July 4, 2024
On June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day, the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, alongside Chief Leroy Denny, Chair of Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, and Blaire Gould, Executive Director of Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey, delivered a major funding announcement that helps to improve access to education and close infrastructure gaps for Mi'kmaw students in Nova Scotia.
This includes the delivery of more than $16 million per year in increased funding to Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey to maintain, repair, and replace their existing education
infrastructure, as well as bolster governance functions to support their education system. This funding will help ensure communities, including approximately 3,000 students, have the resources they need to succeed while remaining connected to Mi’kmaw culture and language. It will support improved quality of life, reduce poverty, and build a more resilient and fair local economy.
“We are thrilled to make this announcement that enables communities and the organization to do more," said Chief Leroy Denny, Chair, Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey. "We have walked through this process with a lot of optimism and look forward to the positive changes this allows communities to make. We thank our contributors and partners in this work from First Nations and the federal government. While it is an important and significant first step, we know that there is a lot of work to be done.”
Investing in education is investing in the present and future. With better education, Mi’kmaw youth are better able to understand their opportunities and to truly walk a path of self-determination. This is important not just to an individual, but rather a family, a community, and most importantly, a nation.
