Thank you, Madam Chair. The Standing Committee on Government Operations has been reviewing the Official Languages Act over the last two years. The committee's report was read into the record on March 27th, 2023. Since the act had not been changed since 2003, it was the committee's goal to

• Collect input from Northerners on the effectiveness of the Official Languages Act;
• To recommend changes to better protect and revitalize official languages; and,
• To ensure changes are implemented.
• The committee heard the desire for change during its outreach with the public as well as from past reports on this legislation. During the committee's statutory review, Bill 63 was brought forward by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to address some of the known issues in the Official Languages Act.
• Bill 63 received third reading on March 28th, 2023. While the committee was glad to see some changes to the Official Languages Act in Bill 63, the committee believes that those changes do not go far enough. In the feedback the committee heard, it was clear that participants across the Northwest Territories want and need more change.
• The committee has made 13 recommendations to further transform the way the Official Languages Act serves and protects official languages in the Northwest Territories. These recommendations strive to
• Implement the right to receive services in your official language of choice;
• Implement the right to K to 12 immersion education in your local language;
• Doubling resource to support and revitalize Indigenous languages; and,
• Support of official language speakers in the public service. The committee looks forward to the government's response to these recommendations.

The committee would like to thank everyone who participated in the review. The committee was inspired by Northwest Territories residents doing amazing things to reclaim their languages, teach young people with limited resources, and advocate changes to help their language communities survive and thrive. I would like to thank the committee for their work on this review. Individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you, Madam Chair.