FNUC loses lucrative tenant

WHITECAP DAKOTA FIRST NATION — First Nations University of Canada is facing a financial hit of $1.4 million per year after failing to secure renewal of a rental agreement with the federal government in the university’s flagship Regina building.

Conflicting accounts of events were given Thursday by university and government officials.

The news was first made public in a speech to Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) delegates Thursday afternoon by First Nations University board member David Sharpe.

“We had a hunch the government was going to pull the rug out from under our

“WE HAD A HUNCH THE GOVERNMENT WAS GOING TO PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDER OUR FEET, AND THEY DID.”

DAVID SHARPE

feet, and they did,” Sharpe said.

The federal government rental agreement represented more than eight per cent of the university’s total budget. The federal government gave official notice in a letter on Oct. 16. It had occupied two full floors, covering 40,000 square feet in the building. The structure was designed by First Nations architect Douglas Cardinal and sits adjacent to the University of Regina campus.

The government, however, says it is leaving because the university did not submit a bid to extend its rental agreement. Jodi Woollam, communications manager for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada’s Saskatchewan office, on Thursday said the contract expires at the end of March.

“There was an official process run by Public Works and Government Services Canada for a request for proposals, and from what I understand, (the university) didn’t bid on that,” Woollam said.

She said federal officials love working in the university building and wanted to stay.

The university’s acting president, Juliano Tupone, offered a third perspective.

Tupone admitted there was a “disconnect” in communication.

“We may not have followed the process,” Tupone said.

University officials did not submit a formal bid to Public Works, but the federal government was informed verbally and in writing many times by university and FSIN officials, he said, adding FSIN Chief Perry Bellegarde even hand-delivered a letter to AANDC Minister Bernard Valcourt stating the university’s intention to extend the rental agreement.

Sharpe said the university will need to aggressively pursue corporate partnerships, but many officials across Canada believe “First Nations University is still in the penalty box.” He said all delegates must work hard to promote the university.

Sharpe cautioned against a resolution and debate which would have removed some board members. He said they have a plan and need three more years to find stable funding sources.

“We will be leaning on every connection we have. There is a plan,” he said.

He said removing him or others would be looked on negatively by other levels of government.

Some chiefs said the school is not hiring enough First Nations people, but Sharpe said 16 of the last 19 hirings were First Nations people.

— with Leader-Post files from Vanessa Brown