(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My riding of Iqaluit is not French, however, there are a great deal of French speaking people there. I wish to speak French today. During the 10th Assembly we decided to recognize French as an official language in the Northwest Territories. In response, it was understood that the Government of Canada would furnish assistance for the native languages which represent the majority of our population. I remember Mr. Nerysoo succeeded in negotiating the amount of $16 million for native languages at that particular time. We now see a diminishment of this agreement, Mr. Speaker. My Francophone voters have insisted that the support for the native languages be equal to the recognition of French. (Translation ends)
I was very pleased when in August, 1991, the Honourable Robert Decotret along with the Honourable Titus Allooloo announced their agreement on a renewal of the Canada-NWT cooperation agreement for French and aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories. That announcement took place in my constituency of Iqaluit and, in fact, the agreement was officially signed in August, 1991, in Pond Inlet.
Like the ones which proceeded it, in which Mr. Nerysoo took the lead for the first time for our government, he was the elected leader of the Executive Council, and that agreement was the result of very long, arduous negotiations on the part of Mr. Allooloo, his officials and representatives of the Francophone and aboriginal language communities in the Northwest Territories. Now it seems that the Minister of Finance has intervened with budget cuts to violate this agreement.
I would like to take a moment, Mr. Speaker, to recite as my honourable colleagues have mentioned that there is a very long history to this issue.
In 1984, this Legislature was threatened with a unilateral amendment to the NWT Act to officially recognize French as an official language. I vividly recall warning Mr. Munroe, who was then the Minister of Indian Affairs and representing the federal Cabinet on this matter, that if the unilateral amendment was forced on us without our consent and without corresponding attention being paid to the aboriginal languages it would amount of a declaration of war on our people. I will never forget Mr. Munroe's reply, which today is perhaps ominous. He said to me, "Dennis, we have more tanks than you." Mr. Speaker, we sorted out that confrontation, reason prevailed and in the spirit of cooperation, but not without great difficulty, this Legislature agreed to official recognition of the French language in our own legislation. It was actually done when we sat in Fort Smith later that year, but in return for a solemn promise to support the aboriginal languages.
The promise of enhanced funds to assist in the development of the aboriginal languages made this decision easier to accept. We made that decision in good faith on the strength of what had been promised. The 11th Assembly went further and gave official status to the aboriginal languages. Mr. Speaker, as a Member of this Legislature at the time these agreements were devised and the legislative commitments were made, and as a participant along with Mr. Nerysoo in the negotiations of the first cooperation agreement for French and aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories, I want to say again, I feel betrayed by this cut. We must insist as a matter of fairness, honour and respect to history that these cuts be restored. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.