Kathleen Wynne says the Ontario government and First Nations groups have to move forward together.
The premier was in Thunder Bay briefly Saturday morning, for the Ontario Native Women’s Association (ONWA) Conference.
Wynne says one of the areas that need change is in education on-reserve.
She says 40 per cent of aboriginal kids graduate from high school and 83 per cent of kids from the mainstraim graduate from high school.
She doesn’t care what the model is, all she wants is those kids to do better.
She stated she can’t stand to lose another generation.
Wynne adds the government needs to do better on issues such as adequate resource revenue sharing, and that Ontario is committed to meeting its duty to communicate with First Nations.
Wynne says if we never find a way to strengthen our relationship and get to resolutions of problems, then we’re not going to all benefit the way we should.
Wynne says the government is working towards having a roundtable on issues regarding violence against Aboriginal women, and that Ontario will continue to work with First Nations to push for a national inquiry.
She says we must get to the bottom of why so many Aboriginal women are disappearing and being treatled poorly.
Wynne adds the roundtable is slated for February.
The premier did not answer questions from local media before returning to Toronto.
Listen to Wynne’s full remarks below. (Photo: Caryn Ceolin)
