What we Heard Report: Consultations on the Implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act — October 15, 2020 — Métis National Council

Context

The Government of Canada is undertaking a variety of consultation activities across Canada on the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act, with a focus on the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages and Directors and the Indigenous Languages Funding Model.

These consultation sessions will help the Minister of Canadian Heritage make recommendations to the Governor in Council for the appointment of a Commissioner of Indigenous Languages and up to three Directors. Feedback from these sessions will also inform the development of the Indigenous Languages Funding Model.

For further details and information about the Indigenous Languages Act and current consultations, we invite you to read our Discussion guide: Consultations and Engagement on the Implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act.

A summary of the most recent consultation session is provided below. The summary is not a complete account of the discussions. Instead, it highlights the key themes that emerged from this consultation session. Please visit the online consultation portal and review the discussion guide to share your own and/or additional views.

Participants’ Overall Comments and Suggestions

Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages

The following considerations and themes were raised during the discussion on the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages:

Roles and Responsibilities:

Participants indicated that it was important that the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages:

• Communicate with a diverse range of people and groups, engaging them to establish relationships critical to maintaining continuity over time;
• Understand the intrinsic connection between language and culture;
• Establish a presence in the Métis homeland, visit communities and be accessible and approachable to Indigenous people;
• Build relationships with provinces and work from a whole-of-government approach at the federal level; and
• Prioritize community-level efforts and the importance of Elders in their work.

Plans and Priorities and Early Successes - Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages:

Participants identified the following critical areas the Office should immediately focus on:

• Indigenous language needs of overlooked populations (e.g. persons with disabilities, families involved in the child and family services system, incarcerated and homeless populations);
• Community-based language assessments and language plans;
• Community-level capacity building; and
• Sharing of best practices in Indigenous languages revitalization efforts and the creation of an accessible resources repository.

Some participants acknowledged that the task ahead and the expectations on the Office are significant.

Selection of a Commissioner and Directors:

Participants proposed that appointees to the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages should be:

• Indigenous - many specified that there should be Métis Nation/Michif language representation specifically, and others suggested that the Commissioner position itself be represented by the distinctions-based groups on a rotating basis;
• Experienced and deeply committed in the work of Indigenous language revitalization; and
• Knowledgeable in how the federal government works.

Participants also mentioned the importance of having a level of awareness of communities and their histories, and an understanding that efforts to revitalize Indigenous languages start at the community level.

Indigenous Languages Funding Model

The following considerations and themes were raised during the discussion on the proposed Indigenous Languages Funding Model:

Language Vitality and Governance Capacity:

According to participants, the Indigenous Languages Funding Model should not be based on the number of Indigenous languages or speakers. Rather, the model should:

• Prioritize critically endangered languages;
• Reflect a distinctions-based approach;
• Provide a fair and equitable allocation for the Métis Nation; and
• Reflect a Nation-to-Nation approach.

Participants noted that communities and practitioners know what needs to be done and know how to do it – what they need now are adequate resources to implement their plans.

What to Fund:

According to participants, the funding model has to be flexible enough to support a broad variety of activities, from language nests to programming that focuses on new adult speakers, including parents, and families, schools, daycares, and teacher training.

Many participants also mentioned the importance of using technology (online learning, mobile apps) and various media in efforts to revitalize Indigenous languages and that innovation should be encouraged and supported. Finally, many commented on the need to fund efforts to connect language learning with cultural activities and language gatherings, all while involving and supporting fluent speakers and Elders.

Funding Process:

According to participants, the funding process should:

• Result in predictable, long-term, multi-year funding;
• Be timely; and
• Ensure that funding is accessible to communities.

Many participants stressed that a long-term commitment to revitalizing Indigenous languages is required.

Defining and Measuring Success:

Many participants indicated that defining and measuring success cannot be one-size-fits-all and that it is up to communities to do this. Others mentioned that some indicators of success include having new speakers, hearing Michif spoken more in communities and in homes, and increased pride in Métis language and identity. Some participants emphasized the link between language and healing and wellness.

Additional Comments

Participants raised a number of other points, including:

• Michif is a unique language not spoken anywhere else in the world and is critically endangered. It is the official language of the Métis Nation, but Métis people speak other Indigenous languages too.
• Indigenous languages are tied to culture and identity. They are the languages of the land, embody Indigenous stories and history and are alive in Indigenous communities.
• It is important to strive for inclusion in the language, specifically for LGBTQ2 people.
• A distinctions-based approach to the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act and to related consultations is required.
• Indigenous languages were taken from Indigenous Peoples, and current legislation and policy around Indigenous languages is written in a colonial language and from a colonial perspective.

Many participants expressed the need for a Canada-Métis Nation Language Accord.