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The Aboriginal peoples of Canada believe that the protection of their languages is an inherent right, a treaty right, a constitutional right, and an Aboriginal right. It was believed that the treaties entered into at the turn of the century would protect their way of life so that their values and practices would continue "as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the rivers flow." Subsequent international and national legal foundations support the claim that Aboriginal languages must be protected. Further to this, Aboriginal peoples believe that the church and state committed a moral atrocity concerning the loss of their languages and traditional mores. There are legal and moral foundations to confirm that Aboriginal peoples have a firm basis for calling on the Government of Canada to enact legislation to protect and revitalize Aboriginal languages.
Introduction
The critical state of Aboriginal languages in Canada is causing confusion and uncertainty among academics, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, Elders, parents, and youth. The questions surrounding the quandary typically have to do with how we should go about protecting, preserving, promoting, and practicing our languages. Should bilingualism or unilingualism be the goal? Should the schools or the parents be responsible for teaching the language? Should it be taught through an immersion process or as a second language? Should Roman orthography or syllabics be used? Should we bother to try to save our languages, or should we accept the inevitable?
There is a camp of Aboriginal peoples, albeit a relatively small group, who share an underlying attitude that all efforts to save our languages are futile as English/French have been dominant among our people for so many years that these languages, and not Aboriginal languages, are now our means of communication and economy in our daily lives.
The majority of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, however, are adamant that our languages must be protected, preserved, promoted, and practiced in our daily lives. It is our belief and understanding that language is the principal means by which culture is accumulated, shared, and transmitted from one generation to another. Language expresses the uniqueness of a group's world view. It defines who you are.
An important question that must be addressed by everyone whose ancestral language is under siege is:...