Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 12, tabling of documents.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 78-12(3), a letter addressed to the Honourable Don Morin, Minister of Government Services and Public Works from Autumn Downey, the president of the Yellowknife Guild of Crafts which has 150 members. All these artists are not rich people, Mr. Speaker. The letter is in regard to the imminent termination of their lease agreement and request for information and assistance in finding alternative accommodation for the guild.

Item 12, tabling of documents. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three documents. Tabled document 79-12(3) is a letter which I wrote to the Honourable Kim Campbell regarding my disappointment and dissatisfaction with the actions of the Government of Canada in the renewing of the international arrangements of the cruise missile testing.

Tabled Document 80-12(3), is a letter from the Deh Cho Tribal Council to Honourable Kim Campbell.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Do you have another document, Mr. Antoine?

Yes. Tabled document 81-12(3), are some letters written from children in kindergarten to grade three from Nahanni Butte. They did them by themselves on the computers and there are some typos. I will read a few. One says, "Dear Jim, can you make the water better to drink to make juice? Can you make a well for us? Our water is not good because it is yellow and it stinks." This is from Dean Betsaka. I have a number of letters like this which I would like to table. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 12, tabling of documents. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table Tabled Document 82-12(3), dated February 19, on the front page of Press Independent, a headline "Sexual Assault of Inmates in Hay River Youth Centre." Thank you.

Item 12, tabling of documents. That concludes tabling of documents. We will go back to item 15, motions. Motion 18-12(3). Mr. Koe.

Mahsi.

WHEREAS the federal government has recently announced a ten per cent reduction in grants and contributions programs;

AND WHEREAS the federal government has informed the Government of the Northwest Territories that they intend to apply the ten per cent reduction to the Canada-Northwest Territories agreement for French and aboriginal languages;

AND WHEREAS this would mean a reduction of about one million dollars next year in contributions to language services and programs in the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the three year agreement which was entered into in good faith with the federal government is now being unilaterally eroded;

AND WHEREAS the proposed cuts will have an immediate negative impact on both aboriginal languages programs and the provision of French language services in the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the procedure used to advise the Government of the Northwest Territories of the cuts demonstrates a certain disregard for the terms and spirit of the agreement;

AND WHEREAS the proposed cuts will mean a delay in initiating approved projects funded under the agreement;

AND WHEREAS the action of the Government of Canada shows little regard for the official languages of the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories as confided by the Official Languages Act;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Aivilik, that this Legislative Assembly strongly disapprove of the unilateral actions of the Government of Canada in cutting contributions under the Canada-NWT cooperation agreement for French and aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories;

Hear, hear.

AND FURTHER, that this Legislative Assembly supports the efforts of the Premier and the Government of the Northwest Territories in reinstating the full level of funding committed under the Canada-Northwest Territories agreement;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Speaker convey this resolution to the Government of Canada. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Koe. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Koe.

I would like to speak to this motion. My concerns are fairly self-explanatory and have been stated many times and by many Members in many different ways in this House.

(Translation) We are all aware of the uniqueness of the Northwest Territories with respect to its official languages. We are also aware of the importance of promoting and protecting our language and heritage. Federal funding in support of these official languages is critical. (Translation ends)

We recognize the importance of the official status given to aboriginal languages of the Northwest Territories. We know we have a special obligation to preserve them. The federal government also has a legal responsibility and constitutional obligation to protect aboriginal rights of which aboriginal languages are fundamental.

Aboriginal languages are endangered. If these languages disappear there is nowhere else in the world where our youth will be able to learn the language again. The only place to preserve our aboriginal languages is here and now. We need support in this endeavour.

---Applause

We, in the north, have also been committed to upholding the official status of the French language. We recognize the importance of a united Canada and have consistently demonstrated this commitment in the provision of French language programs and services. We require the continued support of the federal government in our efforts to respect and uphold the official language provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This is a critical time in Canada's history. We are facing some very difficult issues with respect to unity. It is the wrong time to reduce support to the country's official languages.

