Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to say a few words about literacy and the Northwest Territories Literacy Council. Many people in the Northwest Territories cannot read and write. Statistics show that illiteracy rates are highest in the smaller communities, and especially among the aboriginal people.
As we move to develop institutions that would give people greater control over their communities, it is critical to have a literate population. We need literate people to work for local governments and the justice system and to administer land claims. We also need people who can read and write about what is going on, so they can participate in and influence decision-making. Achieving a literate society is a tremendous task.
In 1990, the NWT Literacy Council was established to promote literacy in the Northwest Territories in all aboriginal and official languages. In May, I had the pleasure of attending the
conference and annual general meeting of the council, which was held in Inuvik. For the past two years, the council has been funding community-based literacy projects. It has also produced several promotional items, including brochures, T-shirts, posters and a display stand. In the coming year, the council will continue to produce promotional items, publish a newsletter, and put together a resource kit to assist organizations in implementing community literacy projects.
The council has declared October 9 as NWT Literacy Day. The council will be organizing a reading challenge and a writing contest for this event. The work of the council has been done primarily on a voluntary basis. A part-time worker has assisted with the administration of the council's business. The literacy office of advanced education has also provided administrative assistance. I understand the council will be submitting a proposal for funding for staff positions, and I hope this is supported. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to recognize the valuable contribution the literacy council is making to the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.
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