Prime minister poised to unveil retooled First Nations education plan Friday

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Stephen Harper appears set to announce his government’s retooled plan for First Nations education in Alberta.

On Friday, Harper will join Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo at Kainai High School, about an hour’s drive south of Lethbridge, Alta.

Atleo sent a letter to the AFN’s regional chiefs Wednesday to tell them it appears the governing Conservatives have agreed to conditions set out last year that threatened to derail the reform process.

Those conditions call on the government to ensure aboriginal communities retain control of education, and to provide a statutory funding guarantee, recognition of First Nations languages and culture, shared oversight and ongoing, meaningful engagement.

The Harper government responded that it was willing to negotiate improvements to its plan to reform First Nations education.

In his letter to the regional chiefs, Atleo describes the impending announcement as a “significant shift.”