Provincial funding to help expand programs of support for First Nations languages

The First People's Cultural Council is hailing funding by the Provincial government which will assist the council in significantly increasing the range of programs this year that it offers as part of an outreach to Indigenous Communities to build fluency in the languages of British Columbia's First Nations.

The word of the use of the funding came last week through this information release from the First People's Council, which outlined how the fifty million dollars will help to expand the program.

Increases in FPCC’s language program in the 2018/19 program year have been possible due to a recent significant investment of $50 million by the provincial government from the 2018 Budget that will be put towards helping to preserve and revitalize First Nations languages in B.C.

With the funding, FPCC has increased language program grants by 178 per cent, from 60 language grants delivered in 2017/18 to 167 grants this year.

Among some of the First Nations to benefit from the new funding will be the Thaltan Nation where a range of programs are in place to build up the language for future generations.

Last weeks information release outlines how for Edōsdi (Dr. Judy Thompson), Director of the Tahltan Central Government’s Language and Culture Program, the new FPCC funding means her community now receives more grants of higher value.

In addition to their existing FPCC-funded language programs, they now have funding for programs through B.C. Language Initiative and to document their languages using FirstVoices, a digital platform developed by FPCC, which provides online tools for Tahltan speakers wherever they live.

This is vital because, “the majority of Tahltan speakers are elderly, so there is a real urgency for adequate resources to build up our languages and maintain them for future generations,”

“With multi-year funding, bigger grants and fewer limits on the number of grants that can be received, B.C.’s First Nations communities are no longer competing for much-needed resources. Now, we have more security and stability to make real progress towards the revitalization and reclamation of our languages – and that’s very exciting.”

Scott Fraser, the British Columbia Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation observed as to how the funding fits into the provincial government's commitment towards Reconciliation efforts.

Only about three percent of First Nations people in B.C. are fluent speakers of their language. Language is fundamental to identity, so there is much work that needs to be done to revitalize Indigenous language.

The United Nations has declared 2019 the Year of Indigenous Languages and I am proud of how our government's landmark funding has led to such significant new opportunities for people in First Nations communities to learn their languages. Expanded programs, grants and new tools and resources mean First Nations can reclaim critical connections to their language and culture."

The investment in Indigenous language revitalization delivers a response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's all for action, as well as elements of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

More background on how the funding will be allocated around the province will be outlines as the First People's Cultural Council moves forward with their plans.

More notes on provincial initiatives can be reviewed from our Legislature archive page.

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