IQALUIT - The Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce is in favour of the proposed Inuktitut Protection Act, president Bob Long said Wednesday.

NorthMart invested several years ago in signs sporting Inuktitut, a move that still draws praise from languages commissioner Johnny Kusugak. Here, Iqaluit NorthMart employee Ooleesie Tikivik holds a sign reading ladies in Inuktitut while standing in the women's wear section of the store. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo

The proposed act will require businesses to display signs and to provide reception and customer service in Inuktitut.

But the organization has a number of questions as the business community hasn't yet been consulted, said Long.

For example, will the government require every sign, including those for various merchandise, to be translated? If costs are steep, will the GN offset them?

"If the demands for implementation are going to be onerous, hopefully they will subsidize the cost of compliance," Long said.

Many Chamber members are Inuit and many businesses already have Inuktitut-speaking employees, so they are on their way to meeting the language requirements, he said.

However, he admitted that he's unsure how an English or French-speaking mom and pop operation will address the new language demands.

The government hasn't set a date for businesses to adopt the new language laws - the legislation itself isn't expected to be passed until May or later. Long said he thinks six months to a year would be a reasonable time frame for businesses to start abiding by the act.

He added that he would prefer to see printers in Nunavut create the new signage to keep business local, and they would need time to fill the flood of orders.

The Chamber will have a presence at the upcoming public meetings on the language legislation, Long said.

"I guess we want clarification on these matters that I've discussed," he said.