Fort McPherson (Dec 15/03) - A Fort McPherson man is petitioning CBC to reinstate a beloved decades-old Gwich'in language program.

William Firth, the manager of the Gwich'in Language Program for the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute in Fort McPherson, said he's had many people come in to his office lamenting the loss of CBC's "The People Speak Gwich'in" radio program.

"It's sad it's gone by the wayside," said Firth, who is a past host and dedicated listener.

The program aired every Sunday from 5-6 p.m.

Two weeks ago Firth circulated a petition to all the Gwich'in communities in the NWT and Yukon. He hopes to a have a pile of signatures collected by mid-January to send to CBC.

"I hope something positive does come out of it," said Firth.

"Our language is in dire straits right now, so I'm trying to keep what's actually there alive."

The People Speak Gwich'in program wasn't cancelled, just put on hold, according to John Agnew, acting program manager for CBC North Radio, which is based in Yellowknife.

He said the host, Ruth Carol, moved to Old Crow from Inuvik earlier this year and CBC has been unable to either replace her or dispatch the show from her remote location.

"At this point we've been unable to find a technical solution that is financially viable from Old Crow," he said.

The show has been on the air since the early 1970s, but it's not the only Gwich'in language program CBC offers. In Inuvik the news is read in Gwich'in every morning and during the "Dene Yati" show, which is a round-up of the week's activities on Saturday afternoons.

Agnew doesn't know what's in the future for the show, but hopes a solution can be found.

"I'm heartened that there's that much listener response."

Petitions are available in the band offices in Tsiigehtchic, Fort McPherson, Aklavik, Inuvik, Old Crow and Whitehorse.