Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨nę Gots’ę́ Nákedı
Sahtú Renewable Resources Board

Catalogue

Final Report on the Review of the Official Languages Act 2008-2009, Reality Check: Securing a Future for the Official Languages of the Northwest Territories

Author: Standing Committee on Government Operations and 16th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
Publication Year: 2009

The Standing Committee on Government Operations evaluated the Official Languages Act. The Committee encountered a number of key concerns during the hearings they held for this review. The lack of an implementation plan for the OLA, along with an absence of regulations, meant that standards for OL services were inconsistent and inaccessible to the public. Aboriginal languages speakers identified inequalities in support for French and their own languages, and a lack of communication between Aboriginal language communities and the NWT. The Aboriginal Languages Board did not succeed in bridging this gap.

Other challenges identified included:
- A lack of Interpreter/Translators in the health and justice systems, need for increased terminology development
- A lack of accountability for Government commitments
- A widening intergenerational communication gap
- Under resourced Aboriginal languages curriculum development
- Insufficient languages instruction, insufficient funding, resources, and training for instructors
- Funding for community languages programs is inconsistent, minimal, and causes interruptions in programs, prevents expansion, does not consider needs fairly, does not allow for year-round programming, and is inaccessible (information is difficult to find).

The committee also named some improvements, mostly stemming from the department of Education, Culture, and Employment:
- language nest program introduction
- Dene Kede curriculum implementation
- progresses in teacher training

One section of the report describes a meeting with Sahtú community members in Délı̨nę, 2008. Representatives emphasized on the land language and culture communication, and called for compulsory Aboriginal language instruction. They also commented that Dene Kede curriculum should be supported by Divisional Education Councils, and that school staff needed more support and training to use the curriculum properly. They also identified the challenge of having many fluent speakers without teaching certification, and the challenge of certified Dene teachers using English as a primary language. They called for more funding, more community involvement, and they did not know who the Languages Commissioner was or what their mandate and activities might be. They also requested more access to Interpreter/Translators (and training for them) particularly in the Justice system. (61-63)

In addition, the report contains some comments on Dene Kede curriculum from various study participants, replicated here.

- Tłįchǫ̨ delegates say their Language Centre really helped with implementing Dene Kede curriculum. They developed cultural resource kits, worked with teachers, developed teaching materials for different units, and run a one-week on-the-land orientation for new teachers. (55)
- Sahtú Delegates: Dene Kede needs more support from DECs.
- Summary (all): Lack of resources, supporting materials for Dene Kede implementation (75)

Access this Resource:

The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories has made this resource available on their website

Standing Committee on Government Operations, Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. Final Report on the Review of the Official Languages Act 2008-2009, Reality Check: Securing a Future for the Official Languages of the Northwest Territories. Committee Report 6-16(3), Tabled May 28, 2009.

 

Additional Info

  • Publication Type: Report
  • Place Published: Yellowknife
  • Keywords: Language|Review and Evaluation|Law and Policy
Last modified on Sunday, 20 May 2018 20:01