Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment’s work to promote and preserve the culture, heritage and languages of the NWT.
As a northern people, our culture is rooted in the land and created in the places where we live and practice our daily lives. Northern culture is unique, woven together from our diverse experiences and incorporates our heritage, stories, spirituality, traditional knowledge, languages and creativity.
Mr. Speaker, ECE is entrusted with the crucial role of ensuring our languages, culture and heritage are transmitted to future generations.
To ensure we fulfill that trust, ECE is developing a government-wide, 10-year Culture and Heritage Strategic Framework. This initiative will focus the GNWT’s work around a set of common culture and heritage priorities for the next decade and was mandated by the Premier. Aboriginal governments, multicultural and heritage organizations, youth, elders, artists and many other partners will be involved in helping us develop the framework. A draft framework is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2015, followed by an action plan.
Mr. Speaker, our goal is not to duplicate strategies but find common themes between them that will let us better coordinate our efforts in many related areas. For example, the priorities identified in the NWT Arts Strategy will inform our work towards a broader framework. Likewise, we hope to work with groups like the NWT Arts Council and the Gwich’in Social and Cultural Institute to create a framework that builds on our individual efforts and supports our shared purpose of promoting NWT culture and heritage.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, one of our initiatives is the Culture and Heritage Circle, established in 2011 to recognize those who have contributed to preserving and promoting the arts, cultures and heritage in our territory. At a celebration earlier today, we honoured this year’s recipients: Camilla Tutcho, Elder category; Rene Fumoleau: Individual; Janelle Nitsiza, Youth; Foster Family Coalition of the NWT, Group; and Deninu Kue First Nation, Minister’s Choice category. I look forward to recognizing the recipients in the gallery later today.
Congratulations to all of you and the valuable contributions you have made to the cultures and heritage of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.