Ottawa says it will support First Nations fight against Quebec's new language law
The federal minister of Indigenous services said Thursday she supports the will of Indigenous communities to be exempt from Quebec's new language law, which limits the use of English in the public service and increases French-language requirements in schools.
Patty Hajdu told a news conference she was "preoccupied" to hear that Indigenous leaders think the language law, known as Bill 96, will have a negative impact on the rights of First Nations children to be educated in the language and culture of their choice.
"We cannot put barriers in the way of children striving to reach their full potential, including barriers that involve language," Hajdu said. "We will continue to stand by and defend the leaders with whom I have the opportunity to work. I see it as an important part of my role as minister."
Hajdu made the comments after participating in a signing ceremony for a new agreement under which Ottawa will give $1.1 billion over five years to First Nations communities in Quebec to help fund education. The ceremony was held on the Mohawk territory of Kahnawake, south of Montreal.
Quebec's new language reform proactively invokes the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Constitution to shield it from Charter challenges. It restricts the use of English in the public service and the legal system, and it requires students at English junior colleges to take three additional courses in French to graduate.
Indigenous communities say they are particularly worried about the new rules for junior colleges. John Martin, chief of Gesgapegiag on Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula, said Thursday that provincial language laws have been creating obstacles for English-speaking Indigenous students for decades.
"For 40 years we have been confronted with linguistic laws," Martin said. "We have students who can't graduate because they were unable to get the credits they needed, and Bill 96 raises the wall even higher."
He said Indigenous Peoples have constitutional rights just like Quebecers do, adding that the provincial government is acting like a colonial power. Martin said the federal government must "stand and support us" by addressing the issue of Indigenous rights -- including language rights -- guaranteed in the Constitution.
"When a language tends to dominate, it is a colonial practice and that means the extermination of other languages and cultures," Martin said. "This is what we are up against."
Earlier, representatives from the federal government and the First Nations Education Council signed the $1.1-billion education agreement, the result of 10 years of negotiations.
The money will go toward building culturally adapted education programs for about 5,800 children across 22 communities. It will also fund school transportation and the recruitment and training of more than 600 teachers and other school staff. The First Nations Education Council, which represents eight Quebec First Nations, says the agreement will allow communities to assume full responsibility over their schools.
Daniel Gros-Louis, executive director of the First Nations Education Council, said "history has shown us the many broken promises of governments. The assumption of responsibility for education by and for the First Nations that we are celebrating today is our promise to ourselves, to our young people."
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Nicki Minaj detained by police in Amsterdam for allegedly possessing soft drugs
American rapper Nicki Minaj said she was held at Amsterdam Schiphol airport on Saturday on allegation of possession of soft drugs.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Public safety minister pledges to 'massively' reduce auto theft
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc insists the federal government is 'doing everything (it) can' to eliminate auto thefts in Canada, and he hopes to see 'a significant reduction quickly' following this week's announcement of new measures to counter the problem.
Three dead after vehicle leaves road in Shediac: N.B. RCMP
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
More enoki mushrooms, Lamborghini Urus and promotionally-gifted tumbler cups: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada, Transport Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued various recalls this week. Here's what you need to know.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.