The standing committee considered recommendations 18, 21, 25 and 28 in the Languages Commissioner's report, and agree with the Languages Commissioner that the government should act upon them.
The Languages Commissioner's recommendation 18 refers to positions in the government where the incumbents provide services to the public in official languages. The standing committee agrees that these positions should not be left vacant, and should be filled as quickly as possible.
Recommendation 21 would provide toll-free numbers for northerners to call when seeking government services in official languages. The standing committee agrees with the Languages Commissioner that the government should investigate this further, with the minor amendment that an individual line for each official language might not be necessary. The demand might not dictate having one toll-free line for each official language, but current technology would make it possible for a single line to handle a number of languages. The committee expects that the Languages Commissioner, the official languages unit, and the language bureau will be able to develop a quick and effective solution to this recommendation.
In recommendation 25, the Languages Commissioner addresses the issue of adult literacy and fluency training. The standing committee agrees that the government, presumably, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, should make an effort to collect available materials and make them available to interested parties.
Recommendation 28 addresses the issue of Dene syllabics. While current practice is to write Dene languages in new standardized Roman orthographies, many elders learned to read and write in syllabic alphabets designed for the Dene languages. The government should be able to address this need to meet the needs of these elders.
Full Simultaneous Translation In The Legislative Assembly
In recommendation 17, the Languages Commissioner asks that the Assembly, "consider whether or not it is necessary to provide full simultaneous interpretation in the Legislative Assembly at all times and in all official languages..." This recommendation, which the Languages Commissioner admitted to being a controversial one, was based on concerns that providing full interpretation was too much of a strain on existing resources when the Assembly was in session.
Committee Members feel very strongly that full simultaneous interpretation is a fundamental part of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. It is required by the Official Languages Act -- sections 9 and 10(3) effectively require full simultaneous interpretation -- and was the subject of a point of order raised in the House on October 26, 1989 when simultaneous translation in Dogrib was not available.
Full simultaneous translation also allows Members to serve as linguistic role models for their constituents. This is especially true since House proceedings started to be broadcast on the TVNC network. Committee Members noted that constituents are listening when their representatives speak in aboriginal languages. When constituents see and hear their elected representatives speaking in their own language in the House, their pride in their language is bound to increase. Providing Members the opportunity to do so by providing full simultaneous interpretation can only strengthen aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories.
Madam Speaker, that concludes my portion of our presentation. With your permission, I would like to ask Mr. Patterson to continue the presentation of the report. Qujannamiik.