This bill was last introduced in the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session, which ended in April 1997.
Not active
(This bill did not become law.)
All sorts of information on this bill is available at LEGISinfo, an excellent resource from the Library of Parliament.
February 25th, 2019 / 12:50 p.m.
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President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
We have challenges with this legislation and C-91 specifically, based on the codevelopment that was promised to us by the Government of Canada and our expectation of an Inuktut-specific section within the bill.
What happens with first nations or Métis is not within our purview or jurisdiction. I would argue that is more within the Government of Canada's concern.
February 25th, 2019 / 12:50 p.m.
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Political Advisor, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Sure, I can try to clarify. I apologize that you don't have the submission that was shared with the clerk on Thursday of last week.
What we're proposing, as far as amendments to the bill are concerned, is that a provision be included after clause 11 of Bill C-91, which would state: “The Minister must pursue, in close consultation with relevant Indigenous governing bodies, the development of a separate Annex to this Act in relation to Inuktut.”
We've included a draft annex that we have drafted, and it imagines what those specific provisions in that annex could be. Those provisions fall under a few different categories: status of Inuktut, principles, definitions, funding, education, health, justice and language of work in the federal departments and agencies.
A question came up earlier in relation to education, and I think there may be a misunderstanding of what the rationale is for our comments on education. The specific provision we'd be imagining including in the annex itself would state, or could state: “The Government of Canada must take effective measures to support the advancement and implementation of education in Inuktut within Inuit Nunangat.”
Currently, there is a significant disparity in funding that is provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage to the two territories through the territorial language accords, which the Department of Canadian Heritage negotiates bilaterally with the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Such a provision could create the opportunity for trilateral agreements being negotiated with the department and the provincial and territorial governments in whose jurisdiction Inuit live, to ensure that adequate funding for education initiatives and activities are provided. Currently, through those existing agreements, those funds, for example, that are provided to the Government of Nunavut for Inuktut are not eligible for use by the public government's department of education; however, the funding for French language instruction is included in that particular agreement.
I'm just providing some background about our comments earlier about the need for equitable support for education throughout Inuit Nunangat.
February 25th, 2019 / 12:35 p.m.
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Saint John—Rothesay, Lib.
Do you see Bill C-91, as it currently is, protecting minority languages? Because one of the concerns we've heard from other witnesses is just the fact that there are communities that have infrastructure—schools, systems, things in place—but other areas don't at all.
Do you see Bill C-91 reaching them, or do you have amendments that you would propose to make sure that their rights and their languages are enhanced and protected also?