YELLOWKNIFE - The president of the Federation franco-tenoise (FFT) is frustrated over what he considers the legislative assembly's "second-class treatment" of French speakers.

Fernand Denault, president of the FFT, received an invitation from the premier to attend the budget address last Thursday. In the gallery, he was presented with the 60-page copy of the speech in English. Upon request, a 21-page abridged version in French was tracked down.

President of the Federation franco-tenoise Fernand Denault holds up the abridged French version of the budget address he received during the speech at the legislative assembly last month, left, and the thicker, 60-page English version, right. Denault is frustrated with a government that, he said, "can choose at will what legislation it wishes to respect and not respect." - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

The French version contained only the budget address, while the English version provided economic and fiscal reviews - information backing up the address.

"We still have a jurisdiction and a government that does not respect its own legislation," said Denault on Wednesday.

Recently, the FFT successfully sued the Government of the Northwest Territories to provide equal services and communications in both French and English. The GNWT appealed the decision, and a ruling by the Supreme Court should be coming soon.

"The fact that we are in an appeal process does not negate (the government's) obligations to their legislation and the Constitution," said Denault.

The office of the speaker of the legislative assembly would not address the issue of the appeal, as it is currently in the courts.

Denault said in a democracy, citizens should have equal access to resources in order to stay informed and to be able to consult with their elected representatives.

"We are ill-equipped to do that," said Denault, adding that French-speaking citizens in the NWT are not provided with the same documents in French that English-speaking citizens have access to.

Denault said he speaks mainly French and now that he no longer works at a gold mine - where he had to speak English - his English skills have started to decline. In fact, he had to have the English version of an open letter he sent out on the issue translated for him by a colleague.

Denault said the government's treatment of this issue has been a continuing source of frustration.

"Which document will be left out tomorrow?" he asked. "Accountability seems to be left low."

He said there is an audience for documents in the French language.

"If the service is there, people will use it," said Denault.

Premier Floyd Roland was unavailable for comment.

"We only ever translate the actual (budget) text itself in French," said Julia Mott, a spokesperson for the premier, adding the appendices and reviews would be translated upon request.

Mott also said the government operates under what is called a standing offer, where it will translate any government document into one of the NWT's 11 official languages upon request.

"We are respectful of all the official languages in the NWT, and that's why we have a standing offer to translate all our documents into those languages," Mott said.

Mott added the premier's budget address will be made available on DVD and will feature French, Tlicho, North Slavey, South Slavey, Gwich'in and Inuvialuktun translation.