Manitoba election: Increase number of indigenous teachers, group urges

A group that focuses on indigenous education is urging the three major party leaders in the provincial election to commit to increasing the number of indigenous teachers in Manitoba's public schools.

The Indigenous Teacher Education Coalition says only nine per cent of Manitoba teachers have indicated that they have indigenous heritage, so it wants to see 200 indigenous students graduate with education degrees every year for the next decade.

Kathy Mallett, a spokesperson for the coalition, said school-age indigenous students need to see faces from their own culture in classrooms.

"They need teachers that look like them so that they can be proud of who they are, first of all, as an aboriginal person, and proud of their culture, and say, 'You know what? That's my role model,'" she said Wednesday.

• Anti-racist approach to education essential to address experience of indigenous teachers and students
• CBC Manitoba's election debate on education
• Manitoba political parties court indigenous candidates ahead of election

The Indigenous Teacher Education Coalition says it also wants to see internship programs for indigenous students who are interested in becoming teachers.

The group's plan is endorsed by indigenous and education organizations, including the Aboriginal Circle of Educators, the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents and the Winnipeg School Division board. 

Discrimination a part of the problem?

Kathy Mallett thinks there are other reasons why there are not enough indigenous teachers in some parts of the province.

"You know what, I think the way the system is set up, I think there is discrimination there. There is, all though we can't prove it, but, why aren't our teachers being employed in the Winnipeg School Division, number one, for instance? Why is other divisions taking them?" Mallett said.

Deborah Clark is executive director of Aboriginal Circle of Educators and also a member of the coalition. Part of the pledge she hopes all the leaders sign would see the provincial government work with school divisions to set benchmarks that would develop a teacher workforce that represents the indigenous student population.

"There are a number of tiers when it comes to hiring. For example, even though we have in Winnipeg School Division, where we are right now, the highest aboriginal population, yet more and more people that aren't aboriginal are getting hired for positions because of incoming need and often what happens is the aboriginal candidates get shunted to the side because they need French speaking candidates or they need candidates with various backgrounds - even though it's a smaller portion of the population," Clark said

Mark Wasyliw, the Winnipeg School Division's board chair, said hiring more aboriginal teachers has always been a priority, even with a growing need for French immersion teachers.

"These are both priorities of the Winnipeg School Division. There's been an explosion in French-language services at Winnipeg School Division because it's driven by enrolment numbers," he said.

"We have for years been trying to recruit aboriginal teachers. It's always been a priority of ours. It's never stopped being a priority of ours; just the pool of aboriginal teachers out there is small."

Wasyliw added that the division even has a program that supports aboriginal employees, such as teaching assistants, who want to become teachers.

"We've had that program for years. But it's not enough and we need the province to step in with serious resources and the universities," he said.

No discrimination at Winnipeg School Division says chair

Wasyliw denied there is discrimination in the Winnipeg School Division when it comes to hiring indigenous teachers.

"It's unfortunate that those comments were made. I don't think they're accurate," Wayliw said. Adding that the division is working with the coalition on the pledge.

"Just so you know, we're working together with this coalition. They approached us about two weeks ago. I did a motion at our last board meeting asking that our board adopt this proposal. And to champion it. And it passed unanimously. So we are one of the signatories of this. We're one of the supporters of this organization. We're sponsoring them. We're asking all other school boards to get behind this and lobby the province to do more," Wasyliw told CBC News.

The leaders of Manitoba's three biggest parties vying to be the next government said they didn't believe there were enough indigenous teachers in Manitoba. 

Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister praised the federal Liberals for providing funds for education on reserves and says he'll look at the coalition's proposals.

"Pleased to see the federal government's throne speech referencing improved investment in First Education - it's critical. Manitoba above all will benefit from that investment if it's done in a structured and intelligent manner," Pallister said at a campaign stop this afternoon.

The NDP's Greg Selinger said his NDP government had taken several initiatives to increase the number of indigenous teachers in Manitoba and said there is a process to follow if discrimination is happening.

"If a complaint was raised with respect to discrimination and hiring, the Human Rights Commission in Manitoba could hear that. We have good people in there and there are certainly measures that could be taken to make sure that doesn't happen," Selinger said

Liberal Rana Bokhari told CBC News any type of discrimination won't be tolerated.

"If there is some form of discrimination - we can't accept that. I won't accept it. So what those communities need to do to fix the situation? That's a conversation to have," she said.

Bokhari says she needs to study the coalition's plan before she signs it.

Manitobans head to the polls on April 19.