Ref. #2-3424
Ottawa, Ontario (November 2, 2010) – The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Natural Resources and MP for Mégantic-L'Érable, on behalf of the Honourable John Duncan, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-status Indians, announced today the start of work on the expansion and renovation of Otapi High School (César Newashish) in Manawan, Quebec.
First Nation students in Manawan are set to benefit from this renovation project which will see the addition of classrooms, fire safety and other improvements to the facilities. Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada has provided close to $3 million in funding as part of a $200-million investment in the construction of new schools and the renovation of existing ones.
"The education and academic success of First Nation students is a priority for the Government of Canada," said Minister Paradis. "We are committed to making the investments that will ensure that First Nation students enjoy the same education opportunities as other Canadians."
The Otapi school was built in 1996 and serves approximately 400 students from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5. The expansion will address the need for additional space to accommodate the growing population of the community. The work will be carried out between September 2010 and March 2011. The First Nation is responsible for managing the project.
"The rapid growth of our community means that we are constantly expanding the services to our community," noted Chief Paul-Émile Ottawa. "We are confident that the expansion of our secondary school means that our growing student body will have a learning environment that will meet their learning needs."
The Government of Canada is taking measures to improve the lives of First Nations and stimulate economic growth in First Nations communities through targeted infrastructure investments. Investments in school infrastructure projects will help ensure First Nations students have a strong and productive educational experience, which starts with access to quality infrastructure that is conducive to learning.
