IQALUIT - The frustration of Inuktitut speakers seeking stronger rights for the Inuit language was voiced at a public meeting last week.

Naullaq Arnaquq: chaired the language legislation public consultation in Iqaluit on April 17.

On the topic of proposed territorial language legislation, Elijah Ekhlo said he believes everyone in Nunavut should be taught Inuktitut, whether it's their first or second language. When he's in southern Canada there are no Inuktitut signs and his language isn't understood, he told a panel of government and organization representatives at the Anglican parish hall on April 17.

Jeela Qiliqti said it seems that tourists have more rights and easier access to services than Nunavummiut. For example, when a unilingual Inuktitut speaker wants to order a snowmobile, he usually needs an interpreter, said Qiliqti. Many long-time Northerners can't communicate with Inuktitut-speakers without translation, she added.

The Official Languages bill and the Inuit Language Protection bill will weaken Inuktitut rather than strengthen it, according to Terry Audla, executive director for the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

The QIA is asserting that the language legislation should explicitly state that Inuktitut is constitutionally protected, just like English and French, said Audla. The QIA would like to see the Government of Nunavut create the Inuktitut equivalent of Quebec's Bill 101, making the Inuit language the official language in the territory.

"We all know that time is against us and we must act now," Audla said. "The GN has no right to take away any rights from Inuit or aboriginals. We either have rights or we don't... good faith is not enough."

The deadlines for education measures in the proposed legislation were criticized by several people for being too distant. As drafted, it won't be until 2009 that it will be a right to have Inuit language instruction offered to kindergarten to Grade 3 students. That provision should be immediate and it should be included in the Education Act, argued resident Jonah Kelly, one of about 20 people who attended the meeting. Saa Pitsiulak said she wants to be assured that adequate funding will be given to schools to develop and continue Inuit programming, including the hiring of elders.

Teresa Hughes inquired as to what can be done to support the use of Inuktitut in day cares and in the home.

"We should be speaking more Inuktitut in the home, it has to be nurtured," she said.

Hughes added that she would like to see the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit - a body to be formed of appointed regional and organizational representatives to standardize Inuktitut usage - be independent of the government.

As currently proposed, the body will report to the legislative assembly. Shauna-Leigh Wright, a policy analyst with the Office of the Language Commissioner, agreed that there's potential for political interference in Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit's decisions unless legislation makes that group autonomous.

Wright also encouraged the government to make it possible for employees in all sectors to be able to conduct all their affairs in Inuktitut, not just an option for public servants. The GN should be looking further down the road to a time when business and industry overtakes government as Nunavut's primary employer, she said.

The public consultation session in Iqaluit was one of seven held across Nunavut. Further comments, in writing or verbal, will be accepted by the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth until the end of the month.

The bills are scheduled to be on the agenda again when the legislative assembly reconvenes at the end of May.