Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I want to commend Mr. Koe for bringing forth this motion, which I feel is critical for the people of the Northwest Territories, particularly for the people who speak an aboriginal language. Many of the people in our communities depend on the services provided by the Department of Culture and Communications to address aboriginal languages in the north. Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed that the federal government indicated to officials they were going to be given a reduction in services or funding on the aboriginal languages and that we could lose about $1 million in contribution funding.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that there seems to be a growing trend of the federal government to do this and we accept this type of behaviour. It has been done with our housing, health, the forestry agreement and I do not know what other off-loading type of financial commitment they once made to the people of the north and are now cutting back. This government has to take some drastic steps in regard to making the government in Ottawa aware of the critical need for some of the services they are cutting back. I would even suggest this government consider having Cabinet Ministers and Members of the House who speak aboriginal languages fluently sit down in a meeting room with the Minister and start speaking one so they realize how critical it is to understand the

aboriginal languages that we have and the services that we need so we can understand what the people of the north want.

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I believe, until we take drastic steps or drastic measures with the federal government, they will not take into consideration or even attempt to understand how we need these critical services and how we need the funding to provide these services to the people of the north.

I believe this motion is to be commended. I wish the government well in trying to convince the federal government that we cannot take a ten per cent reduction for services. The territorial government or Legislative Assembly will not allow this type of action toward us. I wish the government well in trying to obtain this funding. Once again, I thank Mr. Koe and Mr. Arvaluk and commend them for bringing forth this motion. Thank you.

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