Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So far, the agreement that was made between the federal government and the territorial government said that the federal government would give a certain amount of dollars over a period of time for French services. The federal government agreed that they would fund the French program 100 per cent.
In terms of giving moneys to the territorial government for aboriginal languages, the funding was used for existing projects such as the provision of interpretation and translation services at the language bureau and training health and legal interpreters. The increase in funding has been directed toward programs which responded to recommendations made by an evaluation report on aboriginal languages tabled in the Legislative Assembly in March 1991. The program included assistance to the Dene standardization project and review of the standard Inuktitut orthographies. Also, there was terminology development. The assistance was given out to broadcast media such as the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation for the production of "Takuginai" and "Ammituqmiut". Also, to the Inuvialuit Communications Society and the Native Communications Society of the Western Arctic.
Assistance was given to centres for teaching and learning. This included curriculum development implementation and the production and publication of material. This is all directed towards aboriginal peoples.
Assistance was given out to Inuit specialist teachers council and the Aboriginal Educators Association as well as the development and delivery of Inuktitut, Dogrib and North Slavey literacy programs. Also for the development of aboriginal computer fonts. My department had to develop computer fonts that dealt with the symbols of the writing system of the aboriginal people as well as to design forms.
There was training for legal and medical interpreters. There was a provision of a two-year diploma program to train aboriginal language speakers as interpreters and translators to be certified. There was development of a language program in day-care and pre-school. Additional funding in the amount of $400,000 was directed toward community-based projects where a community wants to do their own development in the area of language. They were able to request funds from the program.
Also, this program was able to make contributions from the cultural affairs program that was directed towards projects like the revitalization and maintenance of language at the community level. Thank you.