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Press realease

Saint-Sauveur, September 5, 2024 – During the second edition of the Forum on the Linguistic Rights of First Nations, held in the Manoir Saint-Sauveur on September 4 and 5, APNQL leaders assembled and endorsed a historic declaration on the rights to ancestral languages.

Read the press release

Background

With adoption of the Indigenous Languages Act, we understood that we must keep informed about the issues and developments that impact our languages. 

The Regional Committee on First Nations Languages (RCFNL) was created in 2020 by the AFNQL. The FNEC hosts the RCFNL in order to support operations and administration activities for the AFNQL. Major decisions will take place during meetings with representatives from the communities.

In August 2022, the Chiefs of the FNQL adopted the resolution 05-2022, in support of the Regional Committee on First Nations Languages. In September 2022, Chief Sipi Flamand accepted the appointment as AFNQL head language portfolio holder and to serve on the Chiefs Committee on Languages at the Assembly of First Nations (AFN).   

The Committee’s mission

In support of First Nations and in collaboration with them, the mission of the Regional Committee on First Nations Languages  is to contribute to the maintenance and revitalization of their ancestral languages.

Vision

That all First Nations have meaningful opportunities to live their cultures and learn their languages.

Values

Respect

Our languages are based on the land. Our humble and respectful relationships with the land and between Nations must be the basis for the actions and the decisions we take with our languages.

Perseverance

Our languages need us to prosper. We must be persistent and courageous in our mission if we wish to transmit and preserve them for current and future generations.

Entraide

Inspired  by the knowledge and know-how of of our ancestors and our Elders, we are committed to working together to reach our common objectives, by striving to offer the very best of ourselves. Now, as in the past, we must work together to ensure the survival of our languages.

The mandates

Taking into account resolution 05-2022 and since January 2023’s strategic planning exercise, we have outlined the following mandates:

    Mobilize and inform the communities

    • Mobilize all 43 communities  (one representative person per community);
    • Hold an annual forum and ensure the presence of Elders at our events;
    • Create a website with a secure portal for filing committee members’ files;
    • Hold RCFNL meetings (a minimum of 4 per year);
    • Draft a communication plan;
    • Facilitate networking between defenders, allies and resources who are working on  languages.

    Defending the ancestral languages of First Nations of Quebec/Labrador

    • Inform the Chiefs about the language portfolio (Head portfolio holder and AFNQL);
    • Support the portfolio holder so they ensure representation with governmental bodies and the opposition parties;
    • Put in place communication plan strategies to recognize and defend our languages;
    • Ensure monitoring of policies that could have an impact on ancestral languages
    • Develop strategic partnerships with persons who could have an impact on the defence of langues of First Nations in Quebec and Labrador;
    • Establish and spread the message concerning our languages;
    • Raise awareness among various decision-making bodies and the general population.

    Assist in the development of skills

    • Recognize existing skills and reinforce these skills by offering customized support to communities;
    • Offer training sessions for language and culture leaders;
    • Promote the sharing of resources, material and language tools;
    • Promote the teacher training in languages;
    • Offer meaningful opportunities to learn a First Nations language to all employees of the RCFNL.

    Promote First Nations languages

    • Share winning practices for the transmission and revitalization of languages;
    • Promote the importance of Elders involvement in language initiatives;
    • Put in place projects that enable the valorization of our languages.