Ottawa should reverse its decision to cut grant money from First Nations University of Canada, the president of the University of Regina says.
On Friday, a day after federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl rebuffed calls to reinstate $7 million in annual grants to FNUC, Vianne Timmons, the president of the University of Region said he should revisit the decision.
Timmons referred to a meeting planned for next week between Strahl and Rob Norris, Saskatchewan's advanced education minister.
"I urge minister Strahl to reconsider the federal government's position in his forthcoming meeting with minister Norris," Timmons told reporters,
Norris said Timmons' comments weren't helpful and he suggested the University of Regina was dragging its feet on a possible solution to FNUC's problems.
Norris said a signed memorandum of agreement between the two schools would be a good thing to have when he meets with Strahl — and he doesn't have that yet.
Strahl announced Feb. 8 that the money First Nations University gets from Indian Affairs would stop at the end of March. A similar announcement came from Norris a few days earlier, who said the university would not get a $5 million provincial grant.
Norris and Strahl individually said they were cutting the money because of longtime problems that weren't being fixed fast enough.
Specific concerns included an FNUC board of governors that was deemed too large, where chiefs and other political appointees held most of the power. As well, there were allegations of inappropriate spending at the university, which has about 800 students at its main campus in Regina and satellite campuses in Saskatoon and Prince Albert.
Following the announced cuts, there was a flurry of reform-related moves by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, the group that controls FNUC. A new slimmed down board was appointed, the president was put on leave and new administrators were brought in.
Saskatchewan First Nations also approved a controversial proposal that would put the University of Regina in charge of FNUC's finances for four years while allowing FNUC to continue as an independent academic institution.
On Friday, Timmons said the U of R has agreed to the principles of a shared-management agreement, although a working group made up university and First Nations officials and others and others is still meeting about the deal.
Norris said the working group must finish its work within days, not weeks. He has committed to flow money through a partner, such as the U of R, once financial accountability is in place.
But Timmons said a deal on money from the province and Ottawa is needed for the shared-management approach to go forward.
"Let me be clear," Timmons said. "A reinstatement of appropriate funding is fundamental to the success of the working group."