Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and colleagues. A brochure which was to describe the act and the rights of NWT residents under the act was referred to in that report, but the brochure itself was not ready until December 1994. Most importantly, the government has not yet produced any specific regulations, policies, directives or guidelines to assist the departments and other government institutions in the delivery of services under section 14.
During the review of 1994-95 main estimates in the House in February 1994, the honourable Premier said that the drafting of such directives would be a priority for the official languages unit of the Executive. On April 6, 1994, the Premier answered the question regarding those directives by saying I believe the work is almost complete. The planned directives eventually became known as the official languages handbook. When the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions reviewed the first annual report, they recommended that the government publish its official languages handbook by December 31, 1994.
This recommendation was adopted by the House on November 4, 1994, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the draft handbook has been developed and has gone to the departments for their comments. However, it is now more than three months after the deadline set by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions and almost exactly a year after the Premier believed the work was almost complete. Meanwhile, residents of the NWT, government departments and institutions still have no specific guidelines concerning how the government will meet its obligations under the Official Languages Act.
Mr. Speaker, I find this state of affairs unacceptable. Speakers of aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories have the right to communicate with the government in their languages, but these rights are not being met because of the government's in action. I intend to pursue this matter further by questioning the Premier on this issue later today. Thank you.
---Applause