Ottawa commits money for language protection (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Ottawa commits money for language protection
http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=nor_languages20040304

WebPosted Mar 4 2004 09:19 AM CST

YUKON - Ottawa is renewing funding for grassroots programming to keep
Aboriginal languages alive in the territory.

Yukon Member of Parliament Larry Bagnell presented a cheque for $2.2
million to the Yukon government Wednesday.

Janet Moodie, Yukon's deputy minister overseeing Aboriginal affairs,
says the government is committed to protecting Aboriginal languages.

"This is the fourth such agreement that the Yukon government has had
with the federal government around the protection, revitalization and
development of Yukon Aboriginal languages," she says. "An important
principle of this particular program, one that has been referred to as
the Yukon model, is that Yukon Aboriginal people are the stewards of
their languages."

Moodie says First Nations and native groups can apply for funding to
support and strengthen their languages and in the past, activities have
included language classes and culture camps.

Moodie says it's not clear whether these efforts are making a
difference. The Yukon government is just finishing a new study on
fluency rates.