Funding — capital and facilities

Existing secondary school facilities in Thunder Bay

To: Canada, NNEC and MLC

  1. Canada, NNEC and MLC should form a working group to establish a mutually beneficial relationship in regards to sharing resources in one central facility in Thunder Bay.

To: Canada

  1. In order to ensure that First Nations schools located off-reserve have adequate funding for building, operations and maintenance, revise INAC policies to cover costs relating to building, operations and maintenance of schools and student accommodations operated by First Nations organizations off-reserve.
  2. In order to provide a safe, healthy learning environment in high school that encourages attendance and participation by students, and retention of teachers, provide funding to:
    1. ensure that the teaching facilities include a cafeteria capable of producing three (3) hot meals each school day
    2. offer all learners access to well-equipped:
      1. gymnasium(s)
      2. exercise space
      3. computer labs
      4. libraries
      5. music rooms
      6. art rooms
      7. drama classes
      8. special education classes
      9. science labs (as appropriate)
      10. spaces for traditional, cultural activities
      11. spaces for Elders
      12. purpose built space for social workers, youth workers, addiction counsellors, and activity coordinators
      13. general purpose classrooms
      14. spaces large enough to host graduation celebrations and other education-related celebrations for the community.
  3. In order to determine whether the current site of DFCHS is suitable for providing a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment on par with provincially funded high schools, in consultation with representatives from NNEC, KO, and DFCHS, provide funding for a site analysis of DFCHS to determine needs relating to those outlined in Recommendation 53, in addition to the following:
    1. space required based on projected enrollment for the next 15 years
    2. adequacy of current space and need to install dedicated computer lab
    3. adequacy of current space and need to install dedicated music room
    4. adequacy of existing gymnasium and space dedicated to physical fitness
    5. adequacy of existing classrooms, including need for dedicated culinary classroom
    6. cost/benefit analysis of performing necessary repairs and renovations versus acquisition of a new facility.
  4. INAC should immediately, in the interim, provide DFCHS with sufficient funding to make the following renovations to the school:
    1. removal of asbestos as recommended in exhibit 185
    2. a new boiler and heating system.
  5. To determine whether the current site of MLC is suitable for providing a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment on par with similar provincially funded schools, INAC and Matawa Tribal Council and representatives from MLC should conduct a financial audit and a comprehensive needs assessment. If it is determined that a site analysis of MLC is required, INAC should provide funding to determine:
    1. additional space is required based on projected enrollment for the next 15 years
    2. adequacy of existing classrooms, including need for dedicated culinary classroom
    3. cost/benefit analysis of performing necessary renovations versus acquisition of a new facility.
  6. Upon completion of the reports regarding the site analyses performed at DFCHS, if the cost/benefit analysis supports performing the necessary repairs and renovations, or acquiring a new facility, provide funding to implement the recommendations contained in the reports.

Secondary schools in the future

To: Canada

  1. In order to provide First Nations students from remote communities with a secondary school education that recognizes the unique circumstances and challenges faced by these students, their families and their communities, establish a working group that includes representatives from NNEC, KO, MLC, and other First Nation Education Councils. The purpose of that working group would be to conduct community consultations to determine:
    1. those communities who desire to have their own high school and have the capacity to support a high school on-reserve
    2. those communities who support high school education off-reserve
    3. for those communities who support high school education off-reserve, the preferred model for education and accommodation of students while living off-reserve, including:
      1. specific schools designated for Grades 9 and 10 (e.g. Pelican Falls First Nations High School), to allow students to make the transition to Thunder Bay (or other schools off-reserve) on a gradual basis
      2. accommodation in residences for Grades 9 and 10
      3. accommodation in residences for all grades
      4. accommodation in boarding homes for Grades 11 and 12
      5. accommodation in boarding homes for all grades

To: Canada

  1. To meet the unique needs of First Nations and to help ensure student safety, Canada should provide sufficient funding to NNEC to design, build, furnish, maintain, operate and adequately staff a student residence in Thunder Bay for the students from NNEC communities who have to come to the city to attend school at DFCHS:
    1. INAC should sufficiently fund NNEC for the costs of operating and maintaining the residence on an annual basis pursuant to the eligible expense of “group home costs” as noted in section 5.0 D — Student Support Services of Canada’s policy and guideline entitled Grants and Contributions to Support First Nations Elementary and Secondary Educational Advancement
    2. NNEC should consult with its member First Nations communities, current and existing students, NAN, KO and other affiliated tribal council on the design and proposed operation of the residence. Canada should provide sufficient funding to NNEC to carry out this consultation exercise
    3. Canada should provide appropriate funding to commence construction of the proposed residence by the start of the fiscal year commencing April 1, 2017 so that construction may begin in spring of 2017

To: NNEC and the City of Thunder Bay

  1. The City of Thunder Bay should work with NNEC to ensure that any zoning and by-law issues that may arise for the construction of facilities can be avoided or resolved.

