This is page numbers 833 - 910 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Please provide the following information with respect to financial assistance programs to those students with disabilities: detailed information on what financial assistance programs are available for those students with disabilities wanting to attend educational institutions, post-secondary or otherwise, in the NWT and/or south of 60.

The second part of this question, Mr. Speaker, is a copy of any policy that speaks to or determines what or how educational institutions in the North and/or south of 60 qualify as schools for which students can apply for student financial assistance.

Mr. Speaker, I have another written question.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

This question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Please provide the following information with respect to the nursing program at Aurora College.

  1. How many students applied and how many were accepted to the Nursing Access Program during the last five school years, 1997-1998 to 2001-2002?
  2. How many of these students above completed the nursing access program and advanced to the Northern Nursing Program?
  3. How many students of the above number 1 have completed or are still attending the northern nursing program?
  4. Please provide regional/community breakdowns of the students above, numbers 1 to 3.
  5. How many students applied for the northern nursing program in the last five school years 1997-1998 to 2001-2002?
  6. How many of the above number 5 were from Yellowknife?
  7. How many of the above students in number 5 were accepted?
  8. How many of the above number 7 were from Yellowknife?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mahsi, Ms. Lee. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to the opening address. Item 10, petitions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of funding for educating bodies. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 26 signatures of Yellowknife residents and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories change the regulation to provide that each educating body not be funded at a level less than the legislated rate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member's statement, the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act has a progress report entitled One Land -- Many Voices, to inform the Legislative Assembly and the people of the Northwest Territories of its activities and to ask for more comments and suggestions. Over the next six months, the committee will be preparing a final report that will affect the future development of official languages in the Northwest Territories. It is important for NWT residents to make their voices heard during this time. The special committee wants to make sure that its final recommendations are practical and useful, so that all of our official languages are strengthened.

Introduction

In 1984, the Government of the Northwest Territories passed the Official Languages Ordinance which recognized English and French as official languages. The ordinance also gave recognition to the aboriginal languages of the NWT. In 1985, the Official Languages Ordinance became the Official Languages Act. This act was amended in 1990 to recognize Cree, Chipewyan, Dogrib, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Inuinnaqtun, Gwich'in, North Slavey, and South Slavey as official languages within institutions of the Legislative Assembly and GNWT, along with French and English. It also established the Office of the Languages Commissioner. Since that time, the government has been carrying out activities to promote the use of all of the official languages.

The Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act was established in 2000 by the Legislative Assembly to review the effectiveness of the Official Languages Act. The committee has had to respond to the following questions:

  • • Do people understand the Official Languages Act?
  • • Is the act working to protect and preserve all of the official languages?
  • • Are the needs of the official languages being met?
  • • What can be done to improve the act?
  • • What can be done to improve the delivery of language programs and services in the NWT?

In the spring of 2001, the committee hired staff and began to carry out planning and research activities. In October, the committee hosted a territorial languages assembly in Yellowknife. Representatives from all of the official language communities attended this gathering. The committee also began to travel to communities throughout the NWT to meet with people who were concerned about their languages. At the same time, the committee communicated regularly with all of the people and organizations interested in the NWT's official languages.

In March, the committee held public hearings in Yellowknife. At these hearings, presentations were made by aboriginal organizations, the Francophone community, past and current territorial languages commissioners, non-governmental organizations, Senator Sibbeston and the Languages Commissioner of Canada.

The special committee is continuing to do research on government language services, the Office of the Languages Commissioner, language education, and aboriginal language rights. The committee still has a few communities to visit and also plans to hold another territorial languages assembly in the fall of 2002. Then, during the fall of 2002, the committee will prepare its final report, which may recommend changes to the Official Languages Act and to the way the act is implemented.

The Importance of Language and Culture

Mr. Speaker, the special committee has learned that preserving our languages is very important. We express our special identity and culture through our language. If we truly want to preserve our distinct cultures, then we have to preserve our languages as well.

In order to preserve the official languages of the NWT, we have to use these languages on a day-to-day basis. This is not an easy task for the aboriginal and French languages, because English is such a dominant language in the NWT and Canada. Preserving languages means that everyone in the NWT -- including governments, community organizations, and individuals -- has to make an effort to use our official languages more often.

