Public dialogue on protecting Indigenous languages in Quebec

The Quebec government held a public dialogue on the enhancement, promotion and protection of Indigenous languages ​​and linguistic heritage in Quebec in Montreal Friday.

One of the main questions asked to those participating was: how can the government support Indigenous communities in their efforts to preserve their languages?

Members from various communities and organizations voiced their opinions on the realities of their peoples.

Susieann Kudluk from Nunavik. (Alyssia Rubertucci, CityNews image)

“I hope that we start new initiatives to preserve our language and to include the Inuit language in the province of Quebec,” said Susieann Kudluk, from Nunavik, who came to the conference to advocate for Inuit youth.

“It’s really important to be here because language preserving our language is also preserving our culture at the same time,” she said. “I think it’s really important for us to preserve our culture given that so many years that we’ve been suppressed and they tried to take our language away, but we’re getting it back now.”

“Our community in Kahnawà:ke is predominantly English speaking because we’ve lost so much of our language,” said Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) Grand Chief, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer.

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The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Ian Lafrenière, says he initially wanted to create a provincial bill to protect their languages, but says they’ll continue to meet with the communities and find a solution.

“We don’t consider Indigenous peoples, First Nations, Inuit, as other people that just got to this country,” Lafrenière said. “They were there before us, so we want to do something custom built for them.”

“If they really want it to be genuine and finding a solution after Bill 96, we got to go to the source,” said Grand Chief Sky-Deer. “The source is the French charter. The charter has been implemented now since 1977. Gve us an exemption to that.”

The exercise is taking place without the support of Indigenous leaders.

Chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) held their own sessions across the hall from the government conference, in opposition to their approach.

“We know that is it’s within our authority and responsibility,” said Sky-Deer during her opening remarks. “What we recognize as First People or original inhabitants of this land to continue to speak the language of our ancestors and to continue to practice the ways of how we know about our relationship with our Mother Earth, with our cycle of ceremonies, in the way that we understand and our role and responsibility of how to be in this world.”

“Exercising our responsibility when it comes to indigenous languages,” said Ghislain Picard, AFN Regional Chief for Québec-Labrador. “Ultimately we’re the only legitimate authority that can do that.”

Sky-Deer says she wants her community to be exempt from Quebec’s language charter, saying it adds unnecessary barriers to the mostly English-speaking communities.

“You forgot about the 11 nations and the Inuit who were here first, and our languages and cultures matter,” she said.

Four discussions were planned in Quebec over the last few weeks, the first two in Val D’Or and Uashat. The last one is set for June 16 in Kuujjuaq.

“I’m very proud to be Inuk and we should all come together and respect each other,” said Kudluk.