Improving efficiencies at existing school facilities

To: NAN

  1. In order to gain efficiencies and avoid uNNECessary duplication of resources and facilities, facilitate a working group of member education authorities to determine the means by which certain activities could be coordinated and resources could be shared. In particular, a working group should be struck to coordinate the work of the NNEC and KO Secondary Student Support Programs (SSSP) at DFCHS to ensure that their resources are used effectively and that similar practices and rules are followed with respect to all of the students attending DFCHS.

Funding — instructional services

To: Canada and Ontario

  1. In order to achieve equity and equality for First Nations students, Canada should:
    1. revise current policies to provide tuition to be paid for any First Nation student who wishes to attend a First Nation school off-reserve or MLC regardless of their or their parents’ normal place of residence
    2. pending the revision of policies to allow any First Nation student to attend a First Nation high school off-reserve regardless of normal place of residence, work with school boards in Northwestern Ontario to ensure that reverse tuition agreements are in place
    3. eliminate proposal based funding for instructional services identified as core activities (as determined by needs assessment described in Recommendations 12 and 14
    4. determine the required annual increase for core funding to ensure that First Nations education and service providers operating off-reserves are able to meet the needs of their students; and
    5. all funding for education of First Nations students off-reserve should be long-term, stable, reliable and predictable.

To: Canada and Ontario

  1. In order to recruit and retain teachers and staff and encourage them to commit to long-term employment at First Nation schools off-reserve, provide funding to:
    1. ensure that salaries, pensions, benefits, compensation and overall remuneration of teachers, administrators, and other staff at First Nations schools off-reserve are at a level on par with their provincial counterparts
    2. ensure that staff from First Nations schools off-reserve are offered all professional development opportunities that the Ministry of Education makes available, including access to their databases and eLearning programs
    3. develop programs to increase the number of First Nations teachers and staff at off-reserve schools through:
      1. fiNANcial assistance to those seeking education and training as teachers
      2. initiatives to encourage First Nations people to become teachers
      3. initiatives to specifically seek out, train, and recruit First Nations people as teachers; and
    4. provide all teachers with access to the Teach for Canada program

Funding — cultural needs

To: Canada, NNEC, KO and MLC

  1. In order to improve education outcomes of First Nations youth who attend secondary school in Thunder Bay and to develop important values, in consultation with NNEC, KO, DFCHS, PFFNHS and MLC, provide on-going, predictable and reliable funding to ensure that there is an appropriate staff complement and programs to address the cultural needs of DFCHS, PFFNHS and MLC students starting for the 2016-2017 school year, including:
    1. appropriate ratio of education assistants to students
    2. appropriate number of Elders (male and female) to be available during school hours;
    3. dedicated space for the Elders to spend time with students and resources for the activities that they wish to engage in with the students
    4. curriculum development that supports language, culture and traditional activities
    5. regular professional development for teachers with respect to how to incorporate traditional language, culture and activities in day-to-day teaching
    6. additional staff member or members required for each school whose sole role is to take the lead in teaching traditional skills, culture and land based learning
    7. funding for land-based learning
    8. funding to facilitate the development and implementation of Ojibway/Cree immersion programming.

To: NNEC, KO and MLC

  1. All intake forms, behaviour contracts, report cards and any other documentation that is given to the parents regarding their children should be provided to them in their preferred language.