Language Shift and Language Revitalization

"Language shift" refers to a significant decline or increase in language use. For example, if elders speak their traditional language, but their grandchildren speak only English, then language shift has occurred. Language shift usually happens because another language becomes dominant. It can also happen when people are forced to speak another language through intercultural marriage, or when people move to an area where another language is spoken. In the NWT, statistics clearly show that use of the aboriginal languages has declined over the past few generations. Some languages have declined more than others. French language use in the NWT also appears to be declining.

Taking steps to revive a language that has been declining is called "reversing language shift". It can also be referred to as "language revitalization", which is the term used in this report. Language revitalization usually begins with language planning. Over the past few years, each language community in the NWT has prepared a language plan and is now carrying out this plan. The Francophone community has also been taking actions to preserve and promote the French language in the NWT. The GNWT has recently prepared an aboriginal languages strategy for the NWT.

Effective planning for language revitalization focuses on helping families to teach and learn their traditional language in the home. It also includes creating a social environment throughout the community that encourages and supports the use of a traditional language.

Language planning in the NWT is complicated by the fact that there are 11 official languages, along with different dialects within each of the aboriginal languages.

Other countries in the world have carried out language revitalization activities. The most promising of these have generally combined:

  • • language legislation;
  • • language research and preservation;
  • • language promotion;
  • • learning the traditional language in the home and family;
  • • language instruction in the schools; and
  • • community-based language programming.

Mr Speaker, I will now ask my colleague, Mr. David Krutko, the Member for Mackenzie Delta and deputy chair of the special committee, to continue.

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Language History in the NWT

Mr. Speaker, the aboriginal and French languages did not have much government support in the NWT up until the 1970s. For many years, neither French nor the aboriginal languages were officially recognized by the federal government in the NWT. In fact, the government had a policy of assimilation toward aboriginal people. Aboriginal culture was not respected. Many aboriginal people were forced to speak English in residential schools, and English was the working language of government and business.

Provincial and territorial boundaries established in western Canada did not respect traditional aboriginal nations. Language and cultural communities were split between different provincial and territorial jurisdictions, which made collective action more difficult.

In 1969, the Official Languages Act of Canada was passed. This act recognized the language rights of Francophones across Canada. In the same year, opposition to the Statement of the Government of Canada on Indian Policy, 1969 (the White Paper) forced the federal government to change its assimilation policy toward aboriginal peoples.

In the early 1970s, government policies in the NWT began to change. The GNWT began to provide French language instruction in the schools. Aboriginal language programming was also developed for the schools. The government began to train and hire professional interpreter/translators. Language promotion activities were carried out.

Since 1984, the federal government has provided the GNWT with funding for French language services and the development of the aboriginal languages. Government services have been provided, where reasonable, in all official languages. More recently, aboriginal language communities have taken significant responsibility for regional language planning and community projects. Divisional education councils have maintained responsibility for aboriginal language instruction in the schools. A French language school board has been established to govern French first language programming.

Mr Speaker, I will now ask my colleague, the Honourable Roger Allen, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes and member of the special committee, to continue.

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Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Condition of Our Languages

Mr. Speaker, throughout the NWT, less people are speaking the aboriginal languages. Many aboriginal people, particularly young people, now use English as their first language at home. Statistics indicate that approximately 25 percent of aboriginal people under the age of 25 speak their traditional language, but these young speakers may not be as fluent as older speakers. By comparison, approximately 76 percent of aboriginal people aged 45 years or older speak their language. These rates differ for each of the official aboriginal languages. These rates also differ from community to community in the NWT.

This decline in aboriginal language use is significant because the NWT is the only homeland for the North Slavey and Dogrib languages and one of few homelands in the world for the other official aboriginal languages.

Use of the French language among the Francophone population also appears to be declining in the NWT. The only language that shows an increase in usage is English. English is the most common language used in homes throughout the NWT.

NWT Language Goals

Each of the NWT's aboriginal language communities has developed language goals. These goals generally include:

  • • preserving the language (through oral histories, dictionaries, etc.);
  • • promoting the importance of the language;
  • • developing language curricula and materials for the schools;
  • • training interpreter/translators and language instructors;
  • • supporting the languages through policy and legislation;
  • • strengthening school programs; and
  • • coordinating community language projects.

