EDUCATION

The Anishinabek Nation and Canada have been in self-government negotiations for more than twenty (20) years. The two self-government negotiations include Governance and Education.

The Education negotiations have since concluded with the initialing off of the Education Agreement (EA), Education Fiscal Transfer Agreement (EFTA), and Education Implementation Plan (EIP) by the parties on August 2015. The negotiations will now take on activities related to a ratification process with 37,000 Anishinabek First Nation citizens.

To support the education ratification process the parties jointly developed a Comprehensive Communications Strategy (CSS), to support the awareness and “informed consent” of the ANEA, EFTA, and EIP. The CCS identifies a four phased communications approach, which was launched on November 2015 and will continue to support communications activities up the implementation of the vote week November/December 2016. Phase one was completed March 2016, with Phase two currently running till June 2016. Both phases provide the background, educational landscape and contents of the Agreements (ANEA, EIP, EIP). The education ratification communications process also has a supporting social media plan (website, Facebook, and Twitter). The CCS is being supported by key champions who include Leadership, Nation Building Councils (Elders, Women, Youth), Education Working Group (EWG), and the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body, Board of Directors.

The bilateral discussions with Ontario was advanced by the signing of the Master Education Framework Agreement (MEFA) between the Minister of Education, Honorable Liz Sandals and 31 Anishinabek First Nations who have submitted BCRs in support of signing of the MEFA with Ontario. The successful signing took place at the Anishinabek Nation Fall Special Assembly in November 2015. Both the Anishinabek Nation and Ontario have developed a joint critical path to support the negotiations of the MEA. The negotiations will be guided by the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body (KEB), as per their mandate to support the development of the Anishinabek Education System. A communications and consultations strategy has also been established to support the negotiations.

For more information on the Anishinabek Education System ratification process, please visit http://sayyestoaes.ca/