Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, as the government lead on the work to revitalize, enhance, and support the Northwest Territories official languages, continues to actively engage with language communities in the preparation of the Official Languages Strategy to be tabled this fall.
We are in the midst of planning a major Aboriginal Languages Symposium March 30th to April 1st in Yellowknife to bring together government, aboriginal language communities and other stakeholders to discuss the overarching principles of an Aboriginal Languages Strategy, how aboriginal language should be promoted, and how aboriginal language communities can be supported to increase the day-to-day use of our official languages.
To assist us in planning the symposium we have assembled a volunteer working group made up of the members from the language communities. This group is directing our work by offering advice and guidance on program content and logistical details. I would like to thank the working group for their invaluable assistance in planning the symposium, including: William Firth, Andy Norwegian, Berna Landry, Lucy Lafferty, Mary Rose Sundberg, Jane Modeste, Cathy Cockney, Emily Kudlak, Annie Boucher, Vance Sanderson and Sabet Biscaye.
We would also like to thank the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, Mr. Kevin Menicoche, for agreeing to co-chair the Aboriginal Languages Symposium. It is clear that the work on official languages is as vital to standing committee members as it is to this government. We would like the Official Languages Strategy to be the work reflective of the commitment and passion of this entire Assembly, so Mr. Menicoche’s participation is both important and welcomed.
The information we learn from the Aboriginal Languages Symposium will form the foundation of work with each individual language community over the coming months. It is our plan to offer as much assistance as the committee requires on the formation of their draft plans and actions. This work will take some time. Languages do not improve overnight but require consistent and committed effort on everyone’s part: the language community, the GNWT and the federal government.
The theme of the Aboriginal Languages Symposium decided by the working group is: Languages - A Shared Responsibility. This is entirely consistent with our government’s language regime approach and we are very encouraged by the way our chosen approach has been enthusiastically embraced by our partners.
In terms of our work on the French language, Mr. Speaker, we are currently in the process of gaining clarification of our funding responsibilities prior to moving forward towards a strategy and an implementation plan. We are seeking this through the courts as clarification of the past decisions. We are hopeful to have this clarification in the near future and to continue our work with the French language community in a cooperative and committed way.
Mr. Speaker, many Members sitting here today speak their language well and others are still learning. I challenge those Members who are not fluent in their language to learn a few words and phrases every day and use them as much as possible. If everyone, not just Members of this House, commits to doing this, we look forward to hearing more and more of our people and their language on a day-to-day basis. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.
