(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Possibly this afternoon in the matter of Mr. Patterson, I can show example that I am capable of using the two official languages, albeit that the use may be slightly weakened we need a little encouragement.

Mr. Speaker, I have not prepared a text for today because we are discussing a political subject, a question of emotion. A subject which on the other hand is a subject of a sacred trust.

The cuts taken announced by the Conservative government, the cut of the contributions to the provinces for official languages is the result of a fiscal and political decision. As far as I am concerned, it is a slap in the face, it is a treacherous act. The cut of ten per cent, Mr. Speaker, a machine can do that. It is not the result of an intelligent decision or a human decision. We have, nonetheless, had in Ottawa capable and intelligent politicians. It is unbelievable that in an election year, a Conservative government would cut this kind of program, official languages support. Why did this government decide to reject this sacred trust and agreement in this particular year? It was part of Brian Mulroney's platform in 1984 and in the following election. Maybe, Mr. Speaker, we have arrived at a very poor end of this century. Possibly this Conservative government has decided that linguistic subjects or questions are not sufficiently important. As far as I am concerned, it is a very serious mistake. (Translation ends)

Mr. Speaker, I feel strongly that in our jurisdiction, as our leader has pointed out and as Mr. Patterson our former leader has pointed out, language has a very distinctive place in our culture. We have a very distinctive northern culture. In many senses we are like a laboratory which is often looked at by the rest of the country for those people who think about such things as an example of how complex issues such as this can be resolved.

We deal not with two languages, but with eight. People who I bump into in different places across this land are absolutely amazed that we can actually do business using that many languages, whereas in the rest of the country there is a huge fight about two. I think it is a betrayal that this government at this time has suddenly decided you can just make an across the board cut on something, which to us in the Northwest Territories is a matter of a sacred trust which was undertaken because of the kind of example we set to the rest of the country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause