MEDIA RELEASE
April 9, 2019
To all News Directors, Editors and Producers:
Treaty 2 Territory – The First Nations in Treaty 2 Territory (FNiT2T) are feeling left out in the cold regarding the announcement by the Province of Manitoba today, who stated they have signed a two-year extension with the Government of Canada to enhance French instruction as a second language and support for minority language education.
“We don’t begrudge the Francophone community the funding they are receiving to preserve their language and culture” said the FNiT2T Grand Chief Eugene Eastman. “However, as the First Peoples of this land, we receive very little funding to preserve our languages with our younger generations; as a result, our school-based language programs are limited.” He went on to say, “We have the same needs as other language groups but the difference, we have nowhere to go home to relearn our language, this is our home. Our schools need proper funding to teach our languages, like the French and the minority groups who live in our territory.”
First Nations have worked with Canada on the establishment of a “Indigenous Languages Act” but that remains in process of royal assent. Currently there remains very little resources for in-school language instruction. However, considering the Indigenous population within the province is quite substantial in Manitoba, there should be more Indigenous languages within the mainstream education system. Grand Chief Eastman went further to say, “Every school division with Indigenous students, should have an Indigenous language programs. To date, there are very few Indigenous language programs in Manitoba; this should change, as a measure of reconciliation.”
Anishinaabemowin (Ojibway) is the primary language spoken in Treaty 2 First Nations communities, followed by Dakota and Cree.
Nothing about us without us, in Unity we remain.
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For more information please contact:
Philip Paul-Martin
Communications Manager
First Nations in Treaty 2 Territory
(C)-431-997-3936
Email-philip.paulmartin@treaty2.com
Last modified: April 10, 2019
