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;