Wed Mar 31, 2010, 5:40 PM
By Jennifer Graham, The Canadian Press
REGINA - Political and aboriginal leaders say federal cash to help students at the troubled First Nations University of Canada finish their school year is a good step forward, but the institution's future is still on an uncertain road.
Ottawa is making $3 million available until the end of August, but the money isn't going directly to the Regina-based aboriginal institute. It will instead flow through the University of Regina, which recently signed a partnership with the post-secondary school.
The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, which oversees First Nations University, says the funding is "a step in the right direction with a long way to travel."
"The decision by the government of Canada to provide interim funding is a signal that the federal government recognizes the valuable role of First Nations University," federation chief Guy Lonechild said Wednesday.
"That being said, our goal was, and our goal remains, a long-term, sustainable funding agreement with the government of Canada."
The $3 million is from the federal Indian Studies Support Program and has to be applied for. The money is for student programming and is not intended to repay the aboriginal school's debt or to cover operational costs.
Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl's announcement Tuesday doesn't restore the more than $7 million in funding that Ottawa withdrew from the university over allegations of financial mismanagement and problems with how the school was run.
Saskatchewan Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris welcomed Strahl's announcement.
"It provides greater certainty than we were looking at even a couple of days ago and so I'm pleased. I obviously know there's more work to do on this file," he said.
Norris said the partnership agreement - signed by First Nations University, the University of Regina, the Saskatchewan government and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations - spells out a plan to reorganize operations at the aboriginal school.
The deal would see the Saskatchewan government restore the $5.2 million it withdrew from the university last month, but only as certain conditions were met. The money would not go to First Nations University directly, but flow through the University of Regina. One of the conditions is that the federation restructure the school's governance and appoint a new board by July 1.
Norris said it's also key that the aboriginal university develop a business plan that demonstrates sustainability. He hopes to see that plan within weeks.
"That's going to be a very, very important component on a go-forward basis."
Students have said the federal money doesn't go far enough to guarantee that the doors of the school will stay open. Strahl said the message to them is that the federal government is determined to help them finish the school year. He couldn't say what might happen beyond August.
"What's not clear to us is, and it's not completely evident, is whether all of the planned reforms that are being talked about are going to happen, or whether it's doable," Strahl said in Ottawa.
"We've been promised this before. We've been promised that big reforms are coming, that new financial arrangements are going to be in place, new checks and balances. That's to be hoped for."
There's "lots of work yet to do" and Ottawa wants to see how the school is reorganized, he said.
"We encourage the students to just keep in there, hang in there. This money that we've announced will now help them complete their academic year, and we look forward to what will happen afterwards under this new and revamped university system that's yet to be fully evolved."
-With files from Heather Scoffield in Ottawa