4.1 operations and governance

It should be noted that while most of these are university matters, at least one—the issue of certification—relates primarily to the province’s Board of Teacher Education and Certification. More on this later.

In both these areas (operations and university programs), NORTEP-NORPAC has adopted interesting and extremely creative solutions to the organizational challenges it has faced over the past 40 years. The nature of these solutions, as well as the forces that provoked such stratagems, constitute an important dimension of impact for the purposes of this study. We will address each area separately in the discussion that follows.

4.1 Operations and governance

The issue of mandate, as well as questions about the legal and organizational authority under which the program would operate, presented a challenge to NORTEP founders right from the beginning. The novel solutions that were ultimately adopted have had an enduring impact on the world of post-secondary education in the province of Saskatchewan. The need for a teacher education program was most keenly felt by the superintendent staff of the newly created “Northern School Board” (which later became the “Northern Lights School Division No. 113). Concerns were also keenly felt by some of the staff who worked with the Academic Education Branch of the Department of Northern Saskatchewan (DNS). Community leaders throughout the North also voiced their awareness of the need for community representation on the schools’ staff, in part to address the obvious language and culture gap that existed between the school and the community.

On the academic side, authority for teacher education in the province is vested in the universities. Although efforts to meet the needs of Aboriginal students were in evidence at the University of Saskatchewan—both the Indian Teacher Education Program and the Indian and Northern Education Program had been established—these program initiatives were located on-campus. Northern educational needs required an off-campus program located in the North. Under these circumstances, the Northern School Board was prepared to act unilaterally and decisively. In 1976 the Board applied for and received funding from the province of Saskatchewan and the federal government (under the provisions of the Northlands Agreement), to develop a northern teacher education program.

From an impact perspective, it is worth noting here that this vital initiative, to create a post-secondary teacher education program in the North, was undertaken by a school division, which derived its educational authority from the Education Act that governs the K – 12 educational system. This novelty was underlined by the fact that the funding for the program (that would become NORTEP) was provided to the school board not by the arm of government responsible for post-secondary education (the “Colleges Branch” of DNS), but by the branch responsible for K – 12 education (the “Academic Education Branch”).13

13 DNS was the common acronym used to refer to the “Department of Northern Saskatchewan,” a single-agency department responsible for the area known as the Northern Administrative District (NAD)—a boundary that includes Green Lake, Weyakwin and Cumberland House and the area North to the NWT.

The result was the rather unique situation where a school board took responsibility for the operation of a teacher education program. Of course, its authority and responsibility were constrained: The Board’s mandate, derived from the Education Act, related to what could be called the “infrastructure” of the organization (NORTEP) but, in some important ways, did not extend to the academic program itself. The academic program needed to be authorized by the universities and, as such, fell under the Universities Act.

From the beginning NORTEP was, therefore, an unusual creation: Its infrastructure belonged to a school board, while its academic program belonged to the participating universities (the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina). The hybrid nature was a signal of the deep forces that were at work and came into play as the program unfolded. The dominant social and educational structures of the day did not respond quickly enough to the educational needs and exigency recognized by Northerners. The dominant society structure was colonial; the new initiative (NORTEP) was an exercise in selfdetermination and decolonization.

The founders, however, did not envision a ‘stand alone’ program which offered a certificate valid only for Northern areas; the Board was determined the graduates would enjoy certification that would entitle them to teach anywhere in the province.

NORTEP students took courses towards a Bachelor of Education recognized by the university of choice. The program also sought and obtained recognition from the province’s Board of Teacher Education and Certification (known as BTEC) that would allow the students to qualify for a “Standard A” (later the “Professional A”) Teaching Certificate. The option of creating a unique certificate that would be recognized in northern areas only was considered by the Board, but rejected.

Over time, of course, the practice of program governance has evolved, but the essential shape of the original vision has persisted, including the notion that the Board should consist of elected representatives. Although the election of representatives was, and is, to another board (e.g., to the Northern Lights Board of Education, the Île-à-la Crosse Board of Education, or a FN Band Council), nonetheless, the principle of being accountable to northerners has been maintained. The pressure of the realities of governing a post-secondary institution, of course, called for changes on the part of the school board (Northern Lights School Division). Initially, the Board allotted time for NORTEP somewhere on its regular agenda of items (wherever it could be squeezed in). Later, it became a full day at the end of regular school board business meetings; and later still, the Board incorporated itself as a distinct legal entity (as the Northern

From the beginning NORTEP was, therefore, an unusual creation: Its infrastructure belonged to a school board, while its academic program belonged to the participating universities (the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina).

