Reclaiming Indigenous Identity and Cultural Diversity in Canada

Abstract

Linguistic diversity is the key to Canada’s multicultural identity which it has been struggling to maintain for decades. Its language policies are rooted in two kinds of languages, the languages of European settlers and the indigenous languages spoken by aborigines who are the native residents of Canada. Despite the country’s conservation policy, social tensions and political debates abound on how it treats its languages by according them official or non-official status. Canada first developed its language policy in 1960s on account of Quebec nationalism and growing tensions between colonizing rivals. This led to establishment of policies which rendered English and French as official languages while indigenous languages got little support. Consequently, language-based discrimination is central to the nation’s social and political debates, which inform its self-image since the conquest of indigenous tribes. A combination of factors like hostile colonial policies, reserve systems and residential schools have undermined these languages and separated communities sharing common languages and traditions. This paper will assess how Canada’s indigenous tribes have fared since the implementation of national language policy which mandates protection of indigenous culture and identity. It will examine the treatment of indigenous languages in the current political milieu of Canada, and the progress made by the government towards adoption of important laws and path-breaking policies to create a future that nurtures its multicultural roots while affirming the national identity.