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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The number of NWT residents who declare an aboriginal language as their mother tongue has decreased by 4.1 per cent, according to the 2011 Census.

Randy Baillargeon, left, is shown the Tlicho version of a Dene language application on an iPad by Margaret Erasmus, aboriginal language and culture co-ordinator for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The application became available for download on iTunes in April of this year. - NNSL file photo

That said, six of the 11 official languages showed increases between the 2006 and 2011 censuses in the number of people who declare one of them their mother tongue.

"The decline in the use of aboriginal languages is noticeable," said Albert Canadien, director of official languages for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

"I think revitalization efforts should be focused on increasing the number of speakers in each language so you can move ahead with other programs, other activities, that will revitalize your language."

One of the strongest aboriginal languages in the territory, according to the data, is Tlicho, which had not only the greatest number of mother tongue speakers, but also an increase in those who say it's their mother tongue.

Moreover, while most NWT residents have an ageing population of speakers, Tlicho has the largest percentage of children under the age of 14 who state the language is their mother tongue.

The data suggests that more children are growing up with the language, something Lucy Lafferty, Tlicho language technician and co-ordinator for the Tlicho Government, credits to a growing community commitment to Tlicho language and culture.

Lafferty said many language programs are incorporated into popular activities or workshops such as music programs which encourage musicians to create works in Tlicho, a Tlicho writers' course that encourages descendants of storytellers to record their stories, and Tlicho translations of church songs. Earlier this year, both a Tlicho Bible and a Tlicho-language iPad application were released to the public.

Behchoko's newest priest even gave his first Tlicho-language sermon last Sunday.

"He didn't pronounce everything right but at least he tried," said Lafferty.

Those who claim French as their mother tongue has also increased since 2006, contrary to data representing the rest of Canada.

Leo-Paul Provencher, executive director for the Federation Franco-tenoise, also attributed the increase to a stronger francophone community, as well as a stronger Northern economy.

"As long as the community is more active, it involves more diversified activities and feels more pleasant in the community, the Northern communities, it does have some attraction effects," Provencher said.

The GNWT will also be making changes to the Aboriginal Language Boards and plans to establish an Aboriginal Languages Secretariat. Currently, there are two boards, one that deals with official languages matters and the other deals with aboriginal languages matters and the two often overlap, said Canadien.

He said the plan is to amalgamate the two boards into one, providing a more streamlined and effective system for aboriginal language support and development.

The Aboriginal Languages Board will provide support directly to the minister on issues relating to aboriginal languages whereas the new secretariat will be responsible for administration.

"The idea here is that you would have a separate operational unit which would be focused on aboriginal languages and be adequately resourced to carry out government's obligations under the Official Languages Act pertaining to the aboriginal languages up here," Canadien said.

"In order for languages to survive, everybody has to pitch in including the government and the language groups and all the stakeholders."

Significant changes also occurred for the NWT's unofficial languages. Vietnamese as a mother tongue dropped from 305 to 155, the largest drop of all languages in the report. Both Tagalog (a language spoken in the Philippines) and Arabic increased by about 0.1 per cent.

Fact file

NWT's mother tongues

Language 2011 Census 2006 Census

English 31,380 31,545

French 1,075 975

Cree 135 390

Dene 450 440

Gwich'in 250 190

Inuinnaqtun 90 55

Inuktitut /Inuvialuktun 595 750

North Slavey 735 835

South Slavey 1,200 1,285

Tlicho (Dogrib) 1,965 1,950

Tagalog 545 505

German 185 190

Vietnamese 155 305

Arabic 150 105

Source: NWT Bureau of Statistics

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