“The very foundation of each and every nation is its national tongue,” observed Hebrew writer Yehuda Burla.

These words illustrate why Indigenous leaders are rightly concerned by growing evidence of the loss of Indigenous languages. According to Statistics Canada, the proportion of the Indigenous population able to converse in an Indigenous language dropped from 21 per cent to 15 per cent between 2006 and 2016.

UNESCO notes that nearly half the world’s 6,000 languages are endangered, with many expected to disappear entirely in the next century. The organization’s list of vulnerable languages includes 87 Indigenous languages in Canada. Thirty-two are designated as “critically endangered,” with remaining speakers ranging from hundreds down to a few.

This month, Parliament is examining Bill C-91, landmark legislation to protect and revitalize Indigenous languages across Canada, pursuant to the calls to action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Once passed, C-91 will ensure long-term federal support for a multi-faceted approach to Indigenous language revitalization.

This historic bill, co-developed by the Assembly of First Nations, deserves all-party endorsement on Parliament Hill. Our hope is that it also generates support from allies throughout Canadian society, as it has in the case of Canada’s Jewish community.

The strong friendship that exists between the Indigenous and Jewish communities in Canada is not new. In 2015, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) offered a statement of solidarity with Indigenous peoples on behalf of six Jewish organizations following the release of the TRC’s report.

The issue of Indigenous language revitalization especially resonated with us, which is why CIJA joined the AFN for a series of events held recently at UN headquarters to mark 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Our two organizations are now working together to urge parliamentarians to pass C-91 without delay.

Jews have a unique connection to this issue. In 1890, the growing Jewish community in what is now Israel created a Hebrew Language Committee to restore the Indigenous language of the Jewish people in our Indigenous land. The committee launched a bold plan to transform Hebrew from a language largely confined to prayer to one used “in all facets of life – in the home, school, public life, business, industry, fine arts, and in the sciences.”

By the time Israel was established in 1948, the broad renaissance the committee envisioned had come about. Whereas Biblical Hebrew consists of roughly 7,000 words, modern Hebrew now encompasses some 33,000. What Israelis achieved is believed to be the sole example in history of a natural language with no native speakers acquiring millions of native speakers.

For Israelis, reviving Hebrew was essential to the rebirth of the Jewish nation and Jewish self-determination after centuries of exile and persecution.

For the Diaspora, the restoration of Hebrew to the centre of the Jewish experience has dramatically enriched the identity of Jews worldwide.

While the Canadian context is markedly different, the vision and implications for Indigenous culture and identity are remarkably similar. Bill C-91 should be just the first step in a vital journey for Indigenous peoples in Canada, for which a renaissance of language will be an engine of renewal for communities that could otherwise disappear.

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In addition to substantial and sustainable funding, a diversity of programs will be essential to success. New language schools should be created on reserves and in urban and rural settings alike, with bilingual and immersion classes starting with pre-school students. Cultural programs will ensure that continuity of language goes hand in hand with the transmission of history, spirituality, and values. While this process will rightly be developed and led by Indigenous communities, the federal government has a key supporting role to play – which is why passing C-91 without delay is critical.

As the Jewish story demonstrates, the renewal of an Indigenous language is fundamental to self-determination, especially for nations that have faced historical adversity. With 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, there’s no time like the present for Canada to advance this urgent cause.