First Nations education bill ‘on hold’ after AFN chief Atleo quits

“Grand Chief” Shawn Atleo of the AFN with PM Harper during Crown-First Nations Summit, Jan. 2012.

Gloria Galloway, The Globe and Mail, May 5, 2014

The federal Conservative government is shelving its contentious proposal for revamping on-reserve education following last week’s resignation of Shawn Atleo as national chief of the Assembly of First Nations.

“With the support of the Assembly of First Nations, our government introduced historic legislation, the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act in April,” a spokeswoman for Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt said on Monday.

“However,” she said, “given the recent resignation of the national chief, following today’s second reading vote, any further consideration of this legislation will be put on hold until the AFN clarifies its position.”