I am deeply disturbed by the recent announcement regarding the ten per cent reduction to language funding from the federal government. I am troubled by a number of aspects of this situation. The federal government's method of determining the amount of the cuts seems arbitrary. The manner in which the federal government chose to inform the Northwest Territories of its decision disregards the good faith in which we entered into the agreement. The timing of the announcement makes it very difficult for us to make adjustments to our programs and services. This may create an unnecessary delay in approving the government's 1993-94 budget. The reductions will have a far reaching impact on the language and cultural programs and services of the Government of the Northwest Territories. An enormous additional effort will be required to rework allocations and proposals to the various departments to support their programs.

(Translation) I can appreciate the federal government's need to make tough economic decisions but I do not agree with the method used in this case. While across the board reductions may be the easiest way to reduce expenditures, it is seldom the most effective approach. (Translation ends)

If the federal government chooses to deal with their own expenditure reductions in this arbitrary fashion, that is fine. To simply pass it on is unacceptable. The manner in which the federal government chose to inform this government of its decision shows a total disregard for the spirit and intent of the funding agreement. The Government of the Northwest Territories entered into this agreement in good faith. We were counting on the federal government to uphold its end of the bargain. We believed that in signing this agreement the federal government demonstrated an understanding of our needs and our unique situation. We were obviously wrong.

It may well have been possible to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution, however the federal government has chosen to act unilaterally. I cannot understand this conduct.

The timing of the announcement will cause a significant delay in initiating approved or proposed projects. The agreed to contributions under this agreement are distributed across the entire government and territories.

It is obvious that a great deal of hard work was devoted to allocating these resources. If the federal government is not persuaded to reverse its decision, all of this work will have to be reworked.

A ten per cent reduction means approximately $1 million dollars which is a very significant amount of funding. If the federal government fails to reconsider this decision, many people in the Northwest Territories will suffer the consequences.

The programs developed with the Canada-Northwest Territories agreement funding are wide-ranging. Successful achievements can be found in school, community, linguistic, cultural and media-oriented programs. The funding provided under this agreement supports a wide range of diverse projects.

For instance, these funds have supported the delivery of translation and interpretation services. We depend on these services each and every day we sit in this Assembly. All departments rely on them in order to communicate with people in smaller communities across the territories.

These funds support communities in their efforts to maintain and revitalize aboriginal languages. Support has been provided through this agreement to aboriginal language programming on radio and television.

Programs have been developed to provide training for health interpreters and court interpreters.

Museum and heritage education programs have been developed and delivered to a wide range of citizens in the territories.

(Translation) Literacy awareness campaigns have been created to carry important messages to our youth. Our citizens have received public services in their own native languages. (Translation ends)

These programs and services are essential to the well-being of the citizens of the north. They are now being jeopardized.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has used federal contributions under this agreement wisely. An evaluation report, produced in 1991, concluded that, "The Government of the Northwest Territories acted judiciously in producing and implementing language training programs and in providing translation and interpretation services in the aboriginal languages during the period of this agreement."

The evaluation report says the funding provided under this agreement contributed to the launching of a board policy and program process pertaining to aboriginal languages.

We have laid the foundation and we need to keep building. The foundation provides a basis upon which to build a territorial linguistic future. A future where English, French and aboriginal languages have equal usefulness and respect.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is in a position to save and strengthen our languages which are still strong. We are still in a position to revitalize those languages which are in danger. In order to be successful in accomplishing this, we need to keep our original objectives in sight, have sufficient funding and have the resources to try innovative solutions.

The authors of the evaluation report go on to say that in 20 years many of these languages could disappear. We cannot allow this to happen. Aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories are still viable, however they are at risk. Experience with other indigenous languages around the world warns us we are at a critical point. The alternatives are clear, act now or lose our languages.

I encourage Members of this House to join me in supporting the Premier and the Government of the Northwest Territories in their efforts to reverse the proposed federal government cuts. I urge you to support this motion today. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Seconder of the motion, Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be very brief as my colleague, Mr. Koe, has already articulated the points very well. I have seconded the motion because I am a long time advocate of the aboriginal languages for the purpose of preservation and promotion.

I could recount some of the aboriginal language promotions with the federal government during my term as ITC president when we initiated the language commission and the standardization of the syllabic writing system. The communication society, today called IBC, under my leadership came a long way with the support and leadership of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the other regional aboriginal organizations. We have become quite organized financially and in terms of management and promotion of our aboriginal languages. However, it does not seem fair and right when we get the people excited about our own languages and culture in the small communities that the cuts have been made.

