Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In concluding its report, the Standing Committee on Government Operations makes the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment table an official languages strategy that includes a clear response to the 2009 review, identifying which recommendations were accepted and rejected and the reasons why. This report must clearly articulate the vision for the department’s “new approach” and identify how this coincides with and differs from the vision contained in the 2009 report.

With respect to this recommendation, the committee notes that a good deal of this analytical work has already been done by the department, but

because it takes place in confidential updates and correspondence from the Minister, it is not available for public review as it should be.

Recommendation 2

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment work closely with the standing committee to revise and bring forward its legislative proposal for amendments to the Official Languages Act in the life of this Assembly. If the department has received any legal opinions related to the issue of federal concurrence with changes to the NWT’s Official Languages Act, this information should be shared in confidence with the standing committee, so that the department and standing committee are working with a shared understanding of the factors affecting legislative change.

Recommendation 3

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment establish an accountability framework for the funding provided to Aboriginal language communities under the “new approach” and provide the standing committee with progress reports and a copy of the framework when completed.

Recommendation 4

The Standing Committee on Government Operations recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment respond to this report within 120 days.