Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2018-11-29 15:45:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Robert-Falcon Ouellette (Winnipeg Centre, Lib.)",
        "fr": "M. Robert-Falcon Ouellette (Winnipeg-Centre, Lib.)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"5696099\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, it is my belief that parliamentarians have a constitutionally protected right to use an indigenous language in Parliament. Subsection 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982 states, \u201cThe existing aboriginal treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed.\u201d</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5696100\" data-originallang=\"en\">Do languages actually fall within these provisions? Professor Karen Drake has written about indigenous language rights in Canada pre-existing the Canadian state, and that these rights have not been extinguished and are still present. Others, like David Leitch and Lorena Fontaine, have been working toward launching a constitutional challenge, arguing that under subsection 35(1), the federal government not only has a negative obligation not to stifle aboriginal languages, but also a positive obligation to provide the resources necessary for the revitalization of those languages. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5696101\" data-originallang=\"en\">There are many sub-steps and different ideas that relate to this, especially within a decision in R. v. Van der Peet case that, \u201cTo be an aboriginal right an activity must be an element of a practice, custom or tradition integral to the distinctive culture of the aboriginal group claiming the right.\u201d I believe that indigenous languages meet that constitutional requirement.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5696102\" data-originallang=\"en\">It is a very interesting argument concerning French and English, but indigenous languages are in fact the original languages of this land and deserve just as much respect. I understand that there are many people from around the world who have come to Canada and who speak other languages. If we looked, for instance, to other parliaments, such as in New South Wales in Australia\u2014Australia was mentioned by the hon. member\u2014it has introduced aboriginal language legislation to ensure the protection of the indigenous languages there, and the ability to hear those languages within the chamber and the provision of services relating to these languages.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"5696099\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, je crois que les parlementaires ont le droit constitutionnel d'utiliser une langue autochtone au Parlement. Selon le paragraphe 35(1) de la Loi constitutionnelle de 1982: \u00ab Les droits existants \u2014 ancestraux ou issus de trait\u00e9s \u2014 des peuples autochtones du Canada sont reconnus et confirm\u00e9s. \u00bb</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5696100\" data-originallang=\"en\">Les langues sont-elles \u00e9galement prot\u00e9g\u00e9es par cette disposition? La professeure Karen Drake a \u00e9crit que les droits linguistiques des autochtones au Canada sont des droits ant\u00e9rieurs \u00e0 la cr\u00e9ation de l'\u00c9tat canadien. Ce ne sont pas des droits \u00e9teints; ils existent toujours. D\u2019autres personnes, comme David Leitch et Lorena Fontaine, ont l'intention de lancer une contestation constitutionnelle, soutenant que, aux termes du paragraphe 35(1), le gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral a non seulement l'obligation n\u00e9gative de ne pas \u00e9touffer les langues autochtones, mais qu'il a aussi l'obligation positive de fournir les ressources n\u00e9cessaires pour revitaliser ces langues.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5696101\" data-originallang=\"en\">De nombreuses visions et id\u00e9es diff\u00e9rentes s\u2019y rapportent, comme le montre la d\u00e9cision rendue dans l\u2019affaire <em>R. c. Van der Peet</em>, selon laquelle \u00ab pour constituer un droit ancestral, une activit\u00e9 doit \u00eatre un \u00e9l\u00e9ment d'une coutume, pratique ou tradition faisant partie int\u00e9grante de la culture distinctive du groupe autochtone qui revendique le droit en question \u00bb. Je crois que les langues autochtones satisfont \u00e0 cette exigence constitutionnelle.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"5696102\" data-originallang=\"en\">C\u2019est un argument tr\u00e8s int\u00e9ressant concernant le fran\u00e7ais et l\u2019anglais, mais les langues autochtones sont en fait les langues originales de ce pays et m\u00e9ritent tout autant de respect. Je comprends qu\u2019il y a beaucoup de gens de partout dans le monde qui sont venus au Canada et qui parlent d\u2019autres langues. Par exemple, dans d\u2019autres parlements, comme celui de la Nouvelle-Galles-du-Sud, en Australie \u2014 l\u2019Australie a \u00e9t\u00e9 mentionn\u00e9e par le d\u00e9put\u00e9 \u2014, on a pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 une loi sur les langues autochtones pour assurer la protection des langues autochtones, la capacit\u00e9 d\u2019entendre ces langues \u00e0 la Chambre et la prestation de services dans ces langues.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2018/11/29/robert-falcon-ouellette-5/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/robert-falcon-ouellette/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/4410/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "10413256",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Routine Proceedings",
        "fr": "Affaires Courantes"
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Committees of the House",
        "fr": "Les comit\u00e9s de la Chambre"
    },
    "h3": {
        "en": "Procedure and House Affairs",
        "fr": "Proc\u00e9dure et affaires de la Chambre"
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2018/11/29/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2018%2F11%2F29%2F"
    }
}