MLA concerned about delivery of Inuit language proficiency test
Minister responsible for languages said team is short-staffed, on contract
Uqqummiut MLA Mary Killiktee said Government of Nunavut staff in her community, Qikiqtarjuaq, told her they did not have enough time to prepare for an Inuit language proficiency test. Killiktee added the tests are important and need to be carried out. (Photo by Meral Jamal)
One MLA is raising her concerns about how Inuit language tests are handled and claims that Government of Nunavut employees in Qikiqtarjuaq were tested without much time to prepare.
“I encourage Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit to ensure it provides good notice in advance of its next visit,” Uqqummiut MLA Mary Killiktee said Friday in the legislative assembly.
Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit, known as IUT, is the authority created by the legislative assembly for Inuit language testing in Nunavut.
A GN employee’s proficiency in an Inuit language is assessed by Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit. Based on employees’ fluency, they can be given an allowance, ranging from $1,500 a year to $5,000 a year.
In response, the minister responsible for languages Joanna Quassa said that a community is informed in advance and is also asked who wants to be tested.
She added the team is currently short-staffed.
Killiktee said that even with short-staffing, tests are important. She added that, according to the Minister of Human Resources Margaret Nakashuk, 601 applicants for the language test still need an assessment.
Quassa said there is someone currently on contract to do the proficiency tests. But to do that work, someone needs to be very proficient in the language tested and there are only a few of those people available, she added.
“We do support the people who have requested the test and will strive to continue to [hold] the test,” Quassa said.
On the point of having contract workers, Killiktee said she hopes regional dialects are taken into account for language testing.
Killiktee added she has heard people who seem to be proficient but do not pass their test, which she believes might have to do with regional differences in dialect.
Killiktee also asked about the IUT annual reports from 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 since they have not been tabled in the legislative assembly by the minister responsible for languages.
Quassa said those reports are being worked on and will be presented. The delay is because a malware virus in the GN computer system made retrieving information difficult, she added.
“She added the team is currently short-staffed.”
Is this the GN’s boilerplate response to all issues of incompetence? It’s getting old.
With the rotating door of transient workers, changing key staff every few years I wonder if this is why we can’t build capacity in the GN?
Every time there’s management changes every few years how can we build on and improve the departments?
We have to start all over again with new management.
Sure Jim that is 1 reason why you can’t build but there are many as we all know, short staffing is a major problem in the GN and it will never get resolved until people are fully trained and willing to come to work every day. You can train and put people in jobs but if they don’t want to go to work every day, then eventually they won’t have a job. There are rules in place for working in the GN and up here they are really really relaxed compared to the south and there are still staffing problems. Imagine if the rules were the same as the south, I’m thinking 1/4 of the GN workers would be fired immediately.
If you’re proficient in a language, I don’t understand why you need to prepare. This is a bonus based on your knowledge and understanding of a language