Mr. Speaker, I wish I could be as inspiring as the Member for Yellowknife North. I must tell the House that I am shocked to learn that one of the exemplary official languages programs in the Northwest Territories, the legal interpreting program, has been savaged and gutted by the Department of Justice, even before the languages agreement with the federal government was finalized, even before the government's own aboriginal languages unit had a chance to assess its overall priorities and make recommendations on priorities following reduced funding and yes, even before the completion of the Avery Cooper evaluation of this program now under way.

This flagship program, Mr. Speaker, which has already relied very heavily on vote 4 federal funding and very little on vote 1 GNWT funding, is a model much admired across Canada and in the circumpolar world for the enlightened way in which the vital and sensitive question of legal interpreting in courts has been handled. A core of over 50 trained interpreters have been trained over the years and certified, not only in aboriginal languages, but also in languages which are used in courts in the Northwest Territories like Vietnamese and Somali. These trained, certified legal interpreters are available in communities throughout the territories. An up-to-date registry is maintained. A monthly newsletter is published. There is a 1-800 number available to interpreters anywhere in the territories to call when they have a question about legal terminology. Much excellent work has been done to refine terminology.

What is most significant about the legal interpreters program is that they are closely connected with the courts, where legal interpreters do their vital work. The best proof of the credibility and success of this program is that the NWT legal interpreters program has been given the direct responsibility for hiring court interpreters in the NWT and for administering the court budget for interpreters. They're ensuring that qualified interpreters are hired and are administering the budget efficiently in the process.

I would like to request consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker.