Shannen's Dream

Shannen's Dream is a Canadian youth-driven movement advocating for equitable education funding for First Nations children. Education on-reserve is funded by the Canadian federal government, while off-reserve education is funded by provincial or territorial governments. Several reports by the Auditor General of Canada, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, and other authorities have indicated an urgent need for improved funding for on-reserve education.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Shannen's Dream advocates for the building of safe and comfy schools on reserves, and culturally based education for all First Nations children and youth. The movement was named in honour of Shannen Koostachin, a young activist from the Attawapiskat First Nation and a nominee for the 2008 International Children's Peace Prize

The campaign is the subject of Alanis Obomsawin's 2013 documentary film Hi-Ho Mistahey![7]

Shannen Koostachin

Shannen Koostachin was born in Attawapiskat First Nation on James Bay coast Ontario to Andrew Koostachin and Jenny Nakogee. She attended J. R. Nakogee Elementary School, which had been housed in makeshift portables since 2000, when it had been condemned and closed due to a decades-old fuel leak. Shannen then realized that the government was not giving proper funding to First Nations Aboriginal schooling systems around Canada, and that's when her dream/movement came to be.[8] By 2007, the federal government had backed away from a third commitment to building a new school for Attawapiskat.[9] In response, Koostachin and others turned to YouTube and Facebook to launch the Students Helping Students campaign for a school for Attawapiskat.[10][11] Koostachin spoke out about the experiences of her community in newspapers, at conferences, and on the steps of Parliament Hill in 2008. In 2009, at the age of 14, she was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize.[12]

Koostachin and her older sister, Serena, moved hundreds of kilometres away from Attawapiskat to New Liskeard, Ontario, for high school. On June 1, 2010, Shannen died as a result of a car accident.[13]

Shannen's Dream Campaign

After Koostachin's death, those who had participated in the Students Helping Students campaign wanted to continue her fight. Shannen's Dream was formed, and is one of many social justice campaigns carried out by the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society.[14] Shannen's Dream is a student- and youth-focused campaign designed to raise awareness about inequitable funding for First Nations children. It encourages supporters to write letters to their Member of Parliament, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, and the Prime Minister of Canada. To accompany this movement, Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus reintroduced Shannen's Dream as Motion 201 to the House of Commons of Canada on September 26, 2011.[15] On February 27, 2012, the House of Commons unanimously voted in favour of the motion.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Chapter 4 - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Elementary and secondary education". 2000 April Report of the Auditor General of Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  2. ↑ "The Funding Requirement for First nations Schools in Canada" (PDF). Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Chapter 4- Programs for First Nations on Reserves" (PDF). 2011 June Status Report of the Auditor General of Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Chapter 5 – Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Education program and post-secondary student support". 2004 November Report of the Auditor General of Canada. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Reforming First Nations Education: From Crisis to Hope" (PDF). Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Nurturing the Learning Spirit of First Nations Students" (PDF). The National Panel on First Nations Elementary and Secondary Education for Students on Reserve. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ "TIFF 13: Alanis Obomsawin on Hi-Ho Mistahey!". Playback, September 13, 2013.
  8. ↑ Rebecca Lindell (November 29, 2011). "Putting Attawapiskat on the map". Global News. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  9. ↑ Goyette, Linda. "Still Waiting in Attawapiskat". Canadian Geographic. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  10. ↑ Koostachin, Shannen (May 23, 2008). "Students of Attawapiskat Plead to Minister Chuck Strahl". Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Attawapiskat Children Fight for a School". Facebook. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  12. ↑ Gloria Galloway (November 17, 2011). "Teen takes up late cousin's call to improve native schools". Ottawa: The Globe and Mail. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Book of Memories for Shannen Koostachin". Buffam Leveille Funeral Home Ltd. June 1, 2010. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Shannen's Dream". First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada. 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Debates of Sept. 26, 2011". OpenParliament.ca. September 26, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.
  16. ↑ "House of Commons". 41st Parliament, 1st Session. 84. February 27, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.

External links

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