Education, Training and Childcare Key to Reducing Poverty in Métis Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2010

Ottawa, ON – Métis National Council Vice-president and Minister for Social Development David Chartrand appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to testify on ways the federal government can help reduce poverty among Métis Nation citizens.“A successful economy depends on productive, contributing Métis citizens,” Vice-president Chartrand told the committee members. “Canadians cannot afford, from either a national perspective, or in their regions and communities, to see Métis people lag behind.”

Vice-president Chartrand’s testimony is part of the committee’s current study on federal contributions to reducing poverty. The wide-ranging study has been on-going over the last 2 years, and in late March the all party committee began hearing from representatives from various National Aboriginal Organizations. The Métis National Council was one of the first asked to testify.

In his presentation to the committee, Vice-president Chartrand stressed the benefits of Métis Nation skills training and education programs.

“Education and learning make individual Canadians and communities as a whole more resilient and better equipped to adapt to economic turbulence,” said Chartrand. “Accordingly, we believe the federal government should continue to extend support for Métis governments to meet the skills, training and educational needs of Métis people.”

Vice-president Chartrand also told the committee there is a vital need for more federal support for Métis childcare programs.

“It is now universally accepted that early learning supports do make an enormous difference in improving educational outcomes later in life,” said Chartrand. “Métis do not have access to childcare within current Aboriginal human resource programs….Thus limiting our ability to meet the needs of young families.”

Chartrand told the committee the MNC is recommending the federal government assume the role of supporting Métis governments in meeting childcare and early learning needs, since most provincial governments are falling short.

The committee hearings will continue over the next few weeks. Once hearing from First Nation and Inuit representatives, the committee will begin drafting its report. Once completed, the report will be presented to the House of Commons and made public within the next year.

For more information contact Greg Taylor, MNC Communications, at (613) 296-9263 or gregt@metisnation.ca.