Tue Feb 9, 10:00 PM
By The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl says when a province pulls funding for a university, that's a signal to Ottawa that it might want to do the same.
The federal government says it won't renew about $7.3 million in funding to the First Nations University of Canada.
Strahl said Tuesday his department has been frustrated for years by continuing concerns about governance and finances at the Regina-based university.
But the minister told a news conference in Ottawa that when the Saskatchewan government cut $5.2 million in funding to the university last week, Ottawa was left with few options.
The federal contribution accounted for about 30 per cent of the school's total budget.
There have been allegations of financial mismanagement as well as political interference by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, which oversees the school.
Guy Lonechild, chief of the Saskatchewan federation, announced that the old board of directors, which had been dissolved last week, was replaced Monday night with 11 new governors. He also said the university's senior administrative staff had been placed on leave.
The action was taken following a conference call earlier that day with Strahl, said Lonechild.
"(That) status is something of the past. We're looking at moving forward in healing and reconciliation."
Lonechild said his group will go after both the province and Ottawa to restore the institution's funding.
"Our hope is that the federal minister of Indian Affairs sees this longer-term objective of strengthening this province through First Nations education," Lonechild said.
The chief of the Assembly of First Nations said the troubles at the university are "disappointing," but did not condemn anyone for their decisions.
In comments after a speech to the Canadian Club in Ottawa, Shawn Atleo said the future of the university is in the hands of its new board as well as the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations.
"It's going to be up to the board and up to the leadership in Saskatchewan. It's an institute that's been around for 30 years, and it's disappointing to see where things have come from."
The AFN has offered its support to the Saskatchewan federation, he added.
Atleo said the funding problems in Regina highlight the need for First Nations and all levels of government to focus on improving education for the growing First Nations population.
Meanwhile, Lonechild expressed confusion over why the former board members went ahead in Saskatoon on Tuesday with a governance training session.
He wondered if it was a misunderstanding, but added that clearly not everyone is on the same page.
"The full legal effect of the resolution was in effect last week," he said of the board's dissolution. "There may have been a reluctance of the old administration to let go of the reins at that time."
Former board chairman Charles Pratt declined to comment on the meeting, saying only: "You'll have to talk to the board of governors."