The Francophone community has developed priorities that include promoting French language and culture, strengthening school programs, increasing French language services, and supporting French language media.

The GNWT is currently working with the official language communities to help them achieve their goals.

Language Rights

The United Nations has established protocols, conventions, and declarations to support language rights throughout the world. According to the UN, all people have the right to speak their own language. As well, education must develop respect for a child's cultural identity, language, and values. One international declaration states that people have the right to maintain their language within their own traditional territory. People who move into that territory must make an effort to adapt to the language and culture of the indigenous people.

In Canada, the Constitution Act (1982) guarantees French and English minority language rights across Canada. This means that Francophones can request and operate French language schools anywhere in Canada where there are enough Francophone students. The Constitution Act also states that the Government of Canada must provide services in both French and English across Canada. The Official Languages Act (1988) of Canada reaffirms and further defines language rights established through the Constitution Act. Both acts provide for interpreter services, where needed, in all Canadian court proceedings.

Section 35(1) of the Constitution Act recognizes the "...existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada." Aboriginal rights are not fully defined in the act, but may include languages rights. Aboriginal self-government agreements currently being negotiated in the NWT are beginning to address language rights issues.

The NWT and Nunavut are the only jurisdictions in Canada that recognize aboriginal languages as official languages. The Official Languages Act of the NWT (1990) states that all official languages can be used in the Legislative Assembly. It also states that GNWT services may be provided in the official languages where there is sufficient demand. The Official Languages Commissioner is appointed to ensure that the government meets its obligations under the act.

The Official Languages Guidelines Manual (1997) provides guidelines for the delivery of GNWT services in the official languages. The guidelines identify which languages may be used for government services in each community of the NWT. People should be informed that they have the right to use their language in certain designated areas.

The Education Act (1996) allows district education authorities to select the language of instruction for their schools. However, there must be sufficient demand, fluent teachers, and sufficient resource materials. For these reasons, among others, many DEAs have not offered aboriginal first language programs. French language rights are defined in the French First Language Education Regulations, which are attached to the Education Act. French language schools operate in Yellowknife and Hay River.

Many other NWT acts contain references to language. In most cases, interpreters and/or translation must be used to provide essential information or services.

Mr Speaker, I will now ask my colleague, Mr. Michael McLeod, Member for Deh Cho and member of the special committee, to continue.

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Funding and Accountability

Mr. Speaker, the federal Department of Canadian Heritage provides the GNWT with approximately $3.5 million per year for official languages; $1.6 million of this funding is for French language services. The remaining $1.9 million is to revitalize, maintain, and enhance the aboriginal languages. These monies are managed by the GNWT Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Most of the aboriginal languages funding goes directly to language communities for community projects. The rest is used for aboriginal language training, broadcasting, research, and material development. As well, the GNWT commits approximately $7.1 million per year of its own money for the aboriginal languages. Most of this money goes to the divisional education councils for aboriginal language school programming.

French language funding goes primarily toward translation, bilingual bonuses, and French language advertising, signs, and printing. Some funding is also allocated to the Francophone community for language projects. The Department of Canadian Heritage also provides ECE with approximately $1.1 million per year for French language instruction in the schools.

GNWT departments must provide standard financial and activity reports regarding the Canadian Heritage funding. The special committee is continuing to review how federal and territorial funding is spent and accounted for. The committee is also very interested in assessing what is accomplished with this funding.

Public Comments

Over the past year, the special committee has received many comments and suggestions from individuals and organizations. The most frequent of these have been summarized below:

  • • We need stronger and clearer legislation to support the official languages;
  • • We need strong leadership to address language issues, especially with the aboriginal languages declining so rapidly;
  • • Funding needs to be better coordinated and accounted for;
  • • School instruction is very important, so we have to take immediate steps to train more teachers, establish curricula, develop resources, and provide effective language programs;
  • • We need family and community-based programs to support and reinforce school programs;
  • • We need to improve official languages program and service delivery; and
  • • We need to promote all of the official languages and change negative attitudes toward the aboriginal languages and toward French.

