Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not certain who would make the request; either the individual MLAs or the office of the Official Languages Commissioner. The act was enacted December 31, 1990. That was more than four years ago, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know why the official languages unit or perhaps the Department of Justice haven't developed guidelines or policies to determine when an act should be translated into official languages, other than French or English.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Premier is not aware if she has made any request to have any acts translated into any of the official languages, what guidelines or regulations exist to determine when an act should be translated into one of the official languages?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. For many years now, all acts passed by this Assembly have been published in both English and French but subsection 10(2) of the Official Languages Act also says that the Commissioner may prescribe that the translation of any act shall be made in one or more of the official languages. Can the Premier tell me if any acts have been translated into languages other than English and French?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and colleagues. A brochure which was to describe the act and the rights of NWT residents under the act was referred to in that report, but the brochure itself was not ready until December 1994. Most importantly, the government has not yet produced any specific regulations, policies, directives or guidelines to assist the departments and other government institutions in the delivery of services under section 14.

During the review of 1994-95 main estimates in the House in February 1994, the honourable Premier said that the drafting of such directives would be a priority for the official languages unit of the Executive. On April 6, 1994, the Premier answered the question regarding those directives by saying I believe the work is almost complete. The planned directives eventually became known as the official languages handbook. When the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions reviewed the first annual report, they recommended that the government publish its official languages handbook by December 31, 1994.

This recommendation was adopted by the House on November 4, 1994, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the draft handbook has been developed and has gone to the departments for their comments. However, it is now more than three months after the deadline set by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions and almost exactly a year after the Premier believed the work was almost complete. Meanwhile, residents of the NWT, government departments and institutions still have no specific guidelines concerning how the government will meet its obligations under the Official Languages Act.

Mr. Speaker, I find this state of affairs unacceptable. Speakers of aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories have the right to communicate with the government in their languages, but these rights are not being met because of the government's in action. I intend to pursue this matter further by questioning the Premier on this issue later today. Thank you.

---Applause

(Translation) I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the Northwest Territories 1984 languages legislation, and with significant amendments in the 1990s, speakers of aboriginal languages across the Northwest Territories had high hopes that they would be able to use their own languages in more of their communications with government offices, but I'm afraid these high hopes have not been realized.

Here is an example: section 14 of the Official Languages Act covers communication to the public by the government and its offices and institutions. Subsection 14(1) refers to services in English and French, and came into force on December 31, 1990. Subsection 14(2) refers to services in all other official languages and came into force on December 31, 1992. Both sections say any member of the public has the right to communicate with and to receive available services from the government or any of its offices or institutions where there's a significant demand or due to the nature of the office. It is reasonable that communications with and services from that office be available in the relevant language.

The First Annual Report of the Commissioner of Official Languages was tabled in this House on December 14, 1993. In chapter three, the Languages Commissioner notes that the government did not make any public announcement of the coming into force of subsection 14(2) at the end of 1992. A brochure...

It also says the contribution of $62.035 million to the Housing Corporation is the territorial government's share only and there is some additional funding through contributions provided through CMHC. I would like to know the amount.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to know the total person years, because there is nothing in our 1995-96 main estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On Friday, when I made general comments, I had made a comment about high- income earners becoming home owners. Some of the housing association staff who are living in public housing at the present time are, I understand, receiving a little bit of housing allowance. Another thing, too, as a result of increased rent that was implemented some time ago, GNWT staff earnings have become considerably less because of the increase and there is shelter assistance provided to them. I wonder if these expenses have been analyzed.

I have a paper before me that was prepared by an SAO at the request of the hamlet council of Cape Dorset. He says in the hamlet of Cape Dorset alone, it would require approximately an additional $300,000 to meet this benefit on the scale that the GNWT does. That's why I was asking if this kind of thing has been analyzed. Mr. Chairman, I think what I'm going to do is provide this paper to the Minister so he and his staff can have a copy of what I'm talking about. It's titled: "Rent Scale Options for Alternative Implementation."