What we Heard Report: Consultations on the Implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act — November 6, 2020 — National

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 had the following comments to share with respect to roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages:

• Promote greater understanding of the value and importance of Indigenous languages;
• Gather, facilitate and create networks for improved sharing of information, resources and best practices on Indigenous language revitalization across Canada;
• Partner with Indigenous Services Canada on Indigenous languages in the education system; and
• Maintain a focus on Indigenous languages, and connect with and engage the grassroots.

Participants also expressed some concerns about whether one Commissioner and three Directors would be enough to carry out the significant work required to revitalize Indigenous languages, in addition to handling complaints and disputes.

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

Many participants spoke about how the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages should focus on structuring itself in such a way to best meet the needs of Indigenous communities and respond to the variety of languages, states of languages and regional differences.

There were suggestions to combine a regionalized and national approach for the Office. Some options on how to design this included:

• The three Directors could each represent a certain region of the country and have a specialized understanding of the languages, communities, expertise and needs of their respective regions;
• Regional entities could be created, perhaps along the lines of languages or language groups, to provide the link between communities and the Office; and
• Look at the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages or other existing decentralized models for inspiration.

Many participants thought that another early priority for the Office should be identifying and engaging with partners at all levels to develop a baseline study of the state of various languages and dialects, then build on that knowledge to create a long-term, national strategic plan for Indigenous languages, with increased vitality as a goal. Participants suggested this work should align with efforts underway on the upcoming United Nations Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Selection of a Commissioner and Directors:

Participants thought that appointees to the Office should be:

• Indigenous, passionate and well informed about Indigenous languages; and
• Experienced in the work of revitalizing Indigenous languages.

Some participants noted that academic requirements should be flexible, given the inequities in access to higher education often faced by Indigenous people.

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:

• Prioritize critically endangered languages, but without leaving any behind as most Indigenous languages face challenges;
• Provide a baseline amount for each language, with additional funding provided for the more endangered languages;
• Include a population-based component; and
• Allocate funding by Nation or by treaty.

Many participants stated that current funding levels are inadequate, drawing comparisons to funding provided for official languages.

What to Fund:

Participants thought that funding should always remain focused on Indigenous languages and the funding model should be flexible enough to support a range of efforts, including:

• Efforts to revitalize Indigenous languages outside the mainstream education system, such as language nests, land-based learning, early learning centres, adult immersion programs;
• The development and implementation of community language plans, including community Indigenous languages commissions or other entities;
• Efforts that focus on the oral component of languages first, then reading and writing; and
• Teacher training, including efforts to recruit more men to teach their languages, and a range of child-focused efforts.

Funding Process:

According to participants, the funding process should:

• Result in predictable, multi-year funding – funding for Indigenous languages should not be project-based;
• Flow funding directly to communities or to Indigenous-led institutions and organizations; and
• Be community-driven.

Defining and Measuring Success:

Participants thought that communities themselves should define success and determine how best to measure it. Some examples of success could include grassroots-level satisfaction with their work on language revitalization and the movement of Indigenous languages towards better health.

Additional Comments

Participants frequently spoke about the need for ongoing Indigenous oversight on the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act. Participants also emphasized the key role that Indigenous women play in the transmission of Indigenous languages and the importance of ensuring they are included as we move forward. Some participants also shared their experience about the tireless and sometimes exhausting nature of the work involved in revitalizing Indigenous languages.