Manitoba launches pilot project to translate gov’t transcripts into Indigenous languages

Manitoba Premier Web Kinew says a new pilot project will translate transcripts from the provincial legislature into Indigenous languages, starting with Aninishinaabemowin.

Premier Wab Kinew says the Manitoba government is launching a pilot project to translate the legislature’s official transcripts into seven Indigenous languages.

Kinew announced the pilot project Monday, which will begin by translating Hansard transcripts into Aninishinaabemowin, with six other local languages to follow if it’s successful.

“This project will generate a huge amount of Indigenous language text, which will help language learners, teachers, and artificial intelligence researchers work with our province’s first languages,” he said.

“I’m proud to announce this initiative on National Indigenous Langauges Day, which honours the languages of the Aninishinaabemowin, Dakota, Cree, Anisininew, Metis, Inuit, and Dene peoples in Mantiona.

The project, set to begin this spring, will involve a recruitment process — which has already begun — to hire two Indigenous translators. The premier noted that accurately translating French and English speech into some languages could prove difficult, as some new words will have to be coined to describe the workings of government.

Kinew said depending on the pilot’s success, it could expand further to translate other government documents.