Today’s the deadline to apply for the $3,000 residential school personal education credits, but the federal government is considering an extension.
The federal Minister of Aboriginal Affairs told parliament Thursday that his department is negotiating to extend the deadline.
Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus says that creates an opportunity to discuss the agreement further with the federal government.
He says there’s a lot of confusion about the credits and what they can be used for.
“This review shouldn’t take too long because we know what the problems are,” Erasmus says.
“In the meantime we should take a look at what it is that will make this agreement work as to what was originally intended.”
Erasmus also says students that still want to apply should do so.
Erasmus says about 80,000 former students are eligible for the credit.
So far, only about 10,000 have applied, and many of those have been rejected.
