First Nation Students with Special Needs in Canada: How a ‘non-system’ is Hidden From Canadians and the World Community

Abstract

First Nation students with special needs who reside on First Nations/reserves throughout Canada and attend a school on a reserve encounter discrimination by the federal government of Canada. The federal government is constitutionally responsible for approximately 120,000 students attending over 500 schools on First Nations throughout Canada. These schools are not part of any ‘system’ of education. Canada has hidden their constitutional responsibilities in education, as well as the absence of special education programs and services for First Nations students with special education needs. These students and their schools are not part of any regional, provincial, national or international assessment programs. ‘Canadian’ education and special education statistics and information that is given to international education organizations (e.g., OECD, UNESCO) exclude First Nations schools. Many federal documents indicate that education is a provincial responsibility. In late 2012 the federal government’s department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) changed its name to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC).