Multidisciplinary Approaches in
Language Policy and Planning
Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario, Canada | June 17 - 19, 2026
Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
Please note that all times are shown in the time zone of the conference. The current conference time is: 1st Apr 2026, 09:57:02am EDT
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Session Overview |
| Session | ||
Keynote by Robert Falcon-Ouellette: "Indigenous Language Inclusion Across Institutions"
Robert-Falcon Ouellette is from Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. He is a dedicated community organizer, educator and anthropologist doing research in the areas of Indigenous education, military ethics and political science. He recently helped create the new Yellowquill University College, the only Indigenous post-secondary institution in Manitoba. He has a PhD and two Master's degrees from Laval University in Quebec City, and was only the second Indigenous person to graduate from Laval with a PhD in 350 years. He is a former Member of Parliament. During his mandate, he obtained unanimous consent to change the Standing Orders of the House of Commons for the full inclusion and interpretation of Indigenous languages. Professor Ouellette was the Chair of the Indigenous Caucus and helped lead change in Child and Family Services and languages legislation, as well as other initiatives focused on advancing reconciliation. His keynote address will focus on issues surrounding indigenous languages rights in the Canadian context. | ||
| Session Abstract | ||
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In this keynote address, Robert-Falcon Ouellette will highlight the vital importance of Indigenous languages in sustaining cultural identity, resilience, and reconciliation across Canada. Drawing on his personal experience as the first Member of Parliament to speak Cree in the House of Commons, he will reflect on the efforts that led to the historic amendment of the Standing Orders to permit Indigenous-language interpretation, an institutional breakthrough that affirmed these languages within Canada's highest democratic forum. He will also examine the significance of Bill C-91, the Indigenous Languages Act, which established a national framework for the protection and promotion of Indigenous languages and consider how such measures can inspire broader commitments across sectors. The presentation will analyze how colonial policies, particularly the residential school system, sought to suppress Indigenous languages, while showing how language learning and inclusion---whether through curriculum, community engagement, or public service can serve as powerful acts of reconciliation. Ultimately, he will argue that all Canadian institutions; educational, governmental and corporate, share a responsibility to advance Indigenous language inclusion. Supporting revitalization is not simply preservation; it is an act of justice and healing that enables communities to reclaim their voices and contributes to a more inclusive and equitable Canada. |