Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I will be tabling the government’s response to the Standing Committee on Government Operations Review of the Official Languages Act, Reality Check: Securing a Future for the Official Languages of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, in reviewing the committee’s report, I was very pleased to see that generally we not only want to see the same things for our official languages, but have many areas of common thinking. I thank the committee for the commitment and diligence they apply to their work. This will be fundamental in forming the government’s strategic plans for languages as we move forward.
As well, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, which leads work on languages on behalf of the government, is undertaking a series of other important reviews on which we base our language plans. These include a review of the aboriginal languages chapter of Canada and NWT funding agreement, a review of the current Aboriginal Languages Strategy, the establishment of a single-window service centre for aboriginal languages and the work we are doing with the Francophone TeNOise regarding the improvements we will make in the delivery of government services in French.
Mr. Speaker, as you will see from our response, stemming the loss of aboriginal languages is at the root of our plans. We will be adopting an inclusive, philosophical approach that allows language communities the opportunity to drive change in their own unique way. We recognize that what is important to one language community may not mirror the priorities of another. Our comprehensive strategic plan developed over the coming months will demonstrate the individual nature of language communities and will respect the goals and vision of each.
Mr. Speaker, one important piece of consultation work will be the Languages Symposium taking place in March 2010. As you know, March is Aboriginal Languages Month and we will undertake some exciting community events during the month, culminating in a language symposium. I am pleased that the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, Mr. Kevin Menicoche, agreed to co-chair a symposium, making our work on language a truly collaborative piece of work of this Assembly.