Federal budget ties First Nations youth benefits to training participation

The federal government's 2013 budget ties much of the government assistance funding for Aboriginal youth to training participation. The budget calls for $241 million over 5 years "to improve the on-reserve Income Assistance Program to help ensure First Nations youth can access the skills and training they need to secure employment." But "benefits will depend on participation in training as per current practice in their province of residence," the budget documents state. The budget also allocates $10 million over 2 years for Indspire to distribute PSE scholarships and bursaries to First Nations and Inuit students, and $5 million over 5 years to expand an Aboriginal business studies program at Cape Breton University, providing the institution finds matching funds from the private sector. Budget Plan | National Post | CBC | APTN | Indspire News Release