The Government of Canada Supports National Michif Language Conference (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Jan 03, 2008 12:00 ET
The Government of Canada Supports National Michif Language Conference
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=806974

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Jan. 3, 2008) - On behalf of the
Honourable Josee Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and
Official Languages, the Honourable Carol Skelton, Member of Parliament
(Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar), today announced funding for the Gabriel Dumont
Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research.

Funding of $60,000 will allow the organization to host the 7th National Michif
Language Conference. The goals of the conference are to increase the number of
Michif speakers, expand opportunities for speaking Michif, and ensure greater
numbers of children and young people learn the language.

"The Government of Canada supports the preservation and promotion of First
Nations, Inuit, and Metis languages," said Minister Verner. "We are pleased to
help preserve the Michif language, which is an important aspect of Metis
culture."

"Language is an integral part of a people's culture. To ensure that Metis
communities in Canada thrive and that their culture survives, we must help
protect the Michif language," said Ms. Skelton. "We are proud to support the
Gabriel Dumont Institute's efforts in this regard."

"The Gabriel Dumont Institute is pleased to receive funding to host the 7th
Annual Michif Language Conference, March 14 and 15, 2008, in Saskatoon. This
event will bring Michif speakers from across the Metis Homeland together for
the renewal and retention of our languages and culture," said Geordy McCaffrey,
Executive Director of the Gabriel Dumont Institute.

The Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research is a
not-for-profit organization that provides Metis people in Saskatchewan with the
opportunity to obtain training and education.

The Government of Canada will provide funding through the Department of Canadian
Heritage and its Aboriginal Languages Initiative, which provides support to
Aboriginal organizations and communities to maintain and revitalize Aboriginal
languages for future generations by increasing the number of Aboriginal
language speakers and by encouraging language transmission from generation to
generation.

The Aboriginal Languages Initiative provides $5 million per year to support the
preservation and promotion of Aboriginal languages by encouraging the use of
these languages in community and family settings.