(YELLOWKNIFE) May 28, 2009 – The Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Government Operations, chaired by MLA Kevin Menicoche, today presented its Final Report on the 2008-2009 Review of the Official Languages Act to the Legislative Assembly. 

Mr. Menicoche says, “Basically, the Committee found that the existing Official Languages Act does not work. It does not serve the speakers of the languages it is intended to protect. The Aboriginal languages of the NWT are becoming endangered to various degrees. Even the stronger languages are losing speakers, particularly among younger generations. If there is a desire to save the NWT language for future generations there is an urgent need to protect them through comprehensive revitalization efforts.” 

“Based on what the Committee members heard from the people and what we learned from extensive research during the one-year review process we made major recommendations. 
First of all, the Committee recommended that the existing Act be repealed to get away from the federal model of legislation that does not match the demographic, socio-geographic, and political realities of the NWT,” says Mr. Menicoche. 

Mr. Menicoche adds, “Secondly, the Committee proposed a two prong approach to our Official Languages. It recommends the creation of a new Official Languages Services Act setting out a service delivery model for government services in all Official Languages. The Committee also recommended that this new Act be complemented by an Aboriginal Languages Protection Regime to address the dire need for Aboriginal language revitalization and secure the survival of the Aboriginal languages.” 

For more information, please contact: 

Kevin Menicoche, Chair 
Standing Committee on Government Operations 
Legislative Assembly of the NWT 
Phone: 867-669-2294 
Toll-free: 1-800-661-0784 
Email: kevin_menicoche@gov.nt.ca 

Doug Schauerte, Deputy Clerk 
Legislative Assembly of the NWT 
Phone: 867-669-2277 
Toll-free: 1-800-661-0784 
Email: doug_schauerte@gov.nt.ca