I would like to recognize a former constituent of mine and a former Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, Mr. John Parker.
---Applause
We have a motion on the floor to amend clause 73 of Bill 25. To the motion. Mr. Antoine.
Debates of June 22nd, 1995
Topics
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1569
The Chair Brian Lewis
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1569
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you. I just want to speak to the motion. It's up for a vote right now, but what is proposed here is in the current legislation. It's mandatory to teach the aboriginal language and what the department will probably say is that it will lose the flexibility for the community to decide but, on the other hand, there's a price for flexibility. Let's say there's a community where English is the language of instruction, people on the board may decide to use the French language even though the majority is Slavey, for example. What happens is you lose the language. If you make it mandatory, it's for the survival of the language. Studies have shown that by the year 2000, we're going to lose a lot of the languages. If we leave this in, the way I see it, it's for the survival of the language. If you vote against it, you're voting against the language.
If you put in law that it's mandatory to put an aboriginal language in there...That's why I put it forward. That's the way it is currently in the act now, I just took it and revised it to make sure it's in there. Thank you.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1569
The Chair Brian Lewis
Does anybody else want to speak to the motion? Mr. Nerysoo.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1569
Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
Mr. Chairman, I just want to say that this clause will legislate the use of a particular language as a subject in a program. The whole clause, as it is in the legislation, is to permit decision-making in the communities. This amendment would take away the ability of the communities to make their choice. In other words, they're obligated to do it. So, in that sense, we're legislating a decision prior to the communities deciding what is in the interest of the community. A vote against is not a vote against a language. We're trying to support that the communities make the choice first, rather than us forcing them to make that choice. Thank you.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1569
The Chair Brian Lewis
To the motion. Mr. Kakfwi.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1569
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Because the mover has categorized those in favour of the vote and those against, I think it's important to speak to it. The way
the motion is drafted, it is not something that is clear or thought out. I must say that I would have been much more comfortable if it had come from the work of a committee. I don't know where this comes from, but it does not reflect...The Education Act, in the first instance, is intended to give as much control, flexibility and choice to parents and communities as possible.
It is true, I would say, for the majority of aboriginal children, at least in the western Arctic, that their first language is now English, and not an aboriginal language. The way this motion is drafted doesn't reflect that and I think it's important to know that if some of us choose to vote against this, it's not because we're against aboriginal languages. That's a bit simplistic and dismissive of our requirement to give careful thought to the drafting of legislation. I'm going to be voting against it, but it's not because I'm against the use of aboriginal languages or that I'm trying to be derogatory towards aboriginal languages at all.
I think this is too rigid and I don't think it's worded the way it is intended by the mover. I think it takes away the choice we're trying to achieve for parents and communities in the Education Act. Thank you.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. To the motion.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
An Hon. Member
Question.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is defeated.
---Defeated
Where would you like to go next, Mr. Dent?
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
(Microphone turned off)...the way it is then?
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Okay. Mr. Dent.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Mr. Chairman, I would like to seek consent of the committee to go to clause 126.
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Mr. Dent, I believe it's clause 79 that you want to go to next. Do Members agree?
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 103-12(7): To Amend Clause 73 Of Bill 25, Defeated
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Does everybody have a copy of the motion regarding clause 79? Mr. Koe.
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Fred Koe Inuvik
Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill 25 be amended by adding the following after clause 79:
79.1 Residents of the territories may, in accordance with the regulations, petition the Minister to establish an education district or alter the limits of one or more education districts to meet the needs of those residents.
Mahsi.
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Thank you, Mr. Koe. The motion is in order. I'll just wait while it's being distributed.
Everyone has a copy. To the motion.
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 22nd, 1995
Page 1570
An Hon. Member
Question.
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.
---Carried
Clause 79, as amended?
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Mr. Dent, where would you like to go next?
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to see consent to move to clause 118.
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
The Chair Brian Lewis
Do Members agree?
Committee Motion 104-12(7): To Amend Clause 79 Of Bill 25, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1570
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed