S-214Royal assent received

Law to Create International Mother Language Day

Mother Language Day Law

Introduced Dec 14, 2021·Last discussed Apr 27, 2023

Summary

This new law creates a special day in Canada. Every year on February 21st, we will celebrate "International Mother Language Day." It's a day to recognize and appreciate all the different languages people speak in Canada, besides English and French. This day affects everyone in Canada. It encourages people to value their own native language and culture. It also promotes understanding and respect for other languages and cultures. Schools, community groups, and other organizations might hold events to celebrate. This matters because Canada is a country with people from all over the world. Celebrating different languages helps us understand and appreciate each other better. It also helps preserve languages that might be disappearing. It reminds us that our differences make Canada stronger.

Where This Lands on Key Issues

Where this proposed law falls on the policy spectrums that Canadians care about

This bill

Identity & Human RightsExpand protections for marginalized groups

The bill promotes the celebration and protection of diverse languages spoken in Canada, aligning with proactive equity and inclusion measures related to cultural identity.

Indigenous PeoplesExpand Indigenous self-governance

By celebrating mother languages, the bill implicitly supports the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages, which aligns with reconciliation efforts and the recognition of Indigenous cultural rights.

Rural Communities & CultureMaintain current rural support

The bill could provide some support for rural communities where Indigenous languages and other minority languages are more commonly spoken.

Bill Quality

Weak

This proposed law recognizes International Mother Language Day in Canada. It doesn't create any new programs or change any existing laws, and it explicitly states that it is not a legal holiday.

Things to Watch For

The law doesn't allocate any resources or funding to promote or celebrate International Mother Language Day.
It remains to be seen whether the symbolic recognition will lead to any tangible benefits for linguistic diversity.
The law does not define what activities, if any, should occur on International Mother Language Day.

Progress

Click any step to learn what it means