(Translation) I would also like to speak briefly in Inuktitut. We have worked with the aboriginal languages for many years. Just recently everything has been falling into place and with the ten per cent cut, although it is only ten per cent, we know it will add up. I wonder what else will be cut which will affect the Inuit and the Dene. Funding cuts will affect the educational system. It will be something else which will be affecting the Inuit and the Dene, the aboriginal people. We are asking for support for this motion to go ahead. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. To the motion, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I welcome this motion at this time. As a government we were shocked that a grant of this type would have been cut in this time of the world of the European indigenous people.

It is a difficult message to carry, particularly in this time of budget restraint. It has been a difficult message to carry over a number of years by other representatives of this government in their negotiations with the federal government. Unfortunately, other than French and English, other requests for support, particularly for aboriginal languages, is deemed as a luxury. Funding could be allocated if everything else is taken care of.

Mr. Speaker, I believe a message has to be given about the importance of language, the language of the peoples. There is very little left in this world today that people can say, "This is mine. This is what I stand for and this is what I can do. This comes from my past and this is what I am today." That is the language. This is a fundamental, emotional and required type of inside requirement for a person to survive in the world today when everything else seems to be falling apart. This is where, above everything else, you can aim to say, "This is where I come from." How we get that message across is going to take a concerted effort in this time because of the fundamental requirements that people have themselves, and the perceived requirements of what is more important by other people who are making the decisions on what we fund first.

I believe we have to work to get that message across. I know it will not be easy, but above all I think it is important to try to express why language is important. A person can only survive if they feel good about themselves. Language creates identity and it creates a feeling that someone is something and somebody. I do not believe anyone has found a way to express that in a way that it can be acknowledged by the people who are holding the purse string of this country.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate we have a big job to do and I appreciate the acknowledgement of this Legislative Assembly on the importance of this matter. Thank you.

---Applause

To the motion, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In February, when we were discussing this issue about the proposed cut of ten per cent, I was very shocked. Ever since I became a Member in 1975 we have always used different languages in the Assembly. The way it is progressing, it is getting better. They will never stop using the different languages. The aboriginal and French languages, are going to lose some funding, it is obvious, so in our future we will have great difficulties. This agreement was toward the aboriginal and French languages. The federal government stated then that legislation must be written into French. That is why the agreement became reality then. Before everything was completed with this agreement in place, we had to have an act in place.

The federal government is not following this act and now they are cutting the funds again. They are destroying this agreement themselves. We do not want to be treated this way by the federal government. We just do not want to be played around with since we were here first, but now the federal government is saying this is how we are going to do this. Once we start using that act, they make cuts. It is very unfortunate for us to go through. We know the language act has to stay the same as this.

If the federal government keeps cutting our funding, the employment will keep going down in the north. We use different languages in the territories. If the federal government keeps cutting our funding for language programs, I am sure we will be facing difficulties in the future. For instance, an aboriginal person needs an interpreter in court. More aboriginal people within the communities are using their aboriginal languages within the work place.

Today we are facing another problem. For instance, if I was to stop using my own language within the house or at the work place, my self-esteem would keep going down. Mr. Speaker, I am in support of the motion for the reasons that the aboriginal people will not keep losing their own languages. More French people are moving north, especially to the Baffin region. Many of them do not speak English. I am sure the French language will also be heard. Whenever the federal government comes to an agreement with the territorial government and says it will carry on with its promises, later on it breaks its promises.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to make a brief statement. I would like to thank the Member who made the motion. The federal government has to be aware that the language programs within the north is one of the hardest things to deal with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the motion. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know a cut of ten per cent sounds small, but it is a very large amount. I always use my native language in the House because it is my first language. I always use the interpreters. We should not be losing our own languages. When we are progressing forward, the Canadian government is proposing to cut again. They do not seem to remember their agreement. They should have consulted with us first before they proposed to make the cut. There are many different languages in the north. Aboriginal people's languages are very different from each other. I would also like to thank the Member who made the motion. If they are going to keep doing that, it will be very bad for us in the north. I am in full support of the motion. I also want all of the Members to support the motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pudlat. To the motion. Mr. Patterson.