OUR LANGUAGE RIGHTS BIWEEKLY
Canadian. Language. News.

Hello language access advocates, and welcome to February,
the month of advocating for equitable language justice worldwide!

1. REGISTRATION for our Language Advocacy Day and our 2nd Canadian Language Right Conference on February 22, 2022, is NOW LIVE! Four amazing panel discussions, incredible speakers and video statements of support are scheduled throughout the day: A NEW WAVE OF ADVOCACY - Grassroots Perspectives; INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN CANADA AT A TURNING POINT - End to Discrimination in Indigenous Languages Education; MY MENTAL HEALTH IS MULTILINGUAL, and CANADA HIDDEN LANGUAGES - Our Deaf Communities. We do have some additional exciting announcements coming up soon - please stay tuned for updates, keep subscribing to our newsletter, connecting and letting us know on Twitter (@LAD_Canada), Faceook or Instagram why are you joining us, what are the languages you speak or are passionate about, and why language advocacy, equity and justice is important to you. Please use our hashtags: #LAD22 and #languagerightsmatter.

2. The month of February kicks off with the Joint National Committee for Languages (JNCL) 41st Virtual Language Advocacy Days scheduled in the USA from Feb 2-4! The theme of their conference is "Languages at the Intersection", and you can see the summary of last year's event in the video below (@JNCLInfo).

    3. Next, we are helping our friends from the Global Coalition for Language Rights (GCLR) to coordinate the global version of #LAD22 on 4 continents. To find more, please visit GLOBAL LANGUAGE ADVOCACY DAY (#GLAD22) to find more about scheduled events, member organizations and how you can join or contribute.

  4. Finally, the our TEAM IS GROWING! A warm welcome to Nicole Fiorillo, our Conference and Policy Master, Avistha Seeras, our Social Media Guru, and Louis Labrecque, our Newsletter Curator Virtuoso. Many thanks to present and past volunteers - all wonderful people and organizations helping to support this work, particularly our main sponsor, MCIS Language Solutions! we could not do this without you!
If you are interested in volunteering or joining us as a member please make sure to fill out the application form here.

That's all for now, folks! We are busy and working non-stop to make sure to create a memorable experience for all of us. And we can't wait to see you on Language Advocacy Day!

​Yours truly,

The LACC Team

Indigenous Languages

• How Muskoka-Algonquin Healthcare Is Breaking Down Language Barriers with Technology - App helps hospital staff communicate in 240 languages, including sign language.
• Les langues autochtones du Kanata - Il faut savoir qu’il y a près de 4000 langues autochtones sur la planète, dont environ 90 au Canada. Ici, c’est l’inuktitut qui trône au sommet des langues autochtones les plus parlées.
• New Graphic Novel Looks to Connect Kids to Mi’kmaq Language - Brandon Mitchell is the author of Giju's Gift: Adventures of the Pugulatmu'j, a graphic novel aimed at elementary school readers.
• With rising graduation rates in Eeyou Istchee, the Cree School Board is working to develop post-secondary education options in the region - The Nation’s Education Guide 2022
• Deaf Oneida Student Achieves Academic Success amid Pandemic - How this Oneida student who is deaf overcame online school obstacles to win a university scholarship

Francophone

• Décès du linguiste Jean-Claude Corbeil - Cet engouement pour la langue l’a conduit à enseigner, puis à prendre la direction linguistique de l’Office québécois de la langue française.
• Québec Linguist Jean-Claude Corbeil Dies at 89 - Québec linguist Jean-Claude Corbeil has died at the age of 89. He was an influential in Québec, as he has been director of the Office de la langue française du Québec and has advised the Government of Quebec on language policy.
• Des profs réclament la loi 101 au cégep - This is an important news, since the graduation rate in English in Montréal cégeps has now reached over 50%.
• Les étudiants francophones désertent l’Université laurentienne - L’Université Laurentienne a reçu deux fois moins de demandes d’admission pour ses programmes de langue française en vue de la prochaine rentrée scolaire. Un chiffre plus élevé que chez les anglophones.
• In this episode, executive director of the Alliance des femmes de la francophonie canadienne, Soukaina Boutiyeb, helps us explore the centuries-long fight for francophone rights in Ontario – and the historic battle that marked it - A Place to Belong Podcast Episode 2: Battle of the Hatpins 
• Guelph-Eramosa passes bylaw allowing use of other languages on election information - French-speaking township residents can now receive municipal election information in French.

Language Rights, Revitalization and Advocacy

• Keeping Languages Alive Matters - Research suggests the learning of traditional languages mitigates some of the ills suffered in Indigenous communities, improves education outcomes and overall well-being.

Immigration/ Settlement and Emergency Communication 

• Snowman-building exercise helps P.E.I. language students learn through play - Students on P.E.I. involved with the English and French as an Additional Language were challenged this week to build a snowman — a winter experience support teachers will use to help them in their language lessons.
• Finding Identity as a Hyphenated Canadian - Who am I? Where do I belong? These are complex questions that immigrants face as they adapt to their new home while keeping the connections to their native country alive.
• London, Ont., immigration agency calling for more access to health care interpreters - Without interpreters, misunderstandings can be costly and inefficient, group says.
• Federal govt. pledges $35mn towards newcomer settlement in Canada’s rural communities and small towns - The federal government is allocating millions of dollars to support newcomer settlement in rural communities and small towns where housing is more affordable.

The Politics of Language, Culture, and Technology 

• Stigmatizing Language in Mental Health and Addiction - How words can affect someone's mental health and be a barrier to treatment.
• Excellence in Teaching Languages - The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT) fosters and advances professional excellence in language teaching in Canada.