Question Period Note: Indigenous Languages Act

The Government acknowledges that there are no Indigenous Languages that are considered to be safe in Canada, and three-quarters of Indigenous languages in Canada are endangered. The Government has committed to ensuring that the Indigenous Languages Act is fully implemented in order to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages in Canada and committed to move forward with adequate, sustainable, and long term funding to support the full Implementation of the Act.

• On June 21, 2019, the Indigenous Languages Act received Royal Assent. This legislation is historic. It recognizes Indigenous peoples’ language rights and outlines how we will support them.
• Budget 2019 announced an investment of $333.7 million for five years with $115.7 million ongoing to support the implementation of the Act.
• Canadian Heritage is working collaboratively with Indigenous peoples to implement the Act and work towards the immediate objectives of appointing an Indigenous Languages Commissioner and up to three Directors along with developing an Indigenous Languages Investment Framework.
• As part of the Act’s obligations, the Government of Canada will be consulting with Indigenous governments, other Indigenous governing bodies and a variety of Indigenous organizations on these two items.

• On June 21, 2019, the Indigenous Languages Act (the Act) received Royal Assent and on August 29, 2019, all provisions, except those dealing with the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages came into force. The provision that deal with regulation making, Parliamentary and independent reviews and the establishment and operation of the Office of the Indigenous Languages Commissioner will come into force on the date of the appointment of the Commissioner or October 1, 2020, whichever comes first.
• The Act supports the meaningful implementation of Calls to Action 13, 14 and 15 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the federal government’s commitment to a nation-to-nation, government-to-government, or Inuit-Crown relationship.
• The new Act recognizes and supports all Indigenous languages in Canada and contains mechanisms to: a) establish measures for the provision of adequate, sustainable, long-term funding; b) support reclaiming, revitalizing and strengthening and maintenance of Indigenous languages; c) work with Indigenous peoples, the provinces and territories to create effective support for Indigenous languages in Canada through a variety of mechanisms; and, d) establish an Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages.
Budget 2019
• Budget 2019 provided $333.7 million over 5 years and $115.7 million on-going to support the implementation of the Act.
• Budget 2019 breakdown: 2019/2020 ($15 million); 2020/2021 ($44.1 million); 2021/2022 ($71.6 million); 2022/2023 ($87.2 million); 2023/2024 ($115.7 million – ongoing)
• Indigenous partners have expressed its concern that the Budget 2019 funding does not meet the commitment to “adequate” funding expressed in the Act.
• Budget 2019 money is in addition to existing funds that support Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting ($8 million/year) and 3 Territorial Language Accords (total $12.093 million – NU $5.1 million, NWT 5.9 million & YT 1.1 million)
Current Year - transition
• For this year, and the period of transition to a New Indigenous Languages Investment Framework under the Act, investments are being managed collaboratively under existing expanded Indigenous Languages and Culture program.
• Application #s – this year, Canadian Heritage received 320 applications vs 233 last year. This does not include the applications received by the Department’s 3 First Nation 3rd party service deliver organizations who administer $11.225M of this year’s $35M budget.
Implementation
• On December 13, 2019, the Minister of Canadian Heritage was mandated by the Prime Minister to “continue to fully implement the Act in order to preserve, promote and revitalize Indigenous languages in Canada, with long-term predictable and sufficient funding to support the implementation of the Act.”
• Canadian Heritage (PCH) officials have formed a Joint Implementation Steering Committee with the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council to discuss implementation of the Act. There has also been outreach to other Indigenous organizations such as the Native Women’s Association, among others, to seek their perspectives.
• In addition, PCH is working with officials at Crown-Indigenous Relations to seeking the views of self−governing communities and modern treaty signatories.
• Commissioner - PCH has collaboratively developed draft Key Accountabilities (i.e. principal responsibilities) for the positions of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, and Directors. These Key Accountabilities have been collaboratively developed with the Joint Implementation Steering Committee (JISC) comprised of representatives of the AFN, MNC and ITK and PCH. These two documents will form the basis for consultations with Indigenous peoples, as required by the Act.
• Consultations are currently planned to take place from early March to the end of May and will ensure that a variety of Indigenous governments and other Indigenous governing bodies and a variety of Indigenous organizations are consulted before the Minister makes appointment recommendations to the Governor-in-Council.
• The Act also gives the Minister an option to establish an Advisory Committee for the appointment of the Commissioner.
• The Minister of Canadian Heritage also has an obligation under the Act to consult on meeting the Act’s objective of facilitating mechanisms to provide adequate sustainable long-term funding. These consultations are also expected to begin in the coming months.
• On December 18, 2019, at the closing of the International Year of the World's Indigenous Languages, the United Nations announced that an International Decade of Indigenous Languages will officially begin in 2022 in order to build on current efforts and to highlight the imperative need to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages. Canada will work with Indigenous peoples to collaboratively develop a plan for Canada’s contribution to this Decade.
Inuit
• With respect to the Inuit’s request for Inuit specific legislation, the Government of Canada is moving forward to implement the Act in its current form as we believe it responds to the unique needs of all Indigenous distinctions. The Inuit are represented at the Joint Implementation Steering Committee and are fully participating.
• The Nunavut Pathfinder pilot project that was announced on September 9, 2019, is moving forward and work is underway with the key organizations to develop the initiative’s goals, objectives and detailed workplan.

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