Bill S-229 explained in plain English
An Act for the advancement of the aboriginal languages of Canada and to recognize and respect aboriginal language rights
Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.
At a glance
Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
Bill S-229 recognizes the right of Indigenous peoples in Canada to use and promote their languages and requires the federal government to take measures to preserve, revitalize, and support Aboriginal languages.
Bill S-229, called the Aboriginal Languages of Canada Act, recognizes that Indigenous peoples in Canada (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) have the right to use, preserve, revitalize, and promote their own languages. The bill states that the Government of Canada is committed to protecting and promoting Aboriginal languages and fostering respect for them across the country. The bill requires a designated federal minister to take appropriate measures to support this commitment. These measures may include: supporting Indigenous governments in using their languages for local governance and in schools on reserves; working with provinces and territories to support Aboriginal language teachers and the use of Aboriginal languages in education; encouraging schools to teach Aboriginal languages and award academic credit equal to what is given for official languages; creating more opportunities for Indigenous people to learn their languages; increasing the use of Aboriginal languages in media and broadcasting; and promoting a positive attitude toward Aboriginal languages among all Canadians. The minister is required to consult with Indigenous leaders and governing bodies when designing and implementing programs and policies. The minister must also report annually to Parliament on what actions were taken, their impact, and progress toward the bill's goals. The bill does not change existing English or French language education rights, nor does it affect existing Aboriginal or treaty rights already recognized in Canada's Constitution. The Governor in Council (the cabinet) can make regulations to support the act's goals. The act will come into force (take effect) no later than two years after receiving royal assent.
- Recognizes the right of Aboriginal peoples of Canada to use, preserve, revitalize, and promote their languages and to share their cultural heritage through those languages
- Commits the Government of Canada to recognizing and respecting Aboriginal language rights and to preserving, revitalizing, and promoting Aboriginal languages across the country
- Requires the designated Minister to take measures appropriate to implement these commitments
- Empowers the Minister to support Aboriginal governments in using Aboriginal languages for local governance and as a medium of instruction in schools on reserves funded by the Government of Canada
- Empowers the Minister to encourage and support provinces and territories in certifying Aboriginal language teachers and using Aboriginal languages in education
- Empowers the Minister to encourage and support educational institutions to teach Aboriginal languages and grant academic credit equal to that given for official languages
- Empowers the Minister to increase opportunities for Aboriginal people to learn their languages and develop proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing
- Empowers the Minister to increase the use of Aboriginal languages in broadcasting, telecommunications, and other media
- Empowers the Minister to foster a positive attitude toward Aboriginal languages among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples
- Requires the Minister to consult with Indigenous leaders and governing bodies in designing and implementing programs and policies under the act
- Requires the Minister to prepare and present an annual report to Parliament on the act's implementation, including measures taken, their impact, progress toward objectives, consultations undertaken, compliance, and recommendations
- Allows the Minister or other federal ministers to enter into agreements with provinces, territories, or Indigenous governments to implement the act's commitments
- Allows the Governor in Council to make regulations to carry out the act's objectives
- Clarifies that the act does not limit funding for English or French language education for Aboriginal people
- Clarifies that the act does not affect existing Aboriginal or treaty rights
- Aboriginal peoples of Canada (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples)
- Indigenous persons and communities across Canada
- The federal government and its designated Minister responsible for implementing the act
- Provincial and territorial governments
- Municipal and local authorities
- Educational institutions at the elementary, secondary, and post-secondary levels
- Aboriginal governments and governance bodies
- Teachers, instructors, linguists, interpreters, and translators working with Aboriginal languages
- All Canadian citizens (regarding fostering positive attitudes toward Aboriginal languages)
- Aboriginal peoples of Canada have the recognized right to use, preserve, revitalize, and promote their Aboriginal languages (Section 5)
- Aboriginal peoples have the freedom to share their cultural heritage through the use of their languages (Section 5)
- The Government of Canada is committed to recognizing and respecting Aboriginal language rights (Section 6)
- The designated Minister must take measures considered appropriate to implement the government's commitments and carry out the act's objectives (Section 7)
- The Minister must ensure consultation with Aboriginal leaders and governing bodies in designing, developing, and implementing policies and programs (Section 9)
- The Minister must prepare and present an annual report to Parliament on the act's implementation (Section 11)
- Aboriginal governments have a supported right to use Aboriginal languages for local governance activities and as a medium of instruction in schools on reserves (Section 7(a) and (b))
- Educational institutions are encouraged to teach Aboriginal languages and award academic credit equivalent to that given for official languages (Section 7(e))
- The Act comes into force no later than two years after receiving royal assent, on a date to be fixed by the Governor in Council (Section 12)
- The Minister must prepare annual reports to Parliament (Section 11)
- The specific date when the act will come into force is not yet determined; it will be set by the Governor in Council no later than two years after royal assent
- The bill does not specify the funding or resources that will be allocated to support Aboriginal language initiatives
- The bill uses broad language such as 'measures considered appropriate' and 'may take measures,' which gives the Minister discretion in how to implement the act
- The bill does not establish specific performance targets or timelines for achieving the act's objectives
- The bill does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance
- The bill does not detail which specific federal minister will be designated to implement the act
- The extent to which provincial and territorial governments will participate in supporting Aboriginal languages is not mandated
- The bill does not specify how Aboriginal language preservation will be funded or the amount of resources to be committed
The bill clarifies that it does not reduce or eliminate any existing Aboriginal or treaty rights already recognized in the Constitution.
Source: Section 4
Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.
Official textParliamentary Process
We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
On June 9, 2015, the Senate introduced Bill S-229 concerning Indigenous languages, debated other legislation, and addressed a question of privilege regarding leaks of the Auditor General's report.
This document details proceedings in the Senate on June 9, 2015. The Senate received messages from the House of Commons, tabled reports, and discussed various bills. Notably, Bill S-229, an Act for the advancement of the aboriginal languages of Canada and to recognize and respect aboriginal language rights, was introduced and read for the first time. Several debates occurred regarding other bills, including motions in amendment and points of order. The Senate also addressed a question of privilege concerning media leaks of the Auditor General's report on Senate expenses.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for First reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Second reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Consideration in committee yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Report stage yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
We don't have a plain-language summary for Third reading yet. The official source linked below is the full record.
Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.
Vote Summary
This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.
No published representative vote breakdown
This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.
Official sources
Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.
How this data is sourced