Can a First Nation opt out of jurisdiction?
There are several steps to becoming a Participating First Nation and most of these allow for opting out, however, once the Canada-First Nation Agreement has been finalized, including ratification by the Participating First Nation, there is no opting out. What does it mean if you can not opt out? It means that the Participating First Nation will continue to hold jurisdiction even if they choose to vacate the field at a future date. That means the jurisdiction will be dormant and they will have to negotiate alternate ways of ensuring that their members continue to have access to quality education services. Alternatives may include agreements with either public or Independent schools, or with other First Nations schools. If the community continues to provide those services directly, education funding will revert to the levels for non-Participating First Nation, and they will no longer receive funding for education governance. If they have a five year agreement, it will revert upon the ann
