Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried by this committee.

---Carried

Employee Complaints And Inquiries

I would now like to move on to the third component of the report on employee complaints and inquiries. Members feel that such complaints should generally be dealt with through accepted grievance procedures, whether through the Union of Northern Workers or otherwise, as appropriate. If the issue isn't dealt with satisfactorily, the Languages Commissioner may then wish to get involved.

As well, standing committee Members were confused by the frequent use of the word "complaint" by the Languages Commissioner when referring to any contact with the office. We would prefer that the Languages Commissioner be more discriminating when referring to files, perhaps classifying them as "complaints," "inquiries" and so on.

The Nature Of The Position Of The Languages Commissioner

From the beginning, there have been difficulties with the nature of the Languages Commissioner's position. There has been confusion over administrative issues, such as whether the Languages Commissioner is eligible for merit pay increases such as a deputy minister is. Standing committee Members agreed that this area needed clarification.

The standing committee feels that present wage and benefits package is adequate and should remain fixed for the remainder of the term of the incumbent. The standing committee Members also felt that a contractual arrangement would be more appropriate for future incumbents. It was felt that changing the rules in the middle of the incumbent's term would be unfair; therefore, such a change should take effect in 1996 at the end of the present Languages Commissioner's term.

I move that this committee recommends that upon the expiry of the term of the present Languages Commissioner, the position of Languages Commissioner be changed to a contractual position.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Your motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried Mr. Koe.

Responsibilities Of The Government And Of The Languages Commissioner

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman and colleagues. Many of the report's recommendations direct the government to take action with issues that have been identified by the Languages Commissioner. In most cases, the Languages Commissioner identified these issues because they were the subject of complaints or inquiries to the office. Committee Members expect that the government will address these issues in the proposed official languages handbook.

The standing committee wants to see the official languages handbook completed as soon as possible in order that it might be reviewed in conjunction with the next annual report of the Languages Commissioner.

I move that this committee recommends that the government complete the official languages handbook by December 31, 1994.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Your motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Koe.

Other Recommendations Agreed To

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. The standing committee agreed with the following recommendations in the Languages Commissioner's report, and agrees with the Languages Commissioner that the government should act upon them.

Since some time has passed since the standing committee's report was read in the House, I will repeat these recommendations of the Languages Commissioner.

Recommendation 18 urges the government to avoid all delays in filling positions responsible for the delivery of official languages programs.

Recommendation 21 suggests setting up toll-free telephone numbers, similar to the one existing for French for use by people wishing to contact the government in any official language.

Recommendation 25 suggests that the government collect and develop materials for adult literacy and fluency training.

Recommendation 28 asks the government to provide some information in Dene syllabics for those elders who learned to read and write Dene languages using syllabic alphabets.

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 be 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.

Standing 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.

Conclusion

The passage of the Official Languages Act, along with the initiatives undertaken by the government to promote official languages is a significant milestone in northern and Canadian history. The office of the Languages Commissioner has a significant and crucial role in ensuring that the goals expressed by these initiatives are realized by the government.

Standing committee Members expect that the office of the Languages Commissioner will magnify its responsibilities and duties as it becomes more established and as the government grows to recognize its own responsibilities under the act. The standing committee is pleased to be part of this growth and expects that the adoption of its recommendations will assist in promoting the use of official languages in the government and throughout the north.

I move that this committee recommends that, in accordance with Rule 93(5), the Executive Council table a comprehensive response to the recommendations contained in the report within 120 days of the presentation of the report in the House.

Thank you. Your motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Koe.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions' report on the First Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner. I would like to thank the Languages Commissioner and her staff, the government, committee Members and other interested people who wrote or talked to us on the report. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Do Members agree that we are finished with this item for today?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Mr. Dent, what is the next item? Do you want to go through this list, as they're listed? Okay. Thank you, Mr. Dent. The next item, then, is Committee Report 15-12(6). Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions is pleased to represent their report on the Northwest Territories Arts Council.

The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions supports the work done by the Northwest Territories Arts Council. By guiding the government in providing financial assistance to northern artists, they play an important role in the development of the arts in the Northwest Territories.

Control And Distribution Of Funding

The standing committee examined the issue of arm's-length status for the Northwest Territories Arts Council. This was suggested by the council and is the model used by many provincial arts councils. The standing committee studied the issues of sources of funding for the Arts Council and control over the distribution of that funding and came to the following conclusions:

-The Department of Education, Culture and Employment should continue to provide administrative services to the NWT Arts Council. The additional cost of having a separate administrative structure would overwhelm the limited amount of money available for actual grants to artists;

-The present method of distributing government funds is appropriate. That is, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment should continue to have final authority

to distribute government funds to artists, based on recommendations from the Arts Council;

-The NWT Arts Council should have the authority to solicit funds from third parties, such as corporations or foundations. The Arts Council should then have the final authority to distribute those funds.

Therefore, I have a recommendation, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Your motion is in order. Does anybody want to speak to this motion?