Federal funds for First Nations University ‘off the table’

REGINA -- Saskatchewan Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris says there is no indication the federal government will restore more than $7-million in annual funding to First Nations University of Canada as it scrambles to forge a new operating partnership with the University of Regina.

Mr. Norris, who spoke early on Tuesday with Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, said the federal government's position hasn't changed since funding was pulled last month.

"My sense is that Minister Strahl has been very, very clear, and that is he's looking at other options. My sense is those federal dollars are off the table," Mr. Norris said.

Mr. Norris also again warned that a new formalized operating partnership between First Nations University and the University of Regina needs to be in place in order for the Saskatchewan government to reinstate $5.2-million in annual funding from the province.

If restored, funding would flow through the University of Regina rather than directly to FNUC, which has in the past been rocked by allegations of financial mismanagement and concerns about its governance structure. The two institutions -- along with representatives from the federal and provincial governments and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations -- have formed a working group to try and develop a new operating model.

But Norris said that without a formal agreement already place, his conversation with Strahl was "constrained."

"It was a difficult meeting today because I didn't have such an agreement in hand and that certainly tied my hands as far as making the case as strongly as I could, because in some ways, we're still talking about abstractions," Mr. Norris said.

Barb Pollock, vice-president of external relations at the University of Regina, said the post-secondary institution was disappointed to hear the discussion between Mr. Norris and Mr. Strahl "wasn't more fruitful."

"The working group, it's comprised of five organizations and they are working very diligently to try and come up with an agreement that will satisfy the funding agencies," Pollock said, adding there is no timeline for when that work will conclude.

"We want this to work. We want it to happen," she said.