay 30, 2014 The Chief of the Assembly of the First Nations of Quebec andLabrador (AFNQL), Ghislain Picard, is openly criticising the attitude of the Minister ofAboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) following the adoption of aresolution and a political statement unanimously rejecting Bill C-33, at the Assembly of First

Nations (AFN) - Special Chiefs Assembly held on May 27, 2014 in Ottawa.

In fact, gathered in a Special Assembly, AFN chiefs adopted a resolution unanimously rejectingBill C-33. They also approved a political statement demanding that the Government of Canada towithdraw the bill and honourably commit to a process that recognizes and supports regional andlocal diversity which would lead to actual First Nations control of their education based on theirresponsibility and inherent Aboriginal and Treaty rights.

In recent years, First Nations have gone to many lengths to demonstrate that their schools areunderfunded. The government had always denied this up to February 7, 2014 when it announcedadditional funding that would enable quality education to be provided. Therefore, thegovernment has lied to the public and kept First Nations schools in a precarious financialsituation.

According to Minister Valcourt s position, rejecting the Bill would mean the government wouldnot follow up on its commitment to provide additional funding, and in doing so, confirms that itsclaim of promoting student success through legislation is only a smokescreen. As demonstratedin all the studies conducted, the aim of this government has been to impose legislation on First

Nations attacking their rights and making additional funding that their schools desperately needconditional to accepting this bill.

This way of doing things clearly constitutes a breach of the principle of the honour of theCrown in its dealings with First Nations , stated Chief Picard, and added that It is high time theMinister seized the opportunity presented to him to honourably make amends instead of closingthe door on any alternative as he has already done.

8/12/2019 Deplorable Reaction of Minister Valcourt Following Decisions Made by the Chiefs

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The AFNQL is a regional organization consisting of 43 chiefs of First Nations in Quebec andLabrador. For more information, visit its website at www.apnql-afnql.com .

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Information: Jane Gray418-955-9700Jgray@apnql-afnql.com

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