Penticton, British Columbia
June 17, 2011
Check against delivery
Good morning. It is a pleasure to join you here in the traditional territory of the Penticton Indian Band. On behalf of the Honourable John Duncan, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, I am very pleased to be with all of you today for the opening of this new Outma Sqilxw Cultural School.
I want to begin by congratulating the Penticton Indian Band for all the dedication, perseverance, and hard work that has gone into making this project a reality. There are many different facets to a quality education – and one of them is quality infrastructure, just as we see here.
Environmentally friendly, energy-efficient, and ultra-modern schools like this one lead to better outcomes for First Nation children. And those in turn support employment success, personal fulfillment, and all the foundations for strong, sustainable communities.
This new school, which offers a panoramic view of the Okanagan Valley, is a truly impressive facility, and one that meets the needs of your community's growing population. What's more, it ensures that your students have a safe, culturally enriching environment in which to learn and grow.
In fact your school's architectural design finished in the top 20 designs in the 2011 World Architectural News Education Awards. And you were part of that success as 20 percent of the project labour force was First Nations.
Our Government is pleased to have invested more than $7 million for this project under Canada's Economic Action Plan. This funding, together with the Penticton Indian Band contribution of more than $500,000 has built a school of which you can all be proud, and which will serve your community well for many years to come.
We are committed to working with First Nations and the provincial government to ensure that First Nation children receive the education they require for success, and help First Nation students benefit from comparable education and achieve comparable results whether their classrooms are located on or off reserve.
Our Government believes that First Nation students deserve an education that will encourage and inspire them to stay in school – an education that will enable them to get the skills they need to enter the labour market successfully and to share fully in Canada's economic opportunities.
Congratulations to you on your new school and I wish all the students the very best academic success.
Thank you.
