Harper Government Invests in Language-Learning Opportunities for Maliseet First Nation Youth

TOBIQUE, New Brunswick, December 28, 2011 - Young people from the Maliseet First Nation will have the opportunity to learn the Maliseet language, thanks to support from the Government of Canada. Funding was announced today by Mike Allen, Member of Parliament (Tobique-Mactaquac), on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

The funding will enable the Tobique Wellness Centre to offer a 16-week Language Nest program for children and their parents, which will include teaching traditional cultural activities in the Maliseet language. A 12-week full-time Youth Language Camp will also be organized by the Tobique Wellness Centre, as well as 36 hours of language classes targeted specifically at young people.

"Our Government received a strong mandate from Canadians to invest in important projects that support the preservation and revitalization of Aboriginal languages," said Minister Moore. "By supporting opportunities for young people to learn the Maliseet language, our Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen our communities and support our arts, culture, and heritage."

"Communities are best placed to develop the tools needed to take on the challenge of language transmission. I commend the Tobique Wellness Centre for the variety of learning activities it will use to promote the Maliseet language to youth," said Mr. Allen. "Our Government's support will help increase the intergenerational transmission of the Maliseet language, benefitting this community today and for many years to come."

"We are trying to revive and revitalize our Maliseet language, and with the help of Canadian Heritage we are able to provide children and their families these learning opportunities that will help our language and culture thrive and expand," said Tiffany Perley, Project Coordinator at the Tobique Wellness Centre. "The elders are a key component in the preservation of our language; we will be using their wisdom throughout our project."

The Government of Canada has provided funding of $57,000 through the Aboriginal Languages Initiative (ALI) of the Department of Canadian Heritage's Aboriginal Peoples' Program. The objective of ALI is to encourage and support community-based language projects that contribute to the revitalization and preservation of Aboriginal languages and increase their use in community and family settings.

For more information (media only), please contact:

Sébastien Gariépy
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Official Languages
819-997-7788

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
media@pch.gc.ca