Christine Kay
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Oct 07/02) - Inuktitut and French language organizations say the territory's proposed new Education Act fails to protect them.

"If Bill 1 passes the way it is now, it puts us at greater risk to lose what we have," said Paul Landry, president of Nunavut's Francophone Association, during hearings on the Act Oct. 1 and 2.

Landry said his father fought for him to be educated in French when they lived in Northern Ontario and he promised he would do the same for his own children.

"Section 23 of the Charter protects the right to education in French. If the bill is passed as is, we and four other legal opinions, say it will not meet these needs," said Landry.

The biggest complaint from the Francophone Association is that Bill 1 does not allow the governance, control and management of French schools to be handled by elected Francophones. Instead, it gives all power to the territory's education minister and the Government of Nunavut.

The president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., Cathy Towtongie, also said the act fails to protect Inuit language and culture.

"In the province of Quebec, there are penalties if you don't have a French sign," said Towtongie.

She said Inuktitut should be the primary language of instruction in communities where a majority of the people speak it as their first language. She also said Inuktitut should be taught by Inuit.

NTI and the Francophone Association said they will look closely at the act when the revised version is released.

Landry said if the rights of French people living in Nunavut are not respected, the association is prepared to bring the matter to court.