The Government of Canada Supports National Michif Language Conference

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN--(Marketwire - Jan. 3, 2008) - On behalf of the Honourable Josee Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, the Honourable Carol Skelton, Member of Parliament (Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar), today announced funding for the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research.

Funding of $60,000 will allow the organization to host the 7th National Michif Language Conference. The goals of the conference are to increase the number of Michif speakers, expand opportunities for speaking Michif, and ensure greater numbers of children and young people learn the language.

"The Government of Canada supports the preservation and promotion of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis languages," said Minister Verner. "We are pleased to help preserve the Michif language, which is an important aspect of Metis culture."

"Language is an integral part of a people's culture. To ensure that Metis communities in Canada thrive and that their culture survives, we must help protect the Michif language," said Ms. Skelton. "We are proud to support the Gabriel Dumont Institute's efforts in this regard."

"The Gabriel Dumont Institute is pleased to receive funding to host the 7th Annual Michif Language Conference, March 14 and 15, 2008, in Saskatoon. This event will bring Michif speakers from across the Metis Homeland together for the renewal and retention of our languages and culture," said Geordy McCaffrey, Executive Director of the Gabriel Dumont Institute.

The Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research is a not-for-profit organization that provides Metis people in Saskatchewan with the opportunity to obtain training and education.

The Government of Canada will provide funding through the Department of Canadian Heritage and its Aboriginal Languages Initiative, which provides support to Aboriginal organizations and communities to maintain and revitalize Aboriginal languages for future generations by increasing the number of Aboriginal language speakers and by encouraging language transmission from generation to generation.

The Aboriginal Languages Initiative provides $5 million per year to support the preservation and promotion of Aboriginal languages by encouraging the use of these languages in community and family settings.