WHITEHORSE – The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Indigenous Peoples in their efforts to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen their languages and cultures. Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, announced a $1.8-million investment over five years to support the revitalization of the Kaska language in the Liard First Nation. She made the announcement on behalf of Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The investment was made through the Territorial Language Accords and will assist the Liard First Nation in its work to revitalize the Kaska language, a key factor in shaping identity, tradition and cultural heritage, while nurturing community bonds across generations.
This funding will also support a range of educational and cultural initiatives, including online and community classes, summer Kaska language and cultural immersion camps as well as professional development and language training for staff. The investment will also support the creation of essential linguistic resources such as a Kaska grammar guide, verb reference and illustrated language book for children. With this funding, the community will continue enhancing the Kaska cards language app as well as processing, translating and transcribing Kaska audio and video recordings. The community will also continue advancing the digitization and archiving of Kaska language materials.
“The Kaska language is integral to the Liard First Nation identity and is a cultural treasure. Our government’s investment in its revitalization demonstrates our commitment to preserving and nurturing Indigenous languages in Canada. By empowering Indigenous communities to lead these efforts, we are not only helping to revitalize languages but also enriching the cultural fabric of our country.” – Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage