This paper assesses the state of Northern Athabaskan languages internationally, and examines language policy at the federal, state/province, and regional/local levels. It notes Sahtú and NWT policy initiatives such as the regional and territorial strategic plans, but comments that a dearth of evaluation has made it difficult to assess the impacts of these initiatives. The authors present many alternative strategies to address the dangers of language loss, including the following.

For individuals, communities, and regions (p. 15)
1. Athabaskan families should make more use of Arctic Athabaskan languages at home;
2. Communities should create more Arctic Athabaskan language learning environments in which elders, children, and youth can interact;
3. Current and emerging leadership should increase their use of Arctic
Athabaskan languages in public settings as much as possible; and
4. First Nations governments and organizations could require greater use of Arctic Athabaskan languages in their operations.

For territories and states (p. 17)
1. Dedicate long-term funding for Arctic Athabaskan language programs for daycares and pre-schools;
2. Amend territorial and state curricula to make Arctic Athabaskan language proficiency a requirement for high school graduation;
3. Territorial and state governments should develop structures to support public sector employees’ Arctic Athabaskan language learning, through the use of instructors, course material, and leave with pay;
4. Require industry to negotiate the use of Arctic Athabaskan languages in appropriate workplaces.

For Canada and the United States (p. 20)
Write a “Dene Language Accord” that “supports Athabaskan language use as well as French and English.”

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This paper is made available open access by the Gordon Foundation at this link: http://gordonfoundation.ca/resource/northern-dene-languages-use-them-or-lose-them-arctic-athabaskan-language/

Hernandez, Moses, Nina Larsson, Jessie MacKenzie, and Itoah Scott-Enns. Northern Dene Languages: Use them or lose them, Arctic Athabaskan Language Revitalization Plan. Toronto: Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation, 2015.