There is SA国际影视传媒渕uch that needs to be improvedSA国际影视传媒� in the Indigenous Languages Act, says Ronald E. Ignace, but the federal legislation provides a starting point.

SA国际影视传媒淥ne of the things in the co-development of the act, one of the things that we wanted to ensure, is that the act be like a living agreement, that it will grow with us through time,SA国际影视传媒� said Ignace.

He was appointed in 2021 as CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 first commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages (OCIL). His appointment came two years after the Indigenous Languages Act was passed. And only this past June was the commissionSA国际影视传媒檚 head office officially opened in Ottawa.

The legislation recognizes the SA国际影视传媒渞ights of Indigenous peoples related to Indigenous laws,SA国际影视传媒� but its power comes in the implementation process, says Ignace.

SA国际影视传媒淲hat will bring back our languages is what Indigenous people, leaders and Canada do with that legislation. That will lead to transformative change to our languages. That will give voice to our traditions, customs and laws on the land,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Ignace is clear that it is not the role of the commissionerSA国际影视传媒檚 office to determine how the act will grow and change. His office will ensure that the Heritage minister, under whose department the legislation falls, consults with Indigenous people, who will SA国际影视传媒渄efine what the needs are going forward (and) the commission will be there to support them in that endeavour.SA国际影视传媒�

And among those needs is adequate, sustainable, and long-term funding. Indigenous languages programs are currently funded by proposals on an annual basis.

More funding needed

At the first national meeting hosted by the commission in September on the traditional territory of the TkSA国际影视传媒檈mlups te Secwe虂pemc, Ignace heard what heSA国际影视传媒檚 been hearing for years: Funding has to change.

It was the same message he received in his previous positions as chair of the Ministerial Task Force on Aboriginal Languages and Cultures (2003-2005).

In 2016 to 2021, Ignace served as advisor to then Assembly of First Nations National Chief Perry Bellegarde on Indigenous languages and SA国际影视传媒榗o-developmentSA国际影视传媒� to make sure Metis and Inuit were well engaged as co-partners in the language legislation.

And the difference now, he says, is that there is legislation.

Legislation commits the government to go to Treasury Board and begin to be engaged in the resourcing of Indigenous languages.

SA国际影视传媒淯p until then itSA国际影视传媒檚 (been) up to the goodwill of the government,SA国际影视传媒� said Ignace.

However, he admits, legislation that urges funding doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 solve the issue entirely as the government battles SA国际影视传媒渉uge deficitsSA国际影视传媒� because of economic stimulation during the coronavirus pandemic.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 always hopeful that the government will recognize that if they are to achieve reconciliation that they have to invest in our languages and in the revitalization of our languages, because our language is tied to the land and it is important to our life,SA国际影视传媒� said Ignace.

On top of that, he says in his OCIL 2021-2022 inaugural annual report, the legislation lacks a definition for SA国际影视传媒渁dequateSA国际影视传媒� funding.

SA国际影视传媒淭o assess what is adequate, the objectives of the funding must be clearly defined,SA国际影视传媒� he wrote.

Despite 20-plus years of anecdotal knowledge regarding the lack of funding, OCIL is undertaking a review of the adequacy of resources for language revitalization.

OCIL is also undertaking a research project to determine the vitality of Indigenous languages across the country.

Ignace says that while Statistics Canada provides some information, the government agency doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 have a SA国际影视传媒渃lear understanding about Indigenous languagesSA国际影视传媒� and collection methodology has resulted in SA国际影视传媒渕ajor gaps and flaws.SA国际影视传媒�

Statistics Canada 2016 census points to declining growth and the aging of those who claim Indigenous languages as their mother tongue. However, at the same time, second-language acquisition among younger speakers is increasingly sustaining the growth of Indigenous language speakers.

SA国际影视传媒淗ow can weSA国际影视传媒� get a better understanding of the vitality of languages across Canada? Canada is a big country. We have many languages and great diversity. So itSA国际影视传媒檚 a complex question that will not be quite readily resolved,SA国际影视传媒� said Ignace.

Ignace says the commission is pushing for a whole-of-government approach to language revitalization and not solely rely on work to be undertaken by Canadian Heritage.

SA国际影视传媒淎ll departments, government agencies and entities must engage in the language because it took 150 years with the combined weight of the church and state to get our languages in the state that theySA国际影视传媒檙e in today. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 going to take a grand effort to reverse thisSA国际影视传媒�and move us towards realization of where we have our languages being heard across the country,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

In OCILSA国际影视传媒檚 recently released 2022-2023 annual report, Ignace notes that 15 key federal departments, agencies and entities were asked by the commission how they intended to contribute to the revitalization and use of Indigenous languages. Ten responses were received and indicated that some respondents SA国际影视传媒渕ay be grappling with understanding their respective obligations and the role their organization can play in the implementation of the act,SA国际影视传媒� wrote Ignace.

The commissioner says he has hope for the revitalization of Indigenous languages.

Ignace was raised by his great grandmother Sulyen Eneas and taught to speak Secwepemctsin. When he was ready to leave his community, she told him to learn all he could and then return home. He was called back by the Elders in 1982 to become chief of the Skeetchestn Indian Band and they told him to fight for their language.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd I never wavered on that. And I fought for all my years and was engaged in and party to and stood and fought alongside many great language warriors and learned from them,SA国际影视传媒� said Ignace.

He says groundbreaking work that is being done in Indigenous language communities shows him that SA国际影视传媒済iven the right resources, foundational support thatSA国际影视传媒檚 permanently sustained, we will, in the end, bring the vitality back into our languages.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒擝y Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, Windspeaker.com