Made-in-Nunavut language law on the way

“Nunavut needs new language legislation that recognizes Inuktitut as the majority language in the territory, while protecting the rights of English and French speakers,” CLEY Minister Louis Tapardjuk told the assembly last Thursday.

A special committee on language legislation submitted 18 recommendations for made-in-Nunavut legislation last December. The department of culture, language, elders and youth now wants to strike a working group with Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. to conduct a feasibility study of all of the recommendations.

The special committee consulted with nine communities to come up with its recommendations. The new group will seek input from municipal government and the private sector before tabling its final report in spring 2005.

The goal, Tapardjuk said, is “balancing the protection of our languages with other urgent issues, including health, education and housing.”