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