Our Guiding Principles

In carrying out our work as a special committee, we have maintained the spirit and intent of the preamble of the Official Languages Act. We have remained committed to the preservation, development and enhancement of the aboriginal languages. We have maintained the belief that legal protection of the languages will assist in preserving our distinct aboriginal cultures. We have upheld the desire to establish equality of status, rights, and privileges among all of the official languages.

We have also found ourselves guided by the following unofficial principles, which have arisen from our research and community consultations:

  • • Languages belong, first and foremost, to their respective language communities;
  • • Language and cultural diversity is of value to all citizens of the NWT and contributes to the holistic development of our communities;
  • • Establishing and maintaining the functional value of the official languages in the NWT is an important, shared responsibility;
  • • The governance, funding, accountability, and service delivery structures for official languages must be clear, fair, consistent, efficient, and sustainable;
  • • Effective language revitalization efforts must incorporate a combination of the following:
  • • a supportive legislative framework;
  • • fair and adequate allocation of resources;
  • • language promotion;
  • • coordinated program and service delivery systems; and
  • • family, school, and community-based initiatives.

Mr Speaker, I will now ask my colleague, Mr. Brendan Bell, Member for Yellowknife South and member of the special committee, to continue.

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Directions for Change: Encouraging Dialogue

Mr. Speaker, based on our research and public consultations, we have prepared the following strategic directions for change in order to stimulate further dialogue as we move toward preparing our final report. Some of these directions may not prove to be suitable. Others may require revision and refinement. Some people may want to consider other directions. We have numbered these directions for change so that they can be readily identified throughout our next round of discussions.

  1. The preamble of the Official Languages Act could be expanded to include some of the guiding principles the committee has followed. In particular, the preamble could acknowledge:
  2. a) the role and responsibility of language communities in the preservation and development of their respective languages;
  3. b) the value of language diversity for all citizens;
  4. c) the shared responsibility of language communities and governments for language enhancement;
  5. d) the need for effective and sustainable program and service delivery systems; and
  6. e) the need for a variety of language revitalization approaches.
  7. The Official Languages Act might be revised to address the following issues:
  8. a) Scope of Application: The act has limited application outside of the Legislative Assembly, GNWT departments, and designated boards and agencies of the GNWT. Although it would be difficult to apply the act to all NWT businesses and organizations, it may be feasible to have the act apply to persons and organizations providing public services on behalf of the GNWT and to a wider range of agencies fulfilling obligations under GNWT legislation, such as municipalities.
  9. b) Accountability: At the present time, it is not clear what individual, agency, or body is responsible for, and therefore accountable for, implementing the act. It may be time to designate within the act itself a lead agency for the implementation of the act, reporting directly to the Legislative Assembly. Suggestions to date have included a Territorial Languages Board, the Financial Management Board (as is the case with the Official Languages Act of Canada), a designated Minister for Official Languages, or an expanded Office of the Languages Commissioner. Other suggestions may be put forward during the next few months.
  10. c) Role of the Languages Commissioner: We have received a number of different recommendations regarding the role, responsibilities, and authority of the Office of the Languages Commissioner. Previous recommendations have included disbanding the office, combining the complaints/investigative functions of the office with another office (such as the Information and Privacy Commissioner), increasing the investigative authority of the office, and/or expanding the role of the office to include language promotion and enhancement activities.

Given the complexity of this matter, the special committee is currently having an independent study of the office done. This study is scheduled for completion in July 2002 and will guide further deliberations.

  1. d) Dene Terms: The act uses English terms for some of the Dene official languages. The act could be amended to utilize the proper Dene names for the current official languages, where applicable.
  2. e) Official Languages Designations: with the creation of the NWT and Nunavut and the constitutional recognition of Metis rights, the act might be reviewed with respect to the Inuktitut and Michif languages.
  3. Implementation of the act could be strengthened by developing official languages regulations, as well as by enhancing existing policies and guidelines. For example, regulations or policies could provide clearer definitions of "significant demand", "the nature of the office", and "active offer". These definitions would have to articulate a level of service delivery that is appropriate to the needs of the language communities and is sustainable.

The designated areas established in the Official Languages Guidelines Manual must be reviewed and revised to reflect the creation of two territories and any jurisdictional matters arising from recent and pending aboriginal governance agreements.

