Anishinabek Nation-led education project gets $20M investment from federal government

Anishinabek Nation-led educationin 23 First Nations is receiving a $20 million investment from Ottawa to support education infrastructure and governance.

Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Anandasangaree made the announcement with Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige at an event in North Bay, Ont., on Friday afternoon.

The funding will go to the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body (KEB). It is the result of a new fiscal policy, co-developed with First Nations partners, to provide educational self-governance in those communities.

The KEB was formed in 2018.

Debassige saidthe money will be distributed to individual communities, which will also be responsible for their school buildings.

"When we talk about infrastructure, that was not part of the discussion or theinitial agreement when when this was returned to us. So it is a welcome, it is a welcome funding enhancement, but there is definitely a lot more work to do," she said.

KEB vice-chairperson LiseKwekkeboom told CBC News the 23 First Nations involved have complete self-governance and autonomy over the educationof their youth.

"The funding will help support those First Natons in supporting their own self-governance,"Kwekkeboom said.

In a newsrelease, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada said the funding will help ensure that around 2,000 students have the resources they need to succeed while remaining connected to Anishinabek culture and language.

"All kids deserve a world class education, and Indigenous communities know best how to deliver that for their students," Anandasangaree said in a press release.