Editor:
If one were to read recent letters to the editor, it would appear that the College of New Caledonia (CNC) is effectively delivering post-secondary education in the Lakes. Nothing is further from the truth and the divisiveness that CNC Prince George has instigated continues to filter out into all of our communities here in Burns Lake.
The central issue, from my point of view, is not about any individual at CNC Lakes. At issue is the unilateral approach that CNC Prince George has taken with Burns Lake in general and First Nations in particular. The problems within CNC extend beyond Burns Lake. That the minister of advanced education has taken the extraordinary step of appointing a current deputy ministry and a former deputy minister to the CNC board speaks volumes.
Partnership, from the perspective of CNC Prince George, means they decide what is best for us. Decision making on programs, students and staff are now centralized. Supports to students have been slashed, even though it is well understood that those services are essential for the non-traditional students who are the majority in CNC programs.
Student numbers and staffing are at a fraction of what they used to be. These decreased numbers point to significant cuts from the province.
The CNC Prince George has effectively cut its ties with First Nations partnerships when it comes to the business end of education. Lake Babine Nation has brought significant revenues to the college through proposal-driven processes. The college now demands a 15 per cent admin cut of funding we bring in. This kind of administrative skimming is more than our funders allow. There’s no longer any incentive to partner with CNC.
The College of New Caledonia parted ways with the Lakes First Nations at the beginning of 2016 whereby in a meeting with CNC Prince George, we were informed that if we wanted to find another post-secondary partner of choice that it was our prerogative to do so.
With the above considerations in mind, Lake Babine Nation, along with the other First Nations and the Rural Post-Secondary Education Committee cast our net for a new post-secondary partner. It is important that we partner with an institution whose philosophy is grounded in community-based partnership.
With over thirty years of working with First Nations communities and effectively working with non-traditional students, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology is our partner of choice. We have notified the Ministry of Advanced Education our intent to partner with NVIT. We want and need post-secondary education and training to continue in the Lakes District. Longstanding stats at CNC Lakes have consistently shown that the majority of students enrolled have been aboriginal. NVIT’s student stats are similar. There is not a significant difference in what will be offered through NVIT; what will be different is that we will be working with a public post-secondary institution based upon a respectful and principled partnership.
Sincerely,
Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam
