Ottawa invests in Aboriginal language projects (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Ottawa invests in Aboriginal language projects

April 2, 2007 - by Joseph Quesnel
http://www.firstperspective.ca/fp_combo_template.php?path=20070402lang

The Ministry of Canadian Heritage will be making a significant investment in
community-based Aboriginal language retention.

Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women,
announced recently a commitment of $232,470 in funding for the Assembly of
First Nations (AFN) Alberta Regional Office to support community-based
First Nations language projects in Alberta.

"Canada's New Government is pleased to support an organization that works on
a national level to preserve and promote First Nation, Inuit and Métis
languages," said Minister Oda. "The strength of these languages is
important for Canada's First Nations communities, and they are an important
part of Canada's shared heritage."

"Our Government is proud to support the efforts of the AFN Alberta Regional
Office to preserve ten First Nations languages," said Mr. Calkins. "For
Aboriginal groups in the regions, these languages, cultures and traditions
are an important part of their identity, and they are a part of the rich
heritage of all Canadians."

The AFN Alberta Regional Office works in cooperation with the Confederacy of
Treaty 6 First Nations, Treaty 7 Management Corporation, and Treaty 8 First
Nations of Alberta to manage and distribute funds to their respective
communities across the province of Alberta.

The ten languages supported through this funding include Cree, Dene, Beaver,
Chipewyan, Saulteaux, Nakota, Blackfoot, Kainai, Peikani, and Tsuu T'ina.

Selected projects include language workshops, language classes, teacher
training, language documentation, immersion camps, Elders reading programs,
and the development of language learning materials.

The federal government, in a press release, said they provided this funding
through the Aboriginal Languages Initiative, which forms part of the
Department of Canadian Heritage's Aboriginal Peoples' Program. The
Aboriginal Languages Initiative provides $5 million per year to support the
preservation, revitalization and promotion of Aboriginal languages by
facilitating the use of these languages in community and family settings.