Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is interesting to note that probably all the Government Leaders who have been involved with this business, with the exception of Mr. Sibbeston who is no longer a Member, today there are six Members present who were actually present at the original debate that occurred, including yourself, Mr. Speaker, when we met first in Fort Smith in 1984 and then reconvened the session to deal with the matter of the languages agreement in Yellowknife at Sissons school.

The motion which has been put forward today has, once again, joined all Members at this House on an issue of significant concern to the people of the Northwest Territories. We have not had, for many days or weeks now, an issue that could allow us all to join forces to express our own personal feelings and our views about an issue of such significance to the people of the Northwest Territories. I think this motion has, once again, brought together Members of this House to rise to the support of all people in the Northwest Territories, particularly to the support of aboriginal people, in protecting and supporting the preservation of their languages.

I read, with interest, the remarks and comments that were made as far back as 1984, when we got into this particular issue. I was glad Mr. Patterson raised the meeting with Mr. Munroe, because many people do not realize that is when it began. I was called to Vancouver to speak about an important issue that Mr. Munroe, who was Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs at the time, thought was insignificant in his mind, but was very significant in the minds of the people of the Northwest Territories and the aboriginal people particularly since there was a suggestion to amend the NWT Act to protect French and English as the official languages of the Northwest Territories. He was surprised that the people of the Northwest Territories would not accept that particular argument once he came to the Northwest Territories to meet with the Executive Council at that time, or once he met with the Assembly Members.

It was quite clear in our meetings, by the expressions of Mr. Curley, Mr. Patterson and Mr. Sibbeston that they would not accept the arguments which had been proposed by the Government of Canada, that our aboriginal languages were as much a factor and as important as French and English in terms of the manner in which we provided services and dealt with each other in our aboriginal communities. I think it was quite clear, at that time, the importance of the aboriginal languages and the need to protect the aboriginal languages in any agreement reached with the Government of Canada. That was quite clear in our debate. It was quite clear in the expressions which were made by Members of this House.

This particular agreement came not as a result of some political deal, it was far more important than that. It was an attempt on the part of past Legislatures, past Members of this House, to articulate very clearly the need for aboriginal languages to receive the same kind of attention that both French and English would be receiving. It was our attempt to convince the Government of Canada that they had an interest. They had a moral responsibility to help us improve, enhance and develop our own aboriginal languages, particularly the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs. There was a need for him to come on side to support the efforts of aboriginal people because it was his duty in the House of Commons to protect the interests of aboriginal people.

It is unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, as the Government Leader, Ms. Cournoyea has indicated, that at a time in the year when we are supposed to protect the interests of aboriginal peoples throughout the world, we find a government that is not prepared to protect the interests of aboriginal peoples for whom they have the legal and constitutional responsibility for. They are walking away from aboriginal people. They are walking away from an agreement which has seen great strides taken in the protection of aboriginal languages.

This Assembly is a model that many people look to in Canada when they debate the matter of languages. People in Sault St. Marie are arguing about whether they should put signs on their highways in French or give out tickets that are written in French. Here we are, Mr. Speaker, as you look around our gallery and in this House, we have the ability to present to the country an offering of eight languages of which six are aboriginal. I think this country should be proud of that. Instead, they back away from an agreement that shows they do not take a great interest or take a great responsibility in helping us to protect our aboriginal languages. I think that is an insult and is totally irresponsible.

The motion which has been put forward is one that, in my view, is timely and I think it has brought Members of this House together on an issue that we feel deeply emotional about. It is an emotional issue because it strikes the heart of our own people. For that I want to thank Mr. Koe and Mr. Arvaluk. I think Members of this Assembly support the Government Leader, I certainly will, in getting the Government of Canada to live up to its obligation which they signed in 1984. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.