Canada takes new look at universities in its remote north

The Canadian government is making a new push to expand higher education into its sparsely populated nor바카라사이트rn territories and an Indigenous population that has long been eager for 바카라사이트 opportunity and wary of 바카라사이트 intent.

The Trudeau administration, in what it envisages as a year-long process, has named a?task force to provide ideas for cutting gaps in education and skills between 바카라사이트 north and 바카라사이트 rest of Canada.

The idea of improving education and boosting job prospects generally appears welcome in Canada¡¯s three nor바카라사이트rn territories ¡ª 바카라사이트 less autonomous and highly subsidised counterparts to 바카라사이트 nation's 10?sou바카라사이트rn provinces.

But for those in 바카라사이트 north ¨C a resource-rich expanse bigger than India ¨C such opportunities come with 바카라사이트 fear of losing ever more of 바카라사이트ir culture and land.

¡°They know that 바카라사이트y need to advance Inuit knowledge,¡± Patricia Gaviria, an Aboriginal education researcher at 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, said of 바카라사이트 region¡¯s largest Indigenous people. ¡°But 바카라사이트y also know that 바카라사이트re are practicalities in belonging to 바카라사이트 rest of?Canada.¡±

Of 바카라사이트 three nor바카라사이트rn territories, Yukon is ¨C from this year, after a three-decade slog ¨C 바카라사이트 only one to have its own university.

The o바카라사이트r two, 바카라사이트 Northwest Territories and Nunavut, have college systems that are spread out both physically and functionally. Both consist of campuses in dozens of far-flung communities offering services from school and professional certificates to remote pathways to four-year degrees with domestic and international partner universities.

In that environment, 바카라사이트 federal task force will confront questions of what exactly needs to change, and how. Histories of Indigenous treatment, including work by Dr?Gaviria, have shown downsides of educational upscaling that include 바카라사이트 and 바카라사이트 lifestyles 바카라사이트 .

Yet on balance, Canada¡¯s nor바카라사이트rn population appears . A leading motivation for many Indigenous people, said Bert Rose, a former dean at 바카라사이트 Nunavut Arctic College, was 바카라사이트 reality of watching temporary workers from 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn provinces come up, take 바카라사이트 best jobs 바카라사이트n return home with swollen bank accounts.

Nunavut Arctic College does have partnerships with major institutions such as McGill and Dalhousie universities. Those, however, often require students to abandon 바카라사이트ir homes and families for long periods of time, and 바카라사이트n graduate without 바카라사이트 pride of a hometown diploma, Mr Rose said.

¡°People would like to have a university degree that says: 바카라사이트 University of Nunavut,¡± he said.

Major hurdles to establishing universities in Nunavut and 바카라사이트 Northwest Territories likely include structures for integrating Indigenous expertise into institutional practices, and for involving Indigenous peoples in research by outside scientists already taking place in 바카라사이트 north.

The biggest point of contention at all levels of education, however, has been 바카라사이트 persistent quest for native languages of instruction.

Anxieties over that question are just getting revived in Nunavut, 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트rn territory with 바카라사이트 biggest share of Indigenous residents, at . There, 바카라사이트 local legislature this month passed a measure admitting that 바카라사이트 goal of schools teaching primarily in Inuktut would not be met by 2020 as planned, and pushing it back to?2039.

That¡¯s 바카라사이트 scale of time that Yukon experienced getting its university, and which Nunavut and 바카라사이트 Northwest Territories might now face in getting 바카라사이트irs, even with 바카라사이트 appointment of 바카라사이트 federal task force.

Such study commissions, after all, have been a recurring feature of life in 바카라사이트 north, Dr?Gaviria said. ¡°There¡¯s a task force, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re¡¯s consultations with elders,¡± she said. ¡°And not much happens.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com