The dominant society structure was colonial; the new initiative (NORTEP) was an exercise in selfdetermination and decolonization.

Teacher Education Program Inc.) under the Non-Profit Corporations Act. Eventually, of course, a Board of Governors has been created that includes even broader representation.

From an impact perspective, all of this rather unusual organizational development reflects the pressures of mounting a serious intervention in the face of reluctance and even resistance. It cannot be denied that the elected northern trustees were challenging dominant society institutions. They certainly challenged the pace of change and probably even the principle. They felt they could not wait any longer for a teacher education program that was based in the North; and, they wanted to retain a significant measure of control of the shape of the program’s development. Initially, students were actually employees of the school board (they held contracts as Native Instructors). Even after employee status was eclipsed in favour of student status, the Board continued to ensure that NORTEP students would have field placements in the schools that were owned and operated by the Division.

If the first wave of organizational development reflected self-determination in the spirit of decolonization, the second wave of development was needed to address broader political realities and issues. Although there is quite a strong generic identity attached to the notion of “northerner,” there are also fairly deep political and even racial divisions evident within, and amongst, the northern population and its communities. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, First Nation, Métis, and Non-Status, all have a distinctive place, and often within a distinct legal framework within the larger northern umbrella.

In the face of these divisions, NORTEP has endeavored to be collaborative, working together with others to meet shared needs and achieve common educational goals. It sees strength in unity and, for this reason, has consistently endeavored to find appropriate organizational expression for these common interests. Ultimately, it can be seen that NORTEP-NORPAC has attempted to create a balance of these interests within the constraints of its original mission and mandate.

Although NORTEP’s mission focused on the need to improve the access of northern Aboriginal students to post-secondary education, its selection criteria focused on ‘northern residency’, with a preference for speakers of an Aboriginal language. By the early 1990s, still within these criteria, the program also began admitting some non-Aboriginal students. Currently, 91% of NORTEP-NORPAC graduates are Aboriginal, and 9% are non-Aboriginal. This pronounced, but not exclusive balance towards Aboriginal students maintains NORTEPNORPAC’s original mission; it works to redress the under-representation of Aboriginal northerners in post-secondary education without restricting entrance in an exclusive or merely ideological way.

Originally, NORTEP recruited students for placement in the schools of the Northern Lights and Île-à-la Crosse school divisions. The candidates were primarily Métis and Non-Status Indians. Within a few years, however, applications were received from Band-controlled schools and, after some discussion; the Board approved the expansion of the program to include First

Nations students and communities. Ultimately, Treaty students would enter the program from all of the northern First Nations. For many years now the Aboriginal student population has consisted of (roughly) half non-Treaty and half Treaty students. In time, this proportional representation found expression in the program’s governance structure.

In 1991, a transition was made from NORTEP Council Inc. to a larger and more inclusive “Board of Governors.” The Board of Governors that was created embraces three school divisions (Northern Lights, Île-à-la Crosse, and Creighton) and two major First Nation Councils (the Prince Albert Grand Council and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council). This governance coalition includes the largest school division in the province (geographically speaking) and two of the largest First Nations in Canada (the Peter Ballantyne First Nation and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band). In legal terms, the transition was accomplished by the NORTEP Council Inc. delegating its decision-making powers to the larger “Board of Governors.” This broad, northern coalition of provincial and First Nation organizations—embracing Métis, non-Status, First Nations, and non-Aboriginal peoples—may be unique in Canada.

Here again, a novel governance structure signified deeper forces and realities. Without blurring political lines or identities, the advent of the NORTEP-NORPAC Board of Governors created a mechanism for collaboration between different northern peoples in post-secondary education. In the spirit of self-determination, First Nations, Métis and non-Aboriginal peoples would, henceforward, be able to work towards common goals and interests. Without ignoring boundaries and identities, the change signaled a major effort to transcend divisions in the world of Aboriginal education. The balance of this coalition, with by far the largest voice belonging to First Nation and Métis peoples, also ensured that the self-determination would have a decolonizing impact.

Board of govenors 1995 and Harold schultz (Director); Allen Kallal (secretary/Treasurer)