Language and culture

The Indigenous Languages Act received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019, to support the reclamation, revitalization, maintaining and strengthening of Indigenous languages in Canada. Under section 6 of the act entitled 'Rights Related to Indigenous Languages', the Government of Canada recognizes that the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, includes rights related to Indigenous languages.

The overall purpose of the act is to support the efforts of Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages. Included within the act is the purpose of establishing a framework to facilitate the effective exercise of Indigenous peoples rights that relate to Indigenous languages, including by way of agreements referred to in sections 8 and 9.

Under these sections of the act, Canadian Heritage may enter into agreements or arrangements with provincial or territorial governments, Indigenous governments or other Indigenous governing bodies, Indigenous organizations or other entities to coordinate efforts to efficiently and effectively support Indigenous languages in Canada and to further the purposes of the act.

The Government of Canada is piloting 2 pathfinder initiatives to support more language activities. These include:

• a 6-year project started in 2019 to 2020 to fund the Nisga'a Lisims government's language revitalization plan. This plan includes gathering and collecting information on Nisga'a language, culture and traditional practices to assist Nisga'a Nation efforts to maintain and strengthen the Nisga'a language within the Nation
• in collaboration with the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, a 5 year project to revitalize and strengthen Inuktut in Nunavut by increasing access to Inuktut-language instruction, maintaining the number of proficient Inuktut-speaking Inuit educators, creating support mechanisms for educators and establishing the Nunavut Partnership Table on Language and Education

Canadian Heritage will continue to work collaboratively with Indigenous partners to fully implement the legislation and identify opportunities for further agreements Sections 8 and 9 of the act.

With the Royal Assent of the act this call to action is now completed.

On June 21, 2019, the Indigenous Languages Act received Royal Assent and sets out a number of purposes and mechanisms, including:

• creating an Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages
• establishing measures to facilitate the provision of adequate, sustainable and long-term funding for the reclamation, revitalization, maintenance and strengthening of Indigenous languages
• providing for agreements or arrangements under sections 8 and 9 to support Indigenous language revitalization and preservation with Indigenous governments or organizations and provinces and territories including in areas of provincial or territorial jurisdiction
• recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples recognized and affirmed under sec. 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, including rights related to Indigenous languages
• facilitating meaningful opportunities for Indigenous governments and other Indigenous governing bodies and Indigenous organizations to collaborate in policy development related to the implementation of this act
• outlining federal institutions' role in providing access to services in Indigenous languages where capacity and demand exists, subject to established regulations or agreements
• requiring parliamentary reviews every 3 years and independent reviews every 5 years

A Joint Implementation Steering Committee has been created for the purpose of working together on the implementation of the act. The committee is made up of representatives of the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis National Council and Canadian Heritage.

On June 21, 2019, the Indigenous Languages Act received Royal Assent. The act establishes the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, consisting of the commissioner and up to 3 directors who have the ability to represent the interests of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis languages.

Under the act, the office is mandated to:

• promote public awareness and understanding about Indigenous languages
• support the efforts of Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen Indigenous languages
• support innovative projects and the use of new technologies
• facilitate the resolution of disputes and review complaints
• conduct research or studies regarding the provision of funding for the purposes of supporting Indigenous languages or the use of Indigenous languages in Canada, including for the purposes of measuring the vitality of those languages or identifying measures to restore and maintain fluency in those languages

Under the act, the office will be required to table a report for Parliament annually that assesses the:

• use and vitality of Indigenous languages in Canada
• needs of Indigenous groups, communities and peoples and entities that are specialized in Indigenous languages and the progress made in revitalizing, reclaiming, maintaining and strengthening of Indigenous languages
• adequacy of funding provided by the Government of Canada for Indigenous languages
• progress on the implementation of the act

Post-secondary institutions lead the response to Call to Action 16.

Many jurisdictions have either made an amendment to their legislation to waive fees or have the authority to do so. The jurisdictions will continue this practice on an ongoing basis. Nova Scotia has expanded the legislative amendment to also include individuals that were part of the Sixties Scoop.

Provincial and territorial vital statistics offices are responsible for name changes. In its capacity as co-chair of the Vital Statistics Council for Canada, a federal, provincial and territorial advisory group, Statistics Canada is supporting key federal departments, such as Indigenous Services Canada (status cards) and Employment and Social Development Canada (social insurance number cards) for name changes. Through its role as co-chair, Statistics Canada has raised the awareness of the importance associated with the process of name reclaiming.

Name changes for status cards, passports and social insurance number cards are under federal responsibility and all administrative fees have been waived when requests have been received from Indigenous peoples asking for such a change. Similarly, name changes for birth certificates, driver's licenses and health cards are under provincial or territorial responsibility and provinces and territories are waiving fees for name changes on such documents where relevant requests have been received.