Language Preservation Funding Slashed by $160M Natives Protest on Parliament Hill
With handmade signs, Akwesasne Mohawk students join the rally on Parliament Hill to protest the cuts to Language funds. Photos: Nonni Cook Peters
December 5, 2006 - Parliament Hill was the gathering place for the‘National Protest to Save Our Legacy,’ a response by Aborigingal leaders to the massive $160 million reduction in Native Language Preservation by the Federal government.
In 2002, the Liberal governnment Heritage Minister budgeted $172.5 million over 11 years for protection, preservation and maintainance of Aboriginal languages. This funding is vital to First Nations efforts to develop language curriculum in their schools, and to provide resources to students for language aqcuisiotion. Many First Nations have implemented language education programs in recent years in an effort to preserve the hundreds of ancient Aboriginal languages close to extinction throughout Canada.
Under the new Conservative government, Heritage Minister Bev Oda is set to implement a cut in this funding to $5 million a year over 10 years, slashing the pot by $160 million.
A 2001 survey showed that a mere 24 per cent of North American Indians, Inuit and Metis have functional fluency in their traditional Aboriginal language, a startling decrease from a 1996/97 survey that showed 29% fluency among Natives.
First Nations peoples from all over Canada, including dozens of Akwesasne students, parents and community leaders, gathered on Parliament Hill to protest this dramatic reduction of funds for language education. Leaders from the Chiefs of Ontario, including Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Tim Thompson, addressed the crowd of hundreds about the importance of preserving Aboriginal languages. Grand Chief Thompson, along with the M ohawk Council of Akwesasne, “supports the initiative to maintain the necessary funding for all native languages in order to prevent the negative impact it will have on… schools and community.”
