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NUNAVUT - Nunavut's new Official Languages Act, passed in June 2008, is intended to replace the languages legislation inherited from the Northwest Territories in 1999 when the territory was formed.

As the new legislation removes languages included in the former act such as Chipewyan, Cree, Dogrib, Gwich'in, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey and South Slavey, which are used mostly in the Northwest Territories, the Nunavut Act requires the federal government review the new languages act before it can come into force.

According to Stephane Cloutier, the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth's special advisor on language acts implementation, while the federal government is still looking into the matter, languages minister Louis Tapardjuk is required to develop a comprehensive implementation plan for the new act within a year. Such a plan must involve consultations with territorial departments and institutions, as well as with various language groups, businesses and other stakeholders.

The francophone forum on March 27 and 28 represents the first of these discussions surrounding the implementation of the act with respect to a particular language community.

"Because the francophone community has been very active over the years to identify their priorities and their needs, they are ready to do their own forum and work with their own (community)," said Cloutier.