"'Give Us Back Our Language,' Mohawks Say"

OHSWEKEN - After months of discussions with Canadians, Keith Spicer says he has never heard anything so moving as the story of a Six Nations mother battling to maintain her native language.

The chairman of the Citizen's Forum on Canada's Future was in the Six Nations community Thursday, listening to presentations and making an impromptu visit to the reserve's Mohawk immersion school.

Joan Miller, whose son is in the school's Grade 4 class, said she is struggling to learn her language as an adult. Her mother wouldn't speak Mohawk after she was sent to a residential school.

"I see language as being able to change the future of our people," said the Mohawk woman who helps run the reserve's five-year-old immersion program.

"Don't give us handouts, give us what is ours - give us that language back," she said, with tears running down her cheeks.

"I've been listening for 30 years to stories about languages and culture, and I've never heard anything as moving as that," said Mr. Spicer, who expressed a personal interest in helping the immersion program when he finishes his duties with the commission.

"I think you explained the links between language and culture more eloquently than I have ever heard in my life," said Mr. Spicer, who was Canada's language commissioner from 1970 to 1977.

The commission, appointed late last year by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, is in the final stages of the public consultation process. It will soon start writing the final report, which must be presented by July 1.

About 100 of the reserve's 8,000 residents attended the full day of meetings with Mr. Spicer and commission member Helena Zukowski.

Many said they were not aware of the meetings until the last minute. Others said native people have lost interest in commissions appointed by the federal government.

"Commissions never have had any effect. There have been so many promises, but it's been years and years and years and nothing changes," said Anne MacNaughton, a Mohawk clan mother.

"I think the Oka problem has stirred up anger in the communities, and the government sends these commissions to quiet people down."

Tom Deer, a Mohawk who works at J.C. Hill elementary school, said he became discouraged as soon as the commissioners said they wanted to hear from all Canadian citizens.

"I don't consider myself a citizen of Canada. If it's for Canadian citizens then I guess they should be in Caledonia or Brantford, or something."

Mr. Spicer said he understands the frustration of native people, but believes things will soon change.

"The wind is starting to blow your way. Aboriginal issues are high on the agenda of the government of Canada... Never in our lifetime has so much attention been given to your history and your feelings.

"This is your time, this is your hour."

In the 200,00 submissions received by the commission, almost as many people have addressed aboriginal issues as have been discussed Quebec's relations with the rest of the country.

Most Canadians are anxious to resolve aboriginal issues, said Mr. Spicer, but he cautioned that few people truly understand native land claims or native self-government.

Allen MacNaughton, a Mohawk Confederacy chief, warned of serious consequences if Canadians don't start listening. "Things have got to change," he said. "If they don't, things will continue to degrade... and there just may well be more outbreaks of violence."