Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, court demands for legal interpreters are increasing, not declining. Furthermore, the recent Tran case in the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the right of an accused person to have the services of a qualified legal interpreter. Finally, in the Northwest Territories, I believe we are all very proud of an amendment to the Juries Act which allows jurors to sit in courts in the Northwest Territories even if their first language is not English or French.

The gutting of this program requires us to now ask whether the government is now required to repeal this amendment to the Jury Act. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in response to a question asked by Mr. Pudlat in question period, we were comforted by the Minister of Justice who told this House that the "The degree to which changes in funding will change the budget of the Department of Justice is not clearly defined yet." Mr. Kakfwi talked about deleting a half person year plus some reductions in the O and M requirements for the coming year.

However, the Minister was talking only about the very small portion of vote 1 funding which has been available for this program historically. Vote 4 funding has always been very critical to the very existence of this program.

I was therefore astonished to learn that all this enormous progress and this vital program has already been put in terrible jeopardy by a decision already taken to cut two vote 4 PYs, of 4 positions in the entire program. The program's manager and the legal interpreter terminology position with responsibility for the Dene languages, located in Fort Smith, were each given notice on March 1, 1995 that their jobs are gone as of June 1, 1995.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very good program. We are very proud of it. I believe there is consideration being given within the government to transferring the program to the Arctic College interpreter and translator programs. Mr. Speaker, Arctic College, with respect, could not duplicate this program nor could Arctic College offer the vital connections and credibility which has been won over the years in the workplace with judges, court administrators, prosecutors and lawyers.

Mr. Speaker, I will not stand by idly and see this important program gutted and savaged. Thank you.

---Applause