Indigenous Languages Act

Indigenous Languages Act
Parliament of Canada
Long title An Act respecting Indigenous languages
Citation	S.C. 2019, c. 23
Considered by	House of Commons of Canada
Considered by	Senate of Canada
Assented to	2019-06-21
Administered by	Department of Canadian Heritage
Legislative history
First chamber: House of Commons of Canada
Bill citation	Bill C-91
Introduced by	Pablo Rodriguez MP, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
First reading	2019-02-05
Second reading	2019-04-01
Third reading	2019-05-09
Second chamber: Senate of Canada
Member(s) in charge	Murray Sinclair
First reading	2019-04-30
Second reading	2019-05-27
Third reading	2019-06-13
Status: In force

The Indigenous Languages Act (French : Loi sur les langues autochtones) is a Canadian federal law designed to protect, promote, revive and revitalise indigenous languages in Canada. ^[1]

History

The Truth and Reconcilliation Commission recommended an "Aboriginal Languages Act". ^[2]

The act was given royal assent on Indigenous People's Day. ^[3]

Provision

The act establishes the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages. ^[4]

The act gives federal institutions the power to give their own documents translations or provide interpretation. ^[5]

Criticism

Lack of rights

The act has been criticised by multiple organisations representing indigenous people for not providing rights relating to accessing healthcare, education and justice. ^{[3] [6]}

Organisations, including Elections Canada, may provide services or documents in an indigenous language, but there is no mandate for linguistic accommodation, meaning the measures are discretionary without any guarantees. ^[7]

Inuit

The act was criticised by Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the land-claim organization representing Inuit in Nunavut, as being inadequate for lacking provisions relating to accessing public services, which had been seen as "something Inuit have wanted to see". ^[3] According to the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, National Representational Organization Protecting and Advancing the Rights and Interests of Inuit in Canada, unlike provincial and territorial languages commissioners, "the national indigenous languages commissioner will be a poweless advocacy body". ^[4]

References

1. Turin, Mark; Humchitt, Robyn (December 18, 2024). "Why is it so hard to type in Indigenous languages?". The Conversation. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
2. Deer, Frank (May 30, 2019). "Ancestral languages are essential to Indigenous identities in Canada". The Conversation. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
3. "New Indigenous languages law does not protect Inuit languages, leaders say". CBC News. June 27, 2019. Archived from the original on April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
4. Friedrich, Doris (April 2, 2019). "Indigenous Languages Act sparks controversy". High North News. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
5. Rogers, Sarah (June 17, 2019). "Senate adopts Indigenous Languages Act, with amendments". Archived from the original on February 12, 2020.
6. Rao, Di (March 6, 2024). "Canada should provide Indigenous languages with constitutional protection". The Conversation. Archived from the original on March 6, 2024. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
7. Balan, Veaceslav (October 5, 2021). "We speak a lot of languages in Canada — elections should reflect our diversity". The Conversation. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2025.