I would like to follow up on my Member’s statement with questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and note that in the past I’ve described a situation where funding for the Yellowknife Dene Community Language Program is filtered through the Tlicho and Akaitcho governments, and there have been some issues coming from that, late transfers, late in the fiscal year and so on. The Minister of ECE, in correspondence to me in February, committed to exploring the possibility of improving the flow of funding in partnership with the Akaitcho Territory Government. What is the progress on this work recently, since February? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mr. Speaker, this funding through the committee that deals with the TLC, teaching and learning centres, we have come across some challenges when it comes to dealing with the funding with Detah and Ndilo. So we’ve looked as a department and how we can mitigate and resolve that issue. We did re-profile this particular funding for Detah and Ndilo as part of a proposal being submitted on an annual basis from Goyatiko to our department based on that dispersing of the funding. That is the establishment that should resolve that issue, because I understand Mary Rose Sundberg is the one coordinating this approach and we have met with her. This is a concern that was brought to our attention, as well, through the MLA. I think we found a solution of re-profiling the funding through our department based on proposal. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, thanks much to the Minister for those comments. It sounds like good progress happening there.
I have been very encouraged that the steps being taken to increase the number of interpreters/translators through the piloting of a new program and the announcing of first graduates of the Aurora College Aboriginal Language and Cultural Instructor Program. What are the plans for taking the interpreter/translator program forward now and beginning delivery and continuing programming now that the pilot is near completion? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the Member is referring to the ALCIP program that we graduated students out of Inuvik and Aboriginal Language and Culture Instructors Program, but we are also delivering interpreter and translation training through the five different modules in the Deh Cho Yamozha Kue Society. We contribute on an annual basis for them to deliver the program. We are currently re-evaluating how we deliver that program through the Yamozha Kue Society because a lot of ideas and suggestions were brought forward. We are currently looking at and re-examining how we deliver that program in the Deh Cho riding through Yamozha Kue Society to provide a more effective delivery program. The ALCIP program has been very successful to date. We will continue to deliver that to regions as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister for those comments. It is something that I hadn’t grasped and I still could use a little more clarity on whether the interpreter/translator program is a stand-alone or is it a sort of a subset of the ALCIP program. Maybe I can get the Minister to help me understand that situation.
I understand that the interpreter program, whether it is a subset or part of ALCIP, was a pilot project. I think the Minister said they are evaluating it now and will decide. If that is the case, I would like his confirmation on that. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, based upon the completion of the interpreter training pilot delivery series, we are currently re-examining the deliverance of the program itself. Yes, the Member is correct. It was a pilot project that we initiated with the Yamozha Kue Society, and Aboriginal Language Culture Instructors Program is through the college. It is a two-year diploma program that is geared towards an area that they’ll be certified and qualified to start teaching in the classroom setting. These modules were just a pilot project, but currently we are examining that. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that clarification. I just want to note the Yellowknives Dene First Nation consider the Wiilideh language a separate language, and I had requested official language status and the Minister has been interacting with YKDFN from time to time. In his February correspondence to me, the Minister said a suggestion was made to the Akaitcho Government to carry out a research study on the Wiilideh language to document its unique nature. Now, this is going to involve hiring a linguist and an academician, but I’m wondering if the Minister can say what progress there’s been on his research and has his department provided resources for such a study. Mahsi.
Mahsi. There has been discussion with the Akaitcho Government, as well, on this, especially with the executive director identifying a feasibility study on the Weledeh dialect.
As you know, we have the nine Aboriginal official languages. Within that it also contains different dialects as well. So we have to be careful what we’re talking about here. Wiillideh dialect is part of the Tlicho dialect as well. So there’s different dialects that are involved; the Chipewyan dialect. So those are just some of the areas that the executive director was going to do some more research on in this area. But I can provide the latest update on what we have as a department from the Akaitcho Government, if they can provide that. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
