Nunavut’s CLEY department re-names, re-shapes itself

The Government of Nunavut’s Department of Culture, Language, Elders, and Youth is changing its English name to the Department of Culture and Heritage.

Speaking June 1 in the territorial legislature, James Arreak, the minister of CLEY, said the current English name is too long, and the words “culture and heritage” describe what the department actually does.

But why has the “language” been taken out of the equation? According to Arreak, that’s covered — he will still hold the portfolio of minister responsible for languages.

Amittuq MLA Louis Tapardjuk brought up the name change again during the legislature’s question period. He also grilled Arreak about when the Official Languages Act and the Inuit Language Protection Act, which were passed in 2008, will be fully implemented. Many sections of the two laws, especially provisions of the Inuit Language Protection Act, have yet to come into effect.

“Our expectations are now for this fall, where I will first announce the plan, and shortly thereafter or as winter commences, this legislation will finally start being implemented,” replied Arreak.

A lack of money and no implementation plan mean the expected implementation date has been pushed back from this summer.