Living Language Rights: Constitutional Pathways to Indigenous Language Education

Synopsis:

Beyond Bilingualism

In Living Language Rights: Constitutional Pathways to Indigenous Language Education, Lorena Fontaine's ground-breaking work explores the constitutional foundations and growing recognition of Indigenous language rights in Canada. By documenting the history of First Nations' language transmission on the prairies, Fontaine demonstrates how Indigenous language rights are deeply embedded in both First Nations law and Canadian constitutional law. Equal parts personal and scholarly, Living Language Rights highlights the sacred responsibility within First Nations law to preserve and transmit language. Fontaine argues that language transmission is not only culturally significant, but also a constitutionally protected right that Canada has a duty to uphold-especially following decades of attempted linguistic genocide.

Focusing on education as the path to Indigenous language revitalization, she examines the current health of Indigenous languages and urges governments to act. Living Language Rights is a crucial read, filling an important void for anyone seeking to understand Indigenous rights, language revitalization, and Canadian constitutional law.

Reviews
"Fontaine’s interweaving of history and perspectives with the law make this a significant contribution to the field of language loss and revitalization. Living Language Rights is a “must read” for educators interested in Indigenous languages and their revitalization." - Marie Battiste, University of Saskatchewan

Educator Information
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction: Foundations: First Nations Language Transmission
Chapter 1: Intercustomary Law: First Nations Language Transmission in the Prairies
Chapter 2: Linguistic Genocide: Canada's Educational System
Chapter 3: Canada's Constitution: First Nations Language Rights in Education
Chapter 4: International Law: Indigenous Peoples Language Rights in Education
Chapter 5: Indigenous Languages Act: Section 35 of Canada's Constitution Act, 1982
Conclusion
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography

Additional Information
264 pages | 6" x 9" | Paperback