Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday we had a Minister’s statement regarding Aboriginal languages and revitalization into our Aboriginal languages across the Northwest Territories. I wanted to briefly touch on that today. It really sparked my interest, and being someone who doesn’t speak their language, it’s something that I want to see brought forward over the next four years so that by the end of four years I’ll be able to stand here and do a Member’s statement in Gwich’in, and that some of our colleagues can do the same thing.
Aboriginal languages are the foundation of northern cultures. They define Aboriginal peoples, they describe northern values and beliefs, and they provide the framework through which northern people express their views and their visions. This was an opening address made by the Honourable Jackson Lafferty, Minister of ECE, in a report that was brought out in 2010. He also goes on to state that if nothing is done, we will lose our Aboriginal languages. As stated, I would like to see that this government moves forward into some of the work that the Minister is doing, along with Members on this side, so that these languages can be revitalized. In a briefing that was done earlier in this government, we noticed that languages across the Northwest Territories – it’s not just the Gwich’in language, not the Inuvialuktun language – all languages are declining and that needs to be addressed and fixed, as I mentioned.
Not only languages. We’re speaking about culture here. We’re talking about dance. We’re talking about music. We’re talking about all things that are associated with culture that can bring our people stronger so that they’re proud to be Northerners, proud of their cultures. That’s something that I want to see brought forth within the next four years and get stronger each and every year as we move forward.
Later today I will be having some questions for the Minister of ECE in regard to his Minister’s statement yesterday, and how we can move forward on this and start addressing some of the priorities in terms of the languages that have really declined and are in an emergency situation. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
