Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
I would like to speak about aboriginal language funding. Last year, as chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and with my fellow Members, I was involved in the review of the Official Languages Act. Our research showed that many aboriginal languages are getting near to or at risk of disappearing.
When we visited communities, people expressed concern. One of the recommendations we made to the Legislative Assembly was to confirm government’s responsibility to support language communities in using, maintaining, revitalizing, protecting, and modernizing the respective languages.
Recently, one of my constituents raised the concern that government has not expended all the funding that is available for aboriginal languages. It turns out that last year 6 percent of ECE’s aboriginal languages budget was not used. That amounted to $645,000 and could have contributed to the important work. We certainly don’t want to see funds for aboriginal languages go unspent. The previous year before this, $800,000 was unspent.
In November I supported a request on behalf of the Deh Cho Friendship Centre in Fort Simpson for funds to prepare a Slavey CD-Rom. I received a letter back in December from the Minister of ECE indicating there was no funding in the budget to provide for assistance. I was advised that all funding was allocated. I wonder if all these projects and programs are on track to be completed. I have heard that it is sometimes difficult to get contractors to complete these types of projects. I would be happy to hear that this year’s project will be fully expended, but it is a bit hard to believe, given the track record over the past couple of years.
I would like to ensure aboriginal language funding is flexible enough so that budgeted dollars can be used to good advantage towards protecting and revitalizing our aboriginal languages. I would also like to ask the Minister of ECE not to dismiss a unique proposal like this if they are going to lapse hundreds and thousands of dollars.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
