Education is a provincial matter hence we have different curriculums in each province and different funding methods .
Funding in Ontario is much different than funding in B.C. say .
Off-reserve in-country education is a provincial matter. Education on-reserve and out-of-country are Federal responsibilities.
Education on reserves is covered by the Indian Act and a few other Federal laws. The education of the children of military personnel posted abroad andsometimes on-base falls under national defence, which is a Federal matter. On reserves and on military bases, the Federal Government will usually just adopt the curriculum of the surrounding province. Abroad, it will usually adopt the Ontario curriculum for reasons of convenience. In principle though, it would be well within its right to establish its own Federal school system in such cases if it wished to do so.
Additionally, minority English and French language education and the Separate confessional school systems are Constitutional and therefore both Federal and Provincial matters: the provinces administer these schools by Constitutional obligation but would need the consent of the Federal and other provincial governments to abrogate these obligations. In conclusion, education is just as much a Federal matter as it is a provincial one.
This is another problem in Canadian public education. I never learnt the Constitution at school. I had to read it of my own initiative. As a future voter at the time, I should have been required to read it.
Personally I would support the creation of a Federal curriculum and let provinces opt in and save money if they want. Same concept as the RCMP. Some provinces use it while others opt out.
