Two officials at the Matawa Care and Education Center in Thunder Bay are asking for stable funds to help them keep alive in Ojibway, Oji-CREE languages and believe throughout the north of Ontario.
The call occurs even when the center welcomes a subsidy of $ 500,000 in support of its Matawa Waka Tere program.
In recent years, the center has been teaching Ojibway programs, Oji-Cree and believes in nine nations of Matawa.
Emily Shandruk, special project officer at the center, said that with the end of federal financing, the programs faced an imminent closure.
She said that the subsidy of $ 500,000 of the indigenous teacher education initiative of the Rideau Hall Foundation is a lifeguard, but more money is needed.
“While this is a significant step, it does not mean … complete delivery of the program,” Shandruk said about Superior tomorrow.
“Therefore, we are still actively looking for sustainable, long -term and central funds to return language classes to our communities and support this continuous community based on the community.”
The funds of the Rideau Hall Foundation will be disbursed for two years. The Foundation said that the Matawa Waka Tere program and 11 other projects were selected for their design led by the community, solid educational associations and direct commitment to increase the number of indigenous educators.
“The 12 recipients are creating or expanding teaching education programs that are anchored in indigenous languages, knowledge systems and cultural values, while eliminating systemic barriers for access and retention.” Foundation said on its website.
According to Shandruk, Matawa for Matawa created the language program, which is 100 percent led by indigenous people. It also has the support and approval of the nine boss of Matawa.
We will continue to hold the Federal Government responsible.– Emily Shandruk, special project officer, Matawa’s education
Shandruk said the organization continues to appeal to Ottawa to obtain funds, noting that languages fall under the reach of the federal government.
“A promise was made through the Law of Indigenous Languages … It is a government responsibility to provide adequate and sustainable funds to claim, revitalize and preserve indigenous languages,” he said.
“The Indigenous Language Law was created with the understanding that indigenous communities are the best equipped to lead their own revitalization efforts.
“Then, while we wait to learn about the future support of the Federal Government … we are still looking for other basic subsidies opportunities … but we will continue to hold the federal government,” Shandruk added.
A spokesman for Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for official languages, told CBC Thunder Bay that the government “remains committed to advancing in this important work” as part of a larger path of reconciliation.
“We, together with our indigenous partners, we will revitalize and strengthen indigenous languages through support for projects promoted by the community that restore, protect and promote this important part of the cultures and stories of the first nations, Inuit and Metis,” wrote Hermine Landry in an email.
The Canadian Heritage Department said it worked with indigenous partners in 2023-24 to provide greater indigenous control over financing and long-term agreements, to respond more to the unique needs of the first nations, INUIT and METIS, which are better positioned to recover, revitalize and maintain their languages.
The Canadian government has provided investments of more than $ 1 billion from 2019-2020 to 2028-2029, and $ 162.3 million in continuous funds to help indigenous communities and organizations with language revitalization projects under the Law of Indigenous Languages, the department said in a statement to CBC News.
‘We need lasting investments’
Georgette O’Nabigon, Executive Director of Education of Matawa, said they will take their funding at the Summit of Indigenous Language in Ottawa Set for August 11 to 14.
“We hope to establish contacts, explore new financing opportunities and, most importantly, ensure that real action follows, said O’Nabigon.
“It is not enough to talk about the revitalization of languages: we need lasting investments and policy changes that support models led by indigenous people like ours.”
O’Nabigon said that the Matawa Waka Tere program received a unique federal subsidy about four years ago, and that financing made it possible to offer language classes that reach both students and adults.
Federal financing ended on March 31, something O’Nabigon said reduced the center’s ability to offer language instruction.
“The risk here is not only financial: it is cultural. The loss of financing directly affects our ability to continue this essential work to recover and teach our languages.”
