Margaret and Wallace McCain Foundation joins with the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative to promote literacy in First Nations community
June 17, 2010
The Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation (MWMFF) and the Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative (MAEI) have joined with the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation (KSPFN) in the development of a unique and culturally based multi-year literacy project to model the recommendations of With Our Best Future in Mind, the report outlining the implementation of full day learning and a child and family services system in Ontario.
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MWMFF Chairperson, the Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain, states: “The Kettle and Stony Point Aboriginal Head Start and Day Care and Hillside School are well positioned to move forward with the recommendations of Ontario’s Best Future in Mind report. This includes strengthening and extending learning and caring opportunities for young children (0 to 6 years) and their families. We are convinced that our efforts to extend MAEI’s initiative down to the early years will leverage positive returns for the children and their community.”
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“Our First Nation is pleased and grateful that we are entering into this agreement to improve the academic achievements of our students,” said Chief Elizabeth Cloud, continuing “we must equip our children with the essential tools for future success, as it is a known fact that Aboriginal people have more barriers to overcome then the general population.”
On behalf of the KSPFN Education Committee, Dr. Christy R. Bressette, Chair, echoes the sentiments expressed by the Chief: “Our entire community welcomes this venture and anticipates moving this project forward toward the establishment of a unique literacy model to help ensure that all Aboriginal learners have every opportunity to succeed, having been grounded upon a solid literacy foundation.”
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MAEI is a charitable organization founded by The Right Honourable Paul Martin and his family. The overall goal is to work with Aboriginal Canadians to enable them to enjoy greater economic self-reliance and an ever-increasing quality of life.
The Right Honourable Paul Martin said: “We know that literacy is one of many challenges facing First Nations communities across Canada. The experience of Ontario and other provinces has shown that systematic instruction in literacy has proven successful in improving the literacy levels of students. Our project will assist educators to become more knowledgeable about strategies that will support the success of Aboriginal students.”
The project will receive advice and support from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UT) and the University of Western Ontario, under the direction of Dr. Julia O'Sullivan, in-coming Dean of OISE/UT.
The project will begin immediately and will end in June 2014.
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For more information contact:
Kerry McCuaig
Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation
(647) 295-2808
Dr. Christy R. Bressette
Kettle and Stony Point First Nation Education Committee
Hillside School
(519) 786-6903
Lucie Santoro
Administration Director
Martin Aboriginal Education Initiative
(514) 982-3911 or (514) 758-9978
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