There are eight Indigenous languages in the lands commonly known as Saskatchewan (SK). The Languages Act (1988-89) establishes that both English and French are the languages of the Legislative Assembly and courts and that regulations can be enacted, printed, and published in English, or in English and French. There are no current provincial acts directly related to the revitalization of Indigenous languages (McIvor et al., 2022). Saskatchewan’s Education Act (1995) states that English is to be the language of instruction in schools. An established school board can approve the use of a language other than English as a medium of instruction in schools. Outside of requiring board approval, the Act itself does not specify limitations on the use of non-English languages. The 2015 Education Regulations clarify that the non-English language can be used for 100% of instructional time in kindergartens and a maximum of 50% of instructional time of all other levels. The Education Act (1995) does not mention Indigenous peoples or languages but does include extensive protection of French language minority rights.
Over the years, Saskatchewan has developed several frameworks related to Indigenous languages and students. The 1994 Aboriginal Languages Curriculum Guide for Kindergarten to Grade 12 states that curriculum should produce active bilingualism among Indigenous language learners. The 2014 Bilingual Education Integrated Curriculum Framework for Kindergarten to Grade 3 does not specifically exclude but is also not designed for Indigenous language bilingual programs. The 2018 First Nations and Métis PreK-12 Education Policy Framework was created by First Nations and provincial education stakeholders to increase graduation rates for First Nations students. It emphasizes “the value and importance of teaching Métis and First Nations history, languages, cultures, traditional and contemporary ways of knowing in the classroom” (p. 6). Federal funding for language work was available through the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre until 2021, when organizations were required to apply to the Department of Canadian Heritage (McIvor et al., 2022).
In Saskatchewan, the demand for Indigenous language learning is high. One program answering this call is the St. Frances Cree Bilingual School in Saskatoon for grades preK through 9. The school had to be relocated to accommodate a growing number of students and is now operating pre-K through grade 5 at a separate location from grade 6 through 8. Saskatoon is also home to the bilingual Nêhiyâwiwin Cree Language and Culture Program, a joint project sponsored by Saskatoon Public Schools, the Saskatoon Tribal Council and the Central Urban, Métis Federation Incorporated. The program operates at Confederation Park Community School and currently includes Pre-K, Kindergarten and Grades 1 to 5. Second language courses in Dene, Nakawêmowin and Michif were available during the 2019-20 school year. In August 2019, the federal government announced nearly $4.7 million in funding for fifty-nine projects to support Indigenous languages across Saskatchewan. Among the projects are some immersion programs.
References
McIvor, O., Chew, K., & Hemlock, K. (2022). Legislation, regulation and policies concerning the revitalization of Indigenous languages in Canada and Internationally. Assembly of First Nations.