94 Quilt - Five More Blocks

The post that explains my 94Quilt project is here.  Since July 1 I've been making a flying geese block a day as I read one of the 94 Calls to Action, its accompanying explanations and progress report, and links that go with each one.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation is the main website with a wealth of information.

Section 2 Education

6. Repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada.

This is also known as the spanking law, and it "allows parents, caregivers and educators to use force towards a pupil or child as a means of correction, 'if the force does not exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances.'" No progress has been made.

7. Eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.

8. Eliminate the discrepancy in federal education funding between on-reserve and off-reserve students.

9. Publish annual reports on education funding and educational and income attainments.

• funding reports for education of First Nations children on and off reserves
• the educational and income are comparisons between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people

This call has not been started.
Of note, just so you get the idea of the 'poles apart' funding, a 2016 report showed a gap of an estimated $665 million between federally funded on-reserve schools and provincially run public schools. This shortfall is in part due to underfunding the high costs of operating schools in remote Northern regions. (source: Beyond 94)

10. Draft new Aboriginal education legislation.

• Sufficient funding and full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples.
• There are seven principles that go with this call.

So far, the federal government has supported the creation of two First Nations school systems.

There are two more calls within the Education section. I'll be back in a few days with a few more. As I stated at the onset of this project, I'll end these posts with resources you may want to check out as you determine how you are going to #dosomething

215pledge - This site is a great starting point for those who want to do something, but do not know exactly what to do. The form to pledge your support is hosted by the DWF which is...

The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. This is another great resource.

Instructions for living a life:

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

                -Mary Oliver