Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Background
The 14th Legislative Assembly initiated the Special
Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act (SCROLA) in 2001. SCROLA tabled its comprehensive final report in 2003. The report identified 65 recommendations and suggested implementation and investment schedules for these recommendations. The GNWT tabled a response to this report in 2003.
Amendments to the Official Languages Act were made during the last session of the 14th Legislative
Assembly. These changes introduced an Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board, an Official Languages Board, and new roles for the Languages Commissioner and the Minister. The act requires a review after five years.
The SCROLA review was comprehensive and provided much background research into the socio-linguistic field of language preservation and revitalization. The findings of the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act in this regard are still valid and usable, allowing the scope of this five-year review to focus specifically on the requirements as set out in the act itself.
Mr. Speaker, I will ask my colleague Mr. Hawkins to continue.