Click here to download the Official Letter as a PDF.
Vancouver, British Columbia, April 22, 2025 — Today, the BC Métis Federation (BCMF) has sent a letter to Premier David Eby and Minister of Education Lisa Beare, calling for clarity on how Targeted Indigenous Education Funding is being allocated to support Métis students. The letter expresses serious concern about the lack of culturally appropriate programming and services being delivered to Métis students in BC schools, despite significant funding being earmarked for this purpose.
“Supporting Métis youth and culture is essential to the decolonization of our school system,” said Keith Henry, President of BCMF. “These funds are meant to empower Indigenous students, but many Métis families continue to report exclusion and cultural erasure in their children’s education.”
BCMF looks forward to receiving a timely response from the provincial government and hopes for a clear explanation of how the Ministry of Education is ensuring that the over $37 million allocated for Métis students is being used effectively and equitably.
The Official Letter content is copied below.
Attention: Premier David Eby; Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care
Regarding: Request for clarification on Ministry of Education funding allocation for Métis students
Greetings Premier Eby and Minister Beare;
As you know, the BC Métis Federation (BCMF) represents ~6,000 Métis in the province. BCMF’s membership includes many families with children in the K-12 public education system. I am writing to you today on behalf of these families as they are becoming increasingly concerned by the continued lack of culturally-appropriate educational programs and services available to Métis students in BC.
For 2024-25, the allocation for Targeted Indigenous Education Funding increased to $1,770 per student. That amount is provided to school districts for each and every school age student who self-identifies as being of Indigenous ancestry—including those students who self-identify as Métis. With an estimated 21,000 Métis students currently enrolled in K-12, this means that this year the province is allocating more than $37 million to school districts to provide culturally-appropriate educational programs and services to Métis students.
That funding allocation would be laudable if the Métis students were in fact receiving culturally-appropriate programming. That has not, however, been the experience of the vast majority of Métis families within BCMF’s membership. Our membership has and continues to report that Métis students are not being provided with programs or services that educate them about Métis culture, language, and collective history.
BCMF agrees with and supports that all students in BC should learn about their local First Nations as part of the general curriculum. However, BCMF takes exception when school districts that are receiving Targeted Indigenous Education Funding for their Métis students are only teaching those Métis students about First Nations culture and language. This is not culturally-appropriate learning, it is the opposite.
Since the passing of Bill 40, the concerns of Métis families across the province have been growing. They report that, in some districts, Métis representatives have now been
removed from Indigenous Education Councils. And, they report that teachers who have provided Michif language resources to Métis students are facing intimidation. Of greatest concern is that they have reported that some students, instead of growing their self-confidence and pride in being Métis, are minimizing their Indigenous identity out of a sense of shame, and in some cases fear. This should not be the outcome of a program designed to support the success of Métis students.
BCMF is seeking clarification from the Ministry of Education on how it is ensuring that Targeted Indigenous Education Funding allocations for Métis students are being
used to provide culturally-appropriate educational programs and services for those Métis students.
I look forward to your timely response,
Sincerely,
Keith Henry
President, BC Métis Federation
CC: BCMF Board of Directors
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