The purposes of the legislation are generally fairly broad. The important provision in the bill is clause 6, dealing with rights related to indigenous languages, talking about Canada recognizing the rights of indigenous peoples, and speaking to article 35.
I agree with the notion that there needs to be built into that provision that these rights are also recognized in articles 13 and 14 of the UN declaration. I think a simple drafting amendment could be incorporated to expand that.
I'm concerned about the way the courts have interpreted article 35, narrowly in my opinion, and the way governments are indifferent to the implementation of court decisions. There is another foundation for the rights, which is that these rights on languages are not granted to us by Canada's Constitution. They're recognized by Canada's Constitution, but they're inherent. That would be one provision.
The second recommendation would be to ensure that whatever resources are made available, and the $90 million from the minister that my friend here talks about, should go directly to the communities for the priorities of helping and preserving, revitalizing, normalizing and stabilizing our languages.
The third recommendation would be consistent with Canada's commitment to the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples to establish national action plans. One specific action plan that any government should establish is a 10-year action plan on indigenous languages that would go beyond year-to-year, something more substantive to ensure that the government, in collaboration with indigenous peoples, is able to establish that as a way to lay a solid foundation on the way forward. The two ladies who spoke in the earlier panel...that we achieve the objectives they spoke about, the tremendous work they do in the communities and on the ground with children.