Michelle DaCruz
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 29/02) - The mandatory 10-year study of the Official Languages Act was underway in Yellowknife this week.

The purpose of the two-day review was to provide an open forum for the public to critique the act and make suggestions for its improvement.

Sabet Biscaye of the Native Communication Society and a member of the Akaitcho Nation recommends translating the ad campaigns of federal social programs into official aboriginal languages. -- Michelle DaCruz/NNSL photos

The five-member special languages committee heard the presentations and will include the suggestions in a report that will be presented to and debated in the legislative assembly by February 2003.

David Krutko, deputy chair of the special committee, summarized the need for reform.

"In order to enhance these languages you have to use them. If you don't use them you lose them," said Krutko.

Krutko, who is also the MLA for the Mackenzie Delta, pointed out that aboriginal people may feel threatened by English because it is the working language.

He said because of this aboriginals may be speaking their dialects at home or on the land but not in public. Reforming the act could have a positive effect on erasing this mind set, added Krutko.

Fibbie Tatti, languages commissioner of the NWT presented her own analyis of the act.

According to Tatti, one of the major shortcomings of the act was the lack of aboriginal perspective in its creation.

For instance, the act was written without community consultation, and is published in English and French only.

Other issues detailed by Tatti include language use in the assembly and courts. These topics are covered in vague terms: for instance, in courts English and French are standard languages whereas the act states that the use of aboriginal languages requires a "test of reasonableness."

In addition, printed government documents are only translated at the NWT Commissioner's discretion.

To address these issues Tatti recommends employing a permanent interpreter-translator in the assembly; also, automatic translation of all high profile documents, like birth certificates and driver's licences.

In a video-conference call from Ottawa, Dr. Dyane Adam, the language commissioner of Canada, explained the shortcomings of the act in respect to French only.

Adam agreed with the concerns of the Federation Franco-Tenoise, who also made a presentation to the committee.

"The delivery of government services in French in person or by telephone is at its best uneven and sporadic," said Adam.

"The scheme for applying official language rights in the NWT...fails to provide the French language the same status of use enjoyed by English."

Sabet Biscaye, executive director of the Native Communication Society said point-blank the Official Languages Act is not working for her group.

The society runs the aboriginal radio station, CKLB which is currently broadcast to 23 communities across the territory.

Biscaye pointed out that government advertisments for program and services offered nationally, should be translated into aboriginal languages.

Biscaye also highlighted the importance that language plays in aboriginal people's lives.

"Dene people traditionally are oral people and radio continues this tradition. Radio disseminate information and if this is done in the language of the people then it could be even more powerful," said Biscaye.