Language policy in Nunavut
| Official Languages Act | |
|---|---|
| Legislative Assembly of Nunavut | |
| Citation | 2008 c. 10 |
| Assented to | 4 June 2008 |
| Status: In force (amended) | |
| Inuit Language Protection Act | |
|---|---|
| Legislative Assembly of Nunavut | |
| Citation | 2008 c. 17 |
| Assented to | 17 September 2008 |
| Status: In force (amended) | |
Language policy in Nunavut is defined by two principal Acts of the Legislative Assembly: the Official Languages Act (2008 c. 10) and the Inuit Language Protection Act (2008 c. 17), two laws enacted in 2008 which mean that Nunavut has three official languages.[1] The Acts establish that the official languages of Nunavut are: Inuit Language (Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut[2]), English and French.[3] Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun are frequently grouped together as "Inuit Language" or "Inuktut".[4][5]
History
[edit]French was made an official language in 1877 by the then-territorial government of the North-West Territories. After a lengthy and bitter debate resulting from a speech from the throne in 1888 by Lieutenant Governor Joseph Royal, the members of the time voted on more than one occasion to nullify this and make English the only language used in the assembly. After some conflict with the Confederation Government in Ottawa, and a decisive vote on 19 January 1892, the assembly members voted for an English-only territory.
Nunavut separated from the Northwest Territories and became its own territory on 1 April 1999.[6] According to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the federal government blocked language protections from being included in the formal land claim agreement in 1990 under which Nunavut was established.[7] Nunavut inherited the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, which was enacted in 1984.[7]
Provisions
[edit]The Official Languages Act gives speakers to have the right to use any of the official languages.[1][8]
The Inuit Language Protection Act requires that all private businesses and government offices across Nunavut must offer services and communication in either Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun.[9]
The Acts establishes the Language Commissioner of Nunavut.[10]
Implementation
[edit]Parts of the Official Languages Act first came into force on 1 April 2013, and the Inuit Language Protection Act came into stages.[8] Both Acts came into full force on 9 July 2017.[9]
The Nunavut government published an implementation planned titled "Uqausivut 2.0" in 2018.[11]
In 2023, Nunavut reviewed the Act for the first time in 15 years - the legislation states a requirement to hold a review after 5 years.[12]
The federal government has been criticized by the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut for not for not following the rules.[13]
Criticism
[edit]In a 2019, a United Nations meeting on indigenous languages the president of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Aluki Kotierk described the situation as "cultural genocide" due to a lack of Inuit language provision in education at the time.[14] In 2020, the Inuit Language Protection Act was amended so that it fit together with the territory's Education Act.[15]
The Act has been criticized for Inuit languages being less accessible than other languages.[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Official Languages Act, CSNu, c O-20". p. 4. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Inuit Language Protection Act, CSNu, c I-140". p. 4. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Barr, Lisa (11 February 2025). "What language is spoken in Nunavut?". Geographic FAQ Hub: Answers to Your Global Questions. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Cahill, Griffin (2024). "Inuit language(s): Interpreting official language legislation in Nunavut". Working Papers in Applied Linguistics and Linguistics at York. 4 (SI): 30–35. doi:10.25071/2564-2855.43. ISSN 2564-2855.
- ^ "We Speak Inuktut". Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Jigging, country food and music: Iqaluit celebrates a quarter-century of Nunavut". CBC News. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ a b Bell, Jim (9 December 2019). "Inuit org uses 30-year-old document to allege Ottawa "blocked" language rights". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ a b Varga, Peter (15 May 2013). "Nunavut's languages commissioner explains language laws to Iqaluit city council". Nunatsiaq News. Archived from the original on 2 November 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ a b Strong, Walter (31 July 2017). "Provisions of Inuit Language Protection Act now in force across Nunavut". CBC News. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Karliin Aariak to be named Nunavut languages commissioner". Nunatsiaq News. 3 February 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Dhir, TJ (26 February 2025). "Revitalization of two Inuktut dialects discussed in Nunavut legislature". CBC News. Archived from the original on 3 March 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Tranter, Emma (1 October 2023). "Nunavut reviewing its language laws for the 1st time". Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "Federal agencies in Nunavut not following the rules, says languages commissioner". CBC News. 31 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Beattie, Samantha (24 April 2019). "Inuit Enduring Cultural Genocide As Languages Disappear, UN Hears". HuffPost. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ "'Cultural genocide:' Nunavut passes changes to education, language protection acts". CBC News. 10 November 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
- ^ Dorward, Kira Wronska (8 April 2024). "'We're constantly proud and aware,' says Nunavut languages commissioner Karliin Aariak". Nunavut News. Archived from the original on 17 January 2025. Retrieved 16 April 2025.
External links
[edit]"YOUR LINGUISTIC RIGHTS". Office of the Language Commissioner of Nunavut. Retrieved 16 April 2025.