BC Métis Federation has received an invitation to attend an Indigenous languages legislation engagement session, to provide input into a policy document to draft language legislation for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Below is an excerpt from a letter addressed to the BC Métis Federation from the Federal Government, inviting representatives to attend engagement sessions taking place in Vancouver later this month.
To Executive Director:
On December 6, 2016, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that the Government of Canada is committed to enact an Indigenous Languages Act, co-developed with Indigenous people. On June 15, 2017, Canadian Heritage, the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis Nation launched the co-development process for Indigenous languages legislation and stated that they will work “collaboratively, transparently and on a distinctions-basis to co-develop national First Nations, Inuit and Métis languages legislation whose content will reflect the distinct geographic, political, legislative and cultural contexts impacting language revitalization, recoverery, preservation, protection, maintenance and promotion”.
Canadian Heritage, the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis Nation have engaged with First Nation, Inuit and Métis language experts and knowledge keepers through an “Early Engagement” period from June 2017 to February 2018. This work has led to the development of overarching principles that outlines the core elements that would be proposed in the legislation.
We are seeking your input on these elements prior to introducing a Bill into the House of Commons for Parliamentary consideration.
[ilink url=”https://bcmetis.com/wp-content/uploads/Indigenous-Languages-Legislation-Sessions.pdf” style=”download”]Click here to view the letter as a PDF[/ilink]
