Herbert Nakimayak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the lack of funding for Indigenous languages in the Northwest Territories, and I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, my question is: does the Minister believe that there is an imbalance in the way Indigenous languages are funded compared to French language in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am not trying to play favourites, or anything like that, but knowing that the new bill that is coming out from the federal government does not really give the federal government obligations to work with Indigenous peoples on a closer basis. Mr. Speaker, last year, the federal government under the current agreement for French-language service and Indigenous languages will be 2019-2020. Mr. Speaker, my question is: has the department started to plan for what it wants to achieve for future generations?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, 2019 is the International Year of Indigenous Languages. I would like to continue the discussion of how government can support our Indigenous languages across the territory.

Mr. Speaker, recently I looked at the analysis of federal funding for languages in Nunavut that broke it down to dollars per person. Based on their first language, the funding for a French student was around $420 per student, and for Inuktitut it was, ballpark, around $4.30. Mr. Speaker, this gap demonstrates that our government must do more to invest in Inuktitut.

Mr. Speaker, I wondered...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the response from the Minister and his staff. I don't have anything else. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Maybe just a suggestion, but it might be something worth looking into for the next Assembly. Some communities are hard to reach, and some are fly-in only, and some are quite remote, that there needs to be something there for the community. So we are looking at the health and safety of one or two individuals as opposed to a whole community. I think we need to look through a different lens, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize my cousin, Ann Peters, who is also your CA. Welcome to the House, Ann. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just one last thing here, you know, it might be something that we can look at, some of the communities that have a highway, as part of a highway patrol. Someone, a Member on the floor, mentioned that there is a residence in one of the communities, and that might be an option, to look at that and restructure that. I am sure that, as part of operations, it's something that might be doable by the department and the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Looking at First Nations policing, we have a lot of First Nations in the territory. We have two reserves. Earlier on the floor of the House there was some talk about the lack of police services in some communities. I am wondering if the department has ever looked at something like having community constables in communities that do not have police officers so that we can have some stability of policing, or at least some type of reporting for crime and to be there for individuals in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It is good to see that the Minister is recognizing the harsh winds we have up North. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Housing announced that there will be community housing planning events. There is one scheduled for Paulatuk. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister give an update on what this meeting will consist of and what benefits will it bring to the community, not just the community of Paulatuk, but the region in Nunakput?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, through its Community Economic Development Organization, has been awarded a $500,000 prize by the Arctic Inspiration Prize Charitable Trust.

Mr. Speaker, the project is a joint venture between the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Gwich'in Tribal Council and fully supported by the Aurora Research Institute. Mr. Speaker, the concept is to develop an innovative process to support Northern Indigenous artists and crafters in the Western Arctic. The team will engage with artisans in each community and create an...