  1. Aboriginal language rights might be strengthened through changes to the Official Languages Act and its associated regulations and policies or through amendments to the Education Act. The Education Act could be made more prescriptive with respect to the aboriginal languages, by requiring education authorities to provide aboriginal language immersion programming within designated areas or by establishing language education rights for aboriginal people similar to those currently held by Francophones. Stronger linkages between the education system and language communities might also be established.

Broadening aboriginal language education rights has both cost and programming implications that would have to be addressed. We are currently carrying out a study on how legislation and policy can best support the teaching and learning of languages in the school system.

  1. Education authorities may need to take a more structured and systematic approach to aboriginal language instruction by developing language curricula and resources, enhancing the training and certification of language instructors, utilizing immersion programming, and properly evaluating language proficiency. Schools would still utilize culture-based approaches to instruction, but the measurable outcomes would be directly linked to fluency and literacy.
  2. Investments in aboriginal and French language programming and services could be increased and current investments consolidated. Funding should be long term and consistent, allowing organizations to plan and develop the capacity necessary to support language development. The GNWT, federal government, and other agencies need to work together to identify ways to ensure consistent, multi-year funding for language services and language enhancement initiatives. Special funding for threatened languages might be considered.
  3. The administrative structures for the delivery of French and aboriginal language programs and services by government departments could be clarified and strengthened to improve overall efficiency and accountability. Official language service centres in designated areas that would provide professional interpreter/translator services to the public, courts, and government departments should be considered.

An internal study on the delivery systems and accountability processes within the GNWT is currently being carried out. Our final report will contain specific comments and recommendations regarding this matter.

  1. Formal linkages between the GNWT and language communities could be established, taking into account the principle that language communities are responsible for their languages while ensuring that the GNWT meets all of its own legal and fiscal obligations under legislation and funding agreements. These linkages would allow for coordinated planning and decision-making and more effective use of existing resources. Linkages might be created through the establishment of regional and/or territorial-level language management boards or through other intergovernmental means.
  2. The functional use of the official languages at all levels of society could be enhanced by:
  • • increasing interpreter/translator services (which would also increase the opportunity for professional employment in this field and the need for more I/T training and certification);
  • • implementing mandatory staff training and enhancing the bilingual bonuses program, in order to improve direct service delivery by existing staff;
  • • expanding terminology development initiatives;
  • • enhancing aboriginal language media; and
  • • convincing industry, non-governmental agencies, federal departments, and other agencies (through language promotion) that providing official languages services in designated language areas should be considered a basic cost of doing business in the North, rather than a special cost.

Mr. Speaker, I will now ask my colleague, Mr. Steven Nitah, Member for Tu Nedhe and chair of the special committee, to conclude our report.

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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Progress Report of the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act could not have been completed without the hard work of its staff and the assistance and input of many people working or volunteering in the languages field. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of Mr. Benoit Boutin, the committee coordinator, and Ms. Denise Bekkema, manager of research and information. As well, I would like to recognize the support of the Office of the Clerk and the collaborations with the Office of the Languages Commissioner, the Languages Commissioner of Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank all those people at the community level:

  • • those who attended the First Territorial Languages Assembly and provided guidance to the committee in its consultation process;
  • • those key people in each community who assisted in organizing our public meetings and our visits to schools and other language-related facilities;
  • • all the citizens of the NWT who attended the community meetings;
  • • all the aboriginal and French leaders who gave us their insight and support; and
  • • those individuals and organizations who took the time to develop and make presentations at the public hearings.

We received a wealth of information and insights from all of these people and organizations and we have tried to reflect their knowledge and experiences in the progress report.

Mr. Speaker, during the last year, as we travelled to communities across the Territories, we had opportunities to learn from the vast knowledge and experience within each of the language communities. We also had opportunities to experience the warm hospitality of those who provided us with good food and lodging, for which we are forever grateful.

Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues on the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act. Each one of them has shown great commitment, both in the many long hours they spent at meetings and travelling -- taking time away from their families -- and in their genuine interest in language issues.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, our special committee has come to recognize that aboriginal language decline in many communities and regions of the NWT is at the point where the ideal language goal, multi-generational transmission of the language in the home, may not be feasible at the present time. If we want to preserve our languages, we cannot reasonably place the entire responsibility for language transmission on the family, or it will not happen. Nor can we revitalize languages solely through legislation or through schooling.