Funding — emotional and physical needs

To: Canada

  1. In order to improve education outcomes of First Nations youth who attend secondary school in Thunder Bay and in recognition of the unique challenges that they face due to exposure to adverse socio-economic circumstances prior to arriving in Thunder Bay, in consultation with NNEC, KO, DFCHS, PFFNHS and MLC, immediately provide adequate funding separate from core institutional funding required to ensure that there is an appropriate complement of qualified staff and programming to address the needs of DFCHS, PFFNHS and MLC students starting in the 2016-2017 school year, including:
    1. social workers
    2. trauma counsellors
    3. mental health workers
    4. addiction workers or counsellors
    5. life skills programs
    6. on-call drivers
    7. community liaison workers
    8. school nurses and
    9. provision of healthy meals during school hours

Funding — recreational and personal needs

To: Canada

  1. In order to improve education and health outcomes of First Nations youth who attend secondary school in Thunder Bay and to develop important values, in consultation with NNEC, KO, DFCHS, PFFNHS and MLC, provide on-going, predictable and reliable funding required to ensure that there is an appropriate staff complement and programs to address the recreational needs of DFCHS, PFFNHS and MLC students, including:
    1. adequate annual/monthly allowances to be provided to students for their recreational and personal needs
    2. adequate annual/monthly clothing allowances to be provided to students
    3. adequate annual/monthly tutoring allowances to be provided to students
    4. after-school activities co-ordinators
    5. registration fees for participation in extra-curricular activities (at the highest level that the student is capable of and interested in) and the equipment to support that participation, including special adaptive aids for special needs students
    6. lessons in: music, art, dance, martial arts, drama etc. and the equipment to support participation, including special adaptive aids for special needs students
    7. individual tutoring as required
    8. travel to other cities in Ontario and Canada, and
    9. fishing trips/camping trips

Funding — maintaining family and social connections

To: Canada

  1. In order to allow First Nations students to maintain family and social coNNECtions while they attend secondary school in Thunder Bay, in consultation with NNEC, KO, MLC, and community education counsellors, determine the appropriate frequency and required level of funding for travel of students between their home communities and Thunder Bay as well as funding for communication between students and their home communities. Consideration should include:
    1. at a minimum, travel during the school year in the fall, at Christmas, and at Spring Break
    2. travel of students for community celebrations or emergencies
    3. travel of parents or caregivers to Thunder Bay in case of emergency
    4. supply or funding for students to have regular computer or telephone access with their families and home communities, and
    5. investment or increase in technology at schools to allow students to communicate on a regular basis with their families and social contacts in their home communities
  2. In order to promote and preserve the connection between students, their families and to help ensure student safety, amend current policies to ensure that any parent or legal guardian who moves away from their home community to live with their child/children while the child/children attend secondary school will meet the definition of "boarding parent” and will be entitled to receive the same stipend as a boarding parent.

Funding — student transportation within Thunder Bay

To: Canada

  1. In order to provide all First Nations students living in Thunder Bay with reasonable travel time and safe transportation to school and access to all extracurricular activities, in consultation with NNEC, KO, DFCHS, and MLC, conduct an assessment of funding required to ensure that DFCHS and MLC students have access to reasonable transportation while attending school or extracurricular activities. Funding should be adequate to cover:
    1. the purchase or lease of vehicles to transport students
    2. the appropriate number of qualified drivers to operate such vehicles
    3. insurance for vehicles
    4. mainteNANce and operating costs for vehicles, and
    5. the assessment of the feasibility of using a local school bus company.

Assessment of students upon arrival in Thunder Bay

To: Canada, NNEC, KO and MLC

  1. In order to ensure that any special needs or supports required for First Nations students are identified and addressed while attending secondary school in Thunder Bay, ensure that funding and resources are in place upon arrival of students in Thunder Bay to identify:
    1. special education needs
    2. substance and/or alcohol abuse issues
    3. mental health issues, and
    4. any other supports required, including gaps in academic achievements that require additional supports or additional time for achieving necessary credit for graduation.

Support services and support workers

To: Canada

  1. In order to ensure that the appropriate level of support services are in place for First Nations students upon arrival in Thunder Bay, ensure that NNEC, KO and MLC have sufficient additional funding, staff and technology to:
    1. convene a meeting with each student, their parents, their boarding parents and prime workers prior to the student’s arrival at high school
    2. conduct a separate meeting with the student upon arrival in Thunder Bay to identify any needs and concerns of the student as well as goals and aspirations
    3. convene monthly check-ins between each student, their parents, the boarding parents and prime workers after the student has begun school, and
    4. ensure timely reports to parents and/or education authorities regarding concerns relating to absenteeism, missed curfews or substance/alcohol use.

