Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker...[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about aboriginal language programs in Akaitcho, which Tu Nedhe is a part of, and the need to increase support for these programs.
Mr. Speaker, in the riding of Tu Nedhe there is a combined aboriginal population of around 95 percent. However, the actual number of Chipewyan-speaking residents is becoming less and less every year. Mr. Speaker, speaking the language is important for keeping the culture alive. Speaking the language allows elders to pass on important traditional practices and knowledge to the next generation.
Mr. Speaker, this government recently developed the GNWT’s Aboriginal Languages Plan yet provides very little financial resources to support the communities. As I said, most of their money comes from the federal government.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year the Minister stated that the department is taking the lead in the revitalization to enhance and support official languages. He also talked about the government’s approach to languages being a shared responsibility. Mr. Speaker, if you ask the Deninu K'ue First Nations and Lutselk'e First Nations they will tell you that receiving only $17,000 is not enough and they feel the GNWT should do more to support the program.
Mr. Speaker, there are programs and services in place to preserve the Chipewyan language in Akaitcho. There are elders, workers, volunteers, teachers and professionals dedicated to keeping the language alive, but this is not enough and more support is needed. Mr. Speaker, these programs are crucial to keeping the language alive.
Currently, the Deninu K'ue First Nation and Lutselk'e First Nation receive $17,000 each. I believe the bulk of that money comes from the federal government through the Canada-NWT Cooperation Agreement for French and Aboriginal Languages. Seventeen thousand dollars is not enough to support a meaningful language program, Mr. Speaker. When you take into account the need to hire staff, run an office, cover admin, pay for travel, per diems, promotion and advertising, there is little left to promote the language program. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak on the importance of the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment’s release of the Aboriginal Languages Plan. This is one of the major initiatives that our government can call a legacy for this Assembly.
Last fall I had the honour of chairing the Aboriginal Languages Symposium with the Honourable Jackson Lafferty. We brought together our best and hardworking language specialists from throughout the Northwest Territories. We said this is not just another symposium but a launching pad as we work towards revitalizing our aboriginal languages.
What I learned from this symposium was by a doctor of languages who has done studies on immersions. His research has shown that in typical schools within aboriginal communities, our aboriginal students have high drop-out rates and low graduation. However, when he studied communities with a long history of aboriginal immersion in the first three years of grade school and then introduced English, he found that they actually had a better command of the English language and had better grades at school, thus better attendance and a higher graduation rate. This speaks volumes about what speaking our aboriginal language means to our people and our children.
Languages are all about cultural identity and confidence in who you are as an aboriginal. Teaching our aboriginal languages in the schools from K to 3 in wholly immersion is positive and beneficial not only for the youth and parents but for the future of the NWT as a whole.
This is the vision that I see for our languages, our children in our schools and our North: having a positive multilingual and energetic youth will indeed guarantee a strong and vibrant future for our Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to applaud the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for leading his department in the development of the Northwest Territories Aboriginal Languages Plan - A Shared Responsibility. I think this plan is an important step in revitalizing aboriginal languages throughout the Northwest Territories.
As a member of the Government Ops committee, I had the opportunity to participate on the committee in the review of the Official Languages Act earlier in the life of this Assembly where we came up with Reality Check: Securing a Future for the Official Languages in the Northwest Territories.
As part of that review I had the privilege and honour of travelling to communities with members of the committee to meet with the champions of the individual aboriginal language groups throughout the Northwest Territories. During these meetings it became obvious and clear that language is inherent to culture and culture is inherent to language. Without one the other is challenged, the other is threatened. So it’s important that we find ways to work with the aboriginal communities to revitalize these languages.
They are under threat. For example, in 2006 there were only 200 people who identified Gwich’in as their mother tongue and, more alarmingly, only 20 of them indicated that they use it as their home language. In Inuktitut we had 800 who claimed it as their mother tongue; only 145 said they use it as their home language. Cree: 205 identified it as their mother tongue; only 20 identified it as their home language. Chipewyan: 410 identified it as their mother tongue; only 115 identified it as their home language. Tlicho is a little bit better: 2,040 identified it as their mother tongue; only 1,095 indicated they use it as their home language. North and South Slavey: 2,170 identified it as their mother tongue; 975 indicated it is their home language. Clearly the languages are in trouble and need some work.
In our report we built upon the report that was conducted and completed in 2003 where there are 65 recommendations made. Unfortunately, at the time it was clear to us that many of these recommendations weren’t acted upon. As a result, we built upon those recommendations and came up with 48 of our recommendations which we passed along to the Minister. I know, based on the fact that they have 70 actions, many, and I know that at least 17 for sure, have been addressed directly and they’re moving on them. This is an important step and it’s going to go a long way to revitalizing aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories. Once again I would like to thank the Minister for that work.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