We all have to acknowledge that language revitalization is a shared social responsibility that will require balanced, structured and coordinated language strategies involving all stakeholders. At this point in time, we must therefore collectively determine the extent to which we wish to maintain our aboriginal languages as functional languages of the NWT and then take active and strong measures to support and revive them.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes the Progress Report of the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act, and this is the act as we see it physically, Mr. Speaker.

Therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that the progress report of the special committee, entitled One Land -- Many Voices, be received and adopted.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say a few words in my language, the Denesuline language, known as Chipewyan language, in the Northwest Territories.

(Translation begins) People talked to us and they talked about exactly what they thought about their culture. They fear they are going to lose their culture, their children are going to lose their culture. Our tradition, the way we came here, using the word, a lot of work has been done on this. Since the beginning of the work, we have done a lot of work and it is still not finished. We have a big job to do yet. We learned one very important thing, though. Even though we are losing our language, the young generation that is coming up, they will want to re-learn their language. The young people, when they reach about 16 years old, they lose interest. After, when they get to 25, 30 years old, it seems like they want to learn their language again. All of the people who live in this Territory, if we help each other, we will get our language back.

Some people lost their language. In the Mackenzie Delta, where Mr. Krutko is a Member, the Inuvialuit are in the process of losing their language and they are really worried about it. The Dogrib language is very strong. What makes their language so strong? How do they work it? That is what we should ask them. That is what we can learn.

Today, we had some kids singing for us in the Dogrib language. We went to Fort Simpson and they sang in the Slavey language. Everybody is working on it, and still we have a big job to do. We still have six months. We will go to Fort Resolution, Snowdrift, Aklavik, Fort Providence -- we still have to go there. We still not have finished community consultations. In the fall, we are going to get together again and we are going to talk about it. If we all agree, we are going to go forward.

If we are going to make the act, if we are going to make a big word, we are going to make a word that is very powerful. We still have to work on it. If we spent too much money on it, it will not be used. We do not have too much money in this part of the world. If it is very hard, we cannot use it. People are not going to use it. So if we are going to make an act, we are going to make it in such a way that the job can be completed, obtainable.

I would like to thank the committee and everyone who did the job. We think about it a lot. We travelled a long ways. The way we live on this earth, we study their language. Brendan Bell is sitting here with me. He understands all that, how different people think, the Dogrib, Slavey, everything. Roger Allen is like that. Michael McLeod is like that. All those people who work for us, that is how they think. That is why we have a strong mind and we have one mind. That is why we are going ahead.

I would like to thank everybody, all those people in our Territory, especially those who helped us. I would like to thank them very much. If we are going to go forward, we still need some more consultation. Do not stop. Do not stop. We are not finished. We still have a great, big job to do. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

-- Applause

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mahsi, Mr. Nitah. We have a motion. There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour, please signify. All those opposed? The motion is carried. The report will be received and adopted. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a package of 54 letters from educators, parents and students of Range Lake North School in Yellowknife that deal with the detrimental effects of overcrowding in the classroom. In fact, Mr. Speaker, 45 of the letters were written by Range Lake North School students, offering their perspective on the impact of class size on their ability to learn and function in the classroom. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The Chair recognizes the honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, June 20, 2002, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that notwithstanding Rule 4, that when this House adjourns on Wednesday, June 19, 2002, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, October 16, 2002;

And further, that any time prior to October 16, 2002, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will seek unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mahsi, Mr. Braden. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to deal with his motion today. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Mr. Braden, you may proceed with your motion.

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that notwithstanding Rule 4, that when this House adjourns on Wednesday, June 19, 2002 it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, October 16, 2002;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to October 16, 2002, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Braden. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour, please signify. All those opposed? The motion is carried. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Bill 17: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2002-2003
Item 17: First Reading Of Bills

June 18th, 2002

Page 871

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2002-2003, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Handley. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. All those in favour, please signify. All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 17 has had first reading. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 17, Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 1, 2002-2003, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2002-2003 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour, please signify. All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 17 has had second reading and accordingly, the bill stands referred to committee of the whole.

Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.