Orientation of students upon arrival in Thunder Bay

To: NNEC, KO, DFCHS and MLC

  1. In order to ensure that students receive orientation at the time of their arrival as well as ongoing support as they transition to life in Thunder Bay, in addition to the current orientation sessions conducted by DFCHS, MLC, the City of Thunder Bay and other community partners, new students should be partnered with peer mentors who have experience in Thunder Bay and are willing to assist with day-to-day issues that may arise, including:
    1. resisting negative peer pressure
    2. reporting incidents of racism
    3. encouraging students to attend school and apply themselves to their studies
    4. reporting concerns regarding boarding homes
    5. promoting healthy lifestyles, and
    6. organizing activities to reduce risk factors.

To: The City of Thunder Bay

  1. The City of Thunder Bay, through their Travel and Tourism division, should be part of the student welcome orientation session mentioned in Recommendation 73 to help new students by providing them with city maps, transit maps and a list of community centers and activities offered throughout the city.

To: Canada, Ontario and the City of Thunder Bay

  1. In order to provide peer leaders and mentors with the capacity, communication skills and self-confidence they need to apply positive influence on other students, the City should act as a resource to identify community partners including, but not limited to, Ontario and Canada, who could support and provide funding in order to create and sustain peer leaders at DFCHS and MLC. Explore the option of having peer leaders and mentors receive volunteer hours credited toward their OSSD requirements.

Boarding homes

To: Canada and NAN

  1. In order to increase the number of quality boarding homes for First Nations students in Thunder Bay, in consultation with representatives from NNEC, KO, MLC, student support workers and long-term boarding parents, establish a working group that will:
    1. determine the appropriate level of funding for boarding parents, and
    2. establish minimum expectations with respect to boarding parent’s responsibility to ensure student’s safety and well-being, attendance at school and academic success.
  2. In order to enhance and standardize the procedure for the screening and approval of boarding homes for First Nations students attending school off-reserve, within six months of the date of this verdict, establish a working group including representatives from NNEC, KO, MLC, and other appropriate stakeholders to determine existing best practices and to consider:
    1. minimum standards for all boarding homes
    2. standardized screening and vetting of boarding home applicants, including:
      1. monthly visits and scheduled inspections
      2. criminal record checks for all residents aged 18 years and over and updates of criminal record checks on an annual basis
      3. mandatory completion of training, including first aid training and management and care of intoxicated students
      4. demonstration of fiNANcial stability
      5. standardized contract including:
        • provisions that clearly outline expectations of boarding parents, including regular communication with student support or prime workers and parents/guardians
        • provisions that clearly outline conduct that will result in termination, and
        • provision in contract for uNANnounced visits as may be deemed necessary and at the discretion of the school
    3. minimum standards for written policies and procedures relating to screening and approval of boarding parents and homes.

Additional support services to students

To: Ontario

  1. In order to assist First Nations students who move to Thunder Bay to attend secondary school, the Ontario Ministries of Education, Children and Youth, Municipal Affairs and Housing, Health and Long-Term Care and Community and Social Services should work with Canada, the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board, the City of Thunder Bay and Indigenous communities and organizations to support a well-coordinated suite of housing, income, recreation and health services and supports to assist students in accessing supports and services.
  2. In order to provide First Nations students with additional supports to achieve academic success and to have a positive experience while living in Thunder Bay, continue to provide funding to qualified organizations to deliver the After School Program at DFCHS and work with MLC and KO to explore providing funding to qualified organizations to deliver After School Programs for students from the Matawa and KO communities attending school in Thunder Bay.
  3. Work with agencies funded under the Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Strategy (AHWS) to explore creating more employment opportunities for youth (e.g. peer mentors).

Harm reduction strategies

To: NAN, NNEC, KO, DFCHS and MLC

  1. In order to ensure the safety of all First Nation students while going to school on-reserve or off-reserve, conduct annual training of all staff and boarding parents associated with First Nation schools with respect to:
    1. recognition, management and care of intoxicated students
    2. crisis intervention
    3. suicide prevention, and
    4. first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

To: Canada

  1. In order to ensure the safety of First Nation students while living in Thunder Bay, provide funding to NNEC, KO, and MLC to conduct training as described in Recommendation 81 and to permit on-reserve and off-reserve First Nations schools to create and implement safe school protocols.

