Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Koe on June 7th. Mr. Koe asked when the regulations for the Northwest Territories Official Languages Act will be completed.
The introduction of regulations on official languages must be considered carefully due to the complex and varied nature of each official language. For example, the provisions of the act grant varying status to the official languages, there are different literacy and fluency levels for each language, and oral tradition will play an important role in language development.
Mr. Speaker, once the official languages policy and guidelines are finalized, the GNWT will meet with the Languages Commissioner and the Department of Justice in order to discuss the needs for regulations under the Official Languages Act.