Rae positive about prospect of change

With the inquest into the deaths of seven First Nations students still underway, Bob Rae says the discussions around education both provincially and federally will be very important.

The former NDP Ontario premier and former federal interim leader of the Liberal party paid a visit to Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law in Thunder Bay on Monday. He spoke broadly on a number of topics including the recommendations laid out in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s report.

Rae explained that it’s important to know the history of First Nations people and how to make change happen.

Rae also spoke briefly on the inquest looking into the deaths of seven First Nation youths who were attending school in Thunder Bay. He said he didn’t want to interfere with any of the recommendations that might come out of the inquest but he suspected that unequal funding for First Nation students will be addressed.

“The Truth and Reconciliation Commission refers directly to this question as well,” Rae said. “I think it is going to be an important discussion for First Nations and the province and for the federal government around education and how we move forward on that. The provincial government has signalled it’s ready to sit down with the First Nations in (Nishnawbe Aski Nation) on the education issue.”

Rae believes there’s two issues that need to be addressed. One is what can be done to improve opportunities in remote communities and the other is what needs to be done to support and sustain students coming to municipalities for high school.

He said it’s a critical issue the inquest will be discussing.

Rae defended the Liberals for their stance to accept all the recommendations laid out in the report, calling the criticism misplaced. He said the central problem has been too much inaction.

“I think quite rightly that (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau has identified the problem, which is we always find an excuse not to do anything,” he said. “His endorsement of the commission report has been important and now it is a matter of putting some meat on the bones and that’s exactly what he’s going to be doing and that’s what Premier (Kathleen) Wynne will have to be doing as well. And municipal governments, and boards of education. This isn’t a call to action to one or two levels of government — it’s a call to action to all Canadians.”

Rae said change to education, the recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation and even the development in the Ring of Fire are all connecting components. He mentioned that they are having some back and forth discussions with the province.

He added that he remains positive that change will happen.