Self-governance VS Linguistic Peace among the Canadian Inuit

Michelle Daveluy

University of AlbertaEdmonton, Alberta, Canada

Michelle.Daveluy@ualberta.ca

10th LinguaPax CongressBarcelona, May 2004

Canadian InuitGreenland InuitAlaskan InuitRussian InuitOther Arctic people

Legend

Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights

Inuit Circumpolar Conference

Ottawa, Canada

Carl Chr. Olsen, linguist Nuuk

http://canada.gc.ca/canadiana/lmap_e.html

Nunavik

http://www.nunavik-tourism.com

Stats Canada (CBC North, 21 janvier 2003)

+/- 45 000 Inuit in Canada

+20, 000 in Nunavut

-10,000 in Nunavik

James Bay Agreement

http://www.ebenhopson.com/czm/1977cz/Dec1977/10.jpg

Dorais 1996

Despite centuries of contact and increasing pressure from English and French,

almost 99% of the Inuit population in Nunavik will, it is estimated,

continue to speak Inuktitut

as a home language all their lives.

Law 101Preamble

Title I : Status of the French language

Title II : Linguistic officialization, toponymy and francization

Title III : The Office québécois de la langue française

Title IV : The Conseil de la langue française

Title V : Penal provisions and other sanctions

Title VI : Transitional and miscellaneous provisions

Schedule

Dorais 1979: 76

The new Provincial policy will probably do some good to the language of the Inuit: it shall be taught in all Northern Quebec schools. Its status, however, will be strictly local. Both levels of government discourage the emergence of a pan-Inuit or pan-aboriginal nationalism. Northen Quebec people are forced to become either English Canadian or French Québécois Inuit.

Nunavut

3 official languages

Inuktitut, English, French

Bathurst Mandate

“…fully functional bilingual society, in Inuktitut and English, respectful and committed to the needs and rights of French speakers, with a growing ability to participate in French.”

March 21, 2003

French DEA reopens debate on Bill 1

Education bill still in violation of the Charter, chair says

PATRICIA D’SOUZA

The Government of Nunavut’s education bill is still vulnerable to legal challenge, despite amendments submitted last month by representatives from the GN and the Francophone Association of Nunavut, the chair of Iqaluit’s French District Education Authority says

http://www.nunatsiaq.com

February 15, 2002

Iqaluit pharmacy ahead of the game

Nunavut language commissioner recommends bilingual instructions for prescriptions, but that’s nothing new to Valupharm

http://www.nunatsiaq.com/archives/nunavut020215/news/nunavut/20215_8.html

Report of the Nunavik Commission March 2001

Recommendation no. 9 Language and culture(Pg. 31, 2001)

9.3.2 The predominant use of Inuttitut in the operation of the Nunavik Government and other public institutions of Nunavik;

9.3.2 la prédominance de l’inuttitut dans les activités du gouvernement du Nunavut et des autres institutions publiques du Nunavik;

Recommandation nº 9 La langue et la culture(Pg. 31, 2001)