To: NNEC, KO, DFCHS and MLC

  1. In order to increase awareness regarding risks related to alcohol, substance and solvent use and ensure consistent mandatory education of First Nations students attending school in Thunder Bay, in consultation with local community partners, including the Centres for Addiction and Mental Health, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and Dilico ensure that students are provided with regular, appropriate, accurate, up-to-date information relating to:
    1. the health and social issues associated with alcohol, substance and solvent use
    2. the legal consequences of underage drinking
    3. the resources available in the community to address issues relating to alcohol, substance and solvent use
    4. current misconceptions relating to "accepted" drinking practices (ie: drinking homebrew vs spirits), and
    5. the importance of assisting and staying with intoxicated peers and reporting any concerns to boarding parents, on-call workers, and other support workers.

To: Canada, NNEC, KO, DFCHS and MLC

  1. In order to allow students to continue their education in Thunder Bay while dealing with substance or alcohol issues, in consultation with local community partners, NNEC, KO and MLC should continue to develop harm reduction programs to address alcohol and substance use by students at their schools. The development of such programs should consider including a day program (if necessary) or a course option for students at the school. Canada should sufficiently fund NNEC, KO and MLC for these activities.

To: NNEC, KO and MLC

  1. In order to assist First Nations students in Thunder Bay with alcohol/substance use and addiction problems, in consultation with community partners, including the Centres for Addiction and Mental Health, Dilico, and St. Joseph’s Care Group, explore alternatives to sending students back to their home communities, including treatment programs that would allow students to pursue their studies in Thunder Bay.
  2. In order to increase awareness of DFCHS and MLC students regarding the risks associated with the purchase of alcohol through second party purchasers (“runners”), consider incorporating the Crimestoppers video made by DFCHS students into the orientation session held upon the arrival of new students in Thunder Bay each September. If the Crimestoppers video is not incorporated, include information in the orientation regarding the risks associated with the purchase of alcohol through second party purchasers.

To: Canada, Ontario, NAN, NNEC, KO, DFCHS and MLC

  1. In order to ensure continuity of care and increased prospect (where desired) of a return to Thunder Bay for those students who are sent back due to health and safety concerns, make all efforts to ensure that community supports, including a continuing education, health and mental health plan, are in place prior to sending a student back to his or her home community. Canada and Ontario should ensure that there is sufficient funding and resources in place for these support programs.

To: Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) program of Thunder Bay

  1. In order to raise awareness of First Nations students regarding the risks associated with alcohol/substance use and to enhance the delivery of the P.A.R.T.Y. program to First Nations youth attending school in Thunder Bay:
    1. offer the P.A.R.T.Y. program to grades 9 through 12 for DFCHS and MLC
    2. offer the P.A.R.T.Y. program at least twice a year (September and January) to ensure that new students and returning students (after Christmas break) receive the program information when first arriving in Thunder Bay and to reinforce the message upon return to Thunder Bay for the second semester
    3. consider the option of an “in-school” P.A.R.T.Y. program for DFCHS and MLC students
    4. include Elders in the regular P.A.R.T.Y. program to meet the needs of First Nations students attending high school in Thunder Bay
    5. in consultation with P.A.R.T.Y. International, develop a program with a focus on addressing the specific needs of Aboriginal youth, and
    6. if considering the inclusion of the scenarios involving the deaths of the First Nations youth who are the subject of this inquest in the P.A.R.T.Y. program, P.A.R.T.Y. International must consult and obtain consent from the families involved.

Addressing health needs of First Nations students in Thunder Bay

To: Canada (Health Canada)

  1. In order to ensure continuity of care for First Nations students while in Thunder Bay:
    1. review existing policies with regard to providing health services to First Nations students attending high school off-reserve
    2. develop, fund, and implement an Electronic Medical Records system for all NAN communities in which all medical information from clinics and nursing stations in the communities is readily available to medical professionals all across Ontario. This will ensure continuity of care for all First Nation youth who require medical care while residing outside of their home communities
    3. provide additional funding for NNADAP programs
    4. fund aftercare programs for First Nations youth leaving addictions treatment programs, and
    5. create and implement policy that allows health authorities to make decisions regarding medical transport in an efficient and timely manner irrespective of location of First Nation student at the time of need.

Youth participation in decisions

To: Canada, NAN, NNEC, KO, DFCHS and MLC

  1. In order for First Nations youth to have a voice regarding decisions relating to their education off-reserve, and to ensure that there is accountability in decisions made regarding their education and well-being, NNEC, KO, and MLC, with the support of Canada and NAN, should consider creating a special seat on their Boards of Directors for a youth representative who is a student or former student of DFCHS or MLC under the age of 25. Canada should provide the funding for any costs associated with this position.