The province of Saskatchewan announced that it will cut off all funding by April 1 to the First Nations University of Canada because it have lost confidence in the school after a major funding scandal.
Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris said the province will no longer provide $5.2 million which is about one fifth of the university’s funding.
According to the Canadian Press, Norris said, “For years, there has been uncertainty swirling around this institution. Instead of getting better, we’ve seen the intensification of this trouble.” He said the decision was made after a provincial cabinet meeting.
According to CP, the school has been surrounded by controversy for five years due to ongoing issues with the management and alleged financial irregularities.
The university’s former Chief Financial Officer, Murray Westerlund, has filed a wrongful dismissal suit claming that senior administrators and staff received thousands of dollars in payments for unused leave. In an audit report he submitted prior to his departure, Westerlund alluded to questionable expense claims for trips to Las Vegas, Montreal and Hawaii.
A financial audit has been ordered and will be completed by March.
There is no word yet if Indian and Northern Affairs, who give the school $7.2 million annually, would be withdrawing their funding. The federal government is also holding back $1.2 million because it’s waiting for the governance review.
The province of Saskatchewan announced that it will cut off all funding by April 1 to the First Nations University of Canada because it have lost confidence in the school after a major funding scandal.
Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris said the province will no longer provide $5.2 million which is about one fifth of the university’s funding.
According to the Canadian Press, Norris said, “For years, there has been uncertainty swirling around this institution. Instead of getting better, we’ve seen the intensification of this trouble.” He said the decision was made after a provincial cabinet meeting.
According to CP, the school has been surrounded by controversy for five years due to ongoing issues with the management and alleged financial irregularities.
The university’s former Chief Financial Officer, Murray Westerlund, has filed a wrongful dismissal suit claming that senior administrators and staff received thousands of dollars in payments for unused leave. In an audit report he submitted prior to his departure, Westerlund alluded to questionable expense claims for trips to Las Vegas, Montreal and Hawaii.
A financial audit has been ordered and will be completed by March.
There is no word yet if Indian and Northern Affairs, who give the school $7.2 million annually, would be withdrawing their funding. The federal government is also holding back $1.2 million because it’s waiting for the governance review.
