OUR LANGUAGE RIGHTS BIWEEKLY
Canadian. Language. News.

Hello language justice advocates -
#LAD22 was a smashing success!

We are still buzzing about the success of #LAD22! We had attendees from across the globe, and received incredible feedback that the conference was "engaging", "informative", and held "important conversations". Were you unable to attend the conference but still want to see what all the hype is about? No need to worry! Video footage from the conference will be shared on our YouTube Channel sometime this week, so keep an eye out! In the meantime, check out the conference summary report if you haven't already!

                         

 Map of conference attendees

On our mind this week:

1. JOIN US!  We are seeking champions, organisations or individuals across Canada who either provide, rely on, or are impacted by language services. If you have an organization or individual that you believe we should reach out to, email us at languageadvocacyday@gmail.com
2. Our friends from the Global Coalition for Language Rights have created a list of resources for people impacted by the war in Ukraine for accessing language supports -  please share and support if you are able!

In solidarity and the pursuance of language rights,

The LACC Team

Indigenous Languages

• Northern Saskatchewan broadcaster calling HNIC games in Cree - Sportsnet and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) have teamed up to deliver Hockey Night in Canada in Cree when the Vancouver Canucks play against Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. More games will follow.
• Jacob Olsen, a Greenlander in Canada, part 1 - The importance of Jacob Olsen on the Fifth Thule Expedition is often overlooked. He was the expedition’s interpreter and secretary. Unlike the six Inughuit on the expedition, who did not speak English or Danish, Olsen, a Kalaaleq from central west Greenland, spoke Kalaallisut (West Greenlandic) and Danish.
• Sask. Rivers excited for growth of of Indigenous Language programming - Trustees got a good look at the growth and success of Indigenous language programming during Saskatchewan Rivers School Division board of education on Monday.
• L’artiste anichinabé Samian est «cancellé» - Une semaine après l’avoir invité à participer à son événement annuel, le Festival international de la chanson de Granby a annulé la performance de l’artiste anichinabé Samian. La raison ? Sa performance allait se faire majoritairement en langues autochtones. Il ne remplissait donc pas le « quota » de chansons en français pour participer au festival, qui impose aux artistes d’interpréter au moins 80 % de leurs chansons dans la langue de Jacques Cartier.
• 'Believe in yourself': Inuit women share their ingredients for success on International Women's Day - International Women's Day is Bernice Kootoo Clarke's favourite day of the year — the day she gets to celebrate everything she and other women have accomplished.

Francophone

• Ontario's French-language school boards slam English-only literacy study - The associations representing Ontario's French public and Catholic school boards say they're disappointed they were never consulted during a provincewide public inquiry into whether the public education system is failing students with learning disabilities.
• Modernisation de la Loi sur les langues officielles arrête et déclin de la langue française - Le député de Portneuf−Jacques-Cartier et ministre du cabinet fantôme responsable des Langues officielles, M. Joël Godin, se désole que la nouvelle mouture de la Loi sur les langues officielles ne donne pas de réels outils afin de protéger la langue française qui est en déclin au Québec.
• Encore plus de dents pour protéger la langue - La nouvelle mouture du projet de modernisation de Loi sur les langues officielles déposée mardi à la Chambre des communes a plus de dents que la précédente. La ministre des Langues officielles, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, n’a pas dénaturé le travail de sa prédécesseure, Mélanie Joly. Au contraire, elle l’a bonifié.
• Défendre le principe de la langue d’enseignement - Les membres du Syndicat des enseignantes et enseignants du Cégep de Rimouski (SEECR) se prononcent en faveur de l’application des dispositions de la Charte de la langue française au niveau collégial. C’est ce qu’ils ont convenu en assemblée générale, mardi soir, soutenant que la langue française est la langue officielle et commune des Québécoises et Québécois et qu’il s’agit de la langue normale des études.

Language Rights, Revitalization and Advocacy

• World Hearing Day: American Sign Language is 'first language' for people who are deaf - On World Hearing Day – March 3 – Sara encourages people to learn more about her first language, American Sign Language (ASL). ASL is a language of its own and has its own grammar and syntax. It also uses body language and facial expressions to help people understand what a person who is Deaf is saying.
• Swahili's bid to become a language for all of Africa -   With more than 200 million speakers, Swahili, which originated in East Africa, is one of the world's 10 most widely spoken languages and, as Priya Sippy writes, there is a renewed push for it to become the continent's lingua franca.
• Learning, expressing herself with ASL gives woman strength not to give up - Fatima Tun Nafisa, who was born in Bangladesh with severe hearing loss, was pushed to read lips and work on her speech with the help of hearing aids. It was only after moving to Regina and attending a high school program for deaf and hard of hearing people that she learned the power of ASL.
• Push toward hearing interventions over ASL leading to language deprivation in deaf people, experts say - There are concerns avoiding sign language can cause developmental, educational delays and lead to isolation.

Immigration/ Settlement and Emergency Communication 

• Mentors are key to embracing new Canadians - We need welcoming communities to facilitate their successful integration into the social, cultural and economic aspects of our society
• Canada To Welcome Unlimited Numbers Of Ukrainians Fleeing War With Russia - Ukrainians fleeing their homeland will be able to come to Canada in unlimited numbers starting in two weeks under a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel pathway, says Immigration Minister Sean Fraser. “I am inspired by the courage Ukrainians have displayed as they uphold the democratic ideals that we cherish in Canada,” says Fraser.
• Canada’s Newly-Permanent Atlantic Immigration Program Opens On Sunday - Ottawa’s newly-announced Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP) is going to start taking applications this Sunday from skilled foreign workers and international graduates hoping to get their permanent residence in one of the four Atlantic Canadian provinces.
• Sask. Government teams up with Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan to assist Ukrainians -  The Government of Saskatchewan has announced the intent to work with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan in assisting displaced Ukrainian families and helping them settle in the province. Dedicated community coordinators will provide assistance and information to individuals and families from Ukraine. These coordinators will help connect people with resources, including language training, settlement services and employment services. 

The Politics of Language, Culture, and Technology 

• Ontario government not proceeding with plan to deregulate Chinese medicine  - Last week, Premier Doug Ford the move was to address language barriers but reversed course on Monday, March 7. The Ontario government says they will not be proceeding with their plan to deregulate traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists.
• How Canada Accidentally Helped Crack Computer Translation - A technological whodunit—featuring Parliament, computer scientists, and a tipsy plane flight
• University of Alberta doctoral candidate asked to resubmit thesis after inclusion of Arabic script - A PhD candidate is hoping the University of Alberta changes its practice on publishing theses after hers was rejected for spelling her name in Arabic script. Sarah Shakil, a doctoral candidate in biological sciences and ecology, successfully defended her thesis in January — the culmination of years of hard work and the final hurdle for getting her PhD.
• Learning new languages opens new doors — for business and leisure - Figuring out an effective way to learn new languages in your free time is a smart way to increase your employment prospects