Historic legislation aimed at protecting the languages First Nations peoples have spoken for millennia was introduced in Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday.
Bill C-91 comes as the the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues its efforts of make amends for horrific past abuses inflicted on the country’s native peoples.
The proposed legislation sets up the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, a federal entity tasked at protecting, promoting and revitalizing Indigenous languages.
The Department of Canadian Heritage, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the Métis Nation co-developed the legislation.
Kindergarten students Haley Akavak and Nikolas Firman take turns learning Inuktitut with a language app at Iqaluit’s Nakasuk School. (Sara Minogue/CBC)
It follows a Statistics Canada report in the fall of of 2017 indicating that as the Indigenious population was growing rapidly, so was the use of their native tongues.
However, that study was followed by other reports that warned that many Indigenous languages were in danger of dying.
Praised by some and panned some others,the new legislation has language advocates wondering how it is going to benefit their communities.
“This legislation will support First Nations efforts to keep their languages alive, vital and strong.
“Canadians and all parliamentarians must support this bill because we all understand that language is identity, language is culture, language is life.”
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