Anishinabek create official language policy (fwd)

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Anishinabek create official language policy

21 June, 2006 Media release
http://www.firstperspective.ca/fp_template.php?path=20060622language

NIPISSING FIRST NATION - Chiefs of the 42 member communities of the
Anishinabek Nation have unanimously created an official language
policy.
During their June 12-14 annual Grand Council Assembly, the Chiefs
endorsed a resolution declaring that the official language of the
Anishinabek Nation is Anishinaabe-mowin, or the Ojibwe language.

"This is a historic decision for our First Nations, and a significant
step in coming out from under colonial rule and restoring our own
Nationhood," said John Beaucage, who was acclaimed by the Chiefs to
serve another term as their Grand Council Chief. The Grand Council
Assembly serves as a traditional annual gathering for member
communities of the Anishinabek Nation, as well as the annual general
meeting of the Union of Ontario Indians Inc.

"Our language is sacred, and protecting and restoring it is a priority
for our Chiefs," said Beaucage. "It is the vision of this official
language policy that our people will once again think in
Anishinaabe-mowin by ensuring that Ojibwe is once again the language of
our ceremonies, our gatherings, and our working life."

The official language policy is in step with the Anishinabek Nation's
unanimous support for the establishment of the
Anishinaabe-Mushkegowuk-Onkwehonwe Language Commission that will
support the language development needs of all First Nations in Ontario.
Outgoing Deputy Grand Chief Nelson Toulouse, who did not seek
re-election, was officially appointed as Commissioner to this new body
that was modeled after the Maori language commission in New Zealand.

The resolution states that "the Anishinabek Chiefs-in-Assembly hereby
declare that Anishinaabe-mowin, shall herein and forever, be the
official language of the Anishinabek Nation and "hereby acknowledge
that English is the language of the Crown and is a working language of
our people".

The official language policy also adopts immersion programs as the
preferred method of instruction in Anishinabek Nation schools.

"Ojibwe as a second language or conventional Ojibwe language instruction
shall be phased out in favour of immersion and fluency programs for
school-aged children," said Grand Council Chief Beaucage.

The resolution also calls for the establishment of workplace immersion
programs and learning opportunities for First Nation employees.

The resolution commits the Chiefs-in-Assembly to encourage and support
"opportunities for learning, and that each member of the Anishinabek
Nation civil service shall be granted two weeks of language development
leave and/or workplace language immersion programming."

Anishinabek Nation Headquarters on Nipissing First Nation will implement
the workplace language programming this summer. Satellite offices
located in Thunder Bay, Curve Lake and Muncey-Deleware will follow suit
soon after.

The 42 member First Nations will mandate and regulate the official
language policy through their respect Band Councils, Agencies, Boards
and Commissions by the year 2010.

The Anishinabek Nation incorporated the Union of Ontario Indians as its
secretariat in 1949. The UOI is a political advocate for 42 member
First Nations across Ontario. The UOI is the oldest political
organization in Ontario and can trace its roots back to the Confederacy
of Three Fires, which existed long before European contact.