Federal government's position on FNUniv funding remains same: Sask. Minister Rob Norris

REGINA — Saskatchewan Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris says there is no indication the federal government will restore more than $7 million in annual funding to First Nations University of Canada as it scrambles to forge a new operating partnership with the University of Regina.

Norris, who spoke early Tuesday with Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl, told reporters the federal Conservative government’s position hasn’t changed since funding was pulled last month.

“My sense is that Minister Strahl has been very, very clear, and that is he’s looking at other options. My sense is those federal dollars are off the table,” Norris said.

Norris also again warned that a new formalized operating partnership between First Nations University and the University of Regina needs to be in place in order for the Saskatchewan Party government to reinstate $5.2 million in annual funding from the province.

If restored, funding would flow through the U of R rather than directly to FNUniv, which has in the past been rocked by allegations of financial mismanagement and concerns about its governance structure. University of Regina and FNUniv — along with representatives from the federal and provincial governments and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations — have formed a working group to try and develop a new operating model.

But Norris said that without a formal agreement already place, his conversation with Strahl was “constrained.”

“It was a difficult meeting today because I didn’t have such an agreement in hand and that certainly tied my hands as far as making the case as strongly as I could because in some ways we’re still talking about abstractions,” Norris said.

Barb Pollock, vice-president of external relations at the U of R, said the post-secondary institution was disappointed to hear the discussion between Norris and Strahl “wasn’t more fruitful.”

“The working group, it’s comprised of five organizations and they are working very diligently to try and come up with an agreement that will satisfy the funding agencies,” Pollock said, adding there is no timeline for when that work will conclude.

“We want this to work. We want it to happen,” Pollock said.

Norris said that if a new operating model is agreed to and federal funding still isn’t restored, he thinks First Nations University could continue to operate with provincial support. That level of funding would be comparable to how other federated colleges of the province’s universities exist, he said.

Norris added that the school might still be able to access funding from Ottawa through an existing proposal based program.

However, First Nations University academic and student leaders criticized Norris, saying the minister should be doing more to demand Ottawa keep funding in place.

Randy Lundy, head of the English department and chair of the academic council, rejected the notion First Nations University could continue to operate if provincial funding is restored and federal funding is not.

“The fact is that unless that federal funding, that $7.2 million, is restored and restored soon there will not be a First Nations University of Canada for the fall semester,” Lundy said. “Mr. Norris knows that and Mr. Strahl knows that,” he said, accusing both ministers of “playing political games.”

Diane Adams, head of the Regina campus students’ association, dismissed the suggestion as “absurd” that federal funds for the institution could come from a proposal-driven program, saying there would be no financial stability.

The provincial government has pledged to ensure students can finish this semester and summer courses. Federal funding expires April 1.

“Students are extremely stressed,” Adams said. “It’s very, very good to hear (the province) is going to support us through the summer but that’s not enough.”

ahall@leaderpost.canwest.com