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| June 2005 Languages BRIEFING NOTE 31 ST ALL ONTARIO CHIEFS CONFERENCE |
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TO:
Chiefs-in-Assembly |
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| Issues: The Aboriginal Languages Initiative was extended to 2005-06 in order to accommodate an extension of reporting by the Task Force on Aboriginal Languages and Cultures, an advisory committee mandated to provide recommendations on a $172.5 million allocation announced by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The Ontario First Nations Language Action Group was unable to meet in 2004-05 due to a lack of resources as a consequence of Heritage Canada delays in releasing ALI funds. Background: The Aboriginal Languages Initiative (ALI) has existed since 1997-98. It provides $5 million nationally for community based language initiatives. First Nations receive 75% of the funding, Metis 15% and Inuit 10%, with a portion set aside for critically endangered languages. AFN has served as the national administrator of the program and funds have been provided to regional delivery bodies on an equal basis. The three language families, 13 Nations and 134 First Nations in Ontario receive approximately $220,000 annually. In the first year of ALI, Ontario First Nations submitted $10 million in requests, demonstrating that there is great demand for language initiatives but federal funding is not nearly adequate. In 2003-04 Heritage Canada conducted an audit of AFN administration of the program and had concerns with specific line items, primarily in regional reporting. This led to delays in the release of money and new, extremely stringent reporting guidelines. As a consequence ALI funds were not released by Heritage Canada until the end of February 2004. In 2005-06 there were more delays and more new guidelines. Regional bodies, including Ontario, proposed separate regional agreements to facilitate the flow of funding. Heritage Canada finally agreed to this approach in late January of 2005 with a commitment to flow funding within six weeks. This would not leave enough time to notify communities, have a selection process, sign contracts, implement projects, and complete reporting. It was decided to access funding to support a strategy session of the First Nations Language Action Group, and to fund a proposal selection committee to review proposals for 2005-06 and ensure funding would be released in a timely fashion. An actual contribution agreement was not received until the last week of March 2005 leaving virtually no time for any activity. In 2003, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced that $172.5 million would be made available over eleven years for an Aboriginal languages and cultural centres initiative. A Task Force was formed to advise on the development of the initiative. The report of the Task Force was originally to be presented in 2004, but has been delayed. The Task Force committed to presenting their draft report to the AFN Chiefs Committee on Languages prior to delivering it to the Minister. A first draft reviewed by the CCOL in March could not be supported as it was believed to be too weak to compel federal action consistent with historic AFN positions on language revitalization. The Metis National Council and the Inuit Tapirit Kanatami also had the opportunity to review the report and both rejected it. As a consequence the Task Force sought an extension of its deadline to report. The CCOL was provided with another draft of the report in the latter part of the month of May, 2005. On the basis of an initial review, official representatives of the Task Force was invited to appear before the CCOL in the first week of June 2005. At this time the CCOL was that the final report has gone to print. The CCOL does not support the final report in its current form. Current Status/Analysis: This is the last year of ALI funding. It is intended that the ALCC Task Force Report will propose an approach to spend the $172.5 million allocation. There is actually approximately $160 million left to spend - $2.5 million was set aside for the operations of the Task Force, and $10 million for two years of ALI. It is understood that the Task Force is considering recommendations to create a national languages organization/council; federal legislation to recognize Aboriginal languages; and the allocation of funding within a compressed time period rather than over 10 years. There is a concern that Heritage Canada is expanding its infrastructure to administer the ALCC funding. The current experience of micro-administration of ALI leads to a serious consideration that any further involvement by Heritage Canada in setting funding and reporting criteria for language initiatives will serve to inhibit the success of First Nations anguage revitalization activities. Next Steps:
3. On April 19, 2004 the Prime Minister of Canada stated: “No longer will we in Ottawa develop policies first and discuss them with you later. The principle of collaboration will be the cornerstone of our new partnership.” It is recommended that Ontario First Nations, through correspondence from the Ontario Regional Chief, hold the Prime Minister to this commitment in the development of a government response to the ALCC Task Force report and the implementation of any or all of the report’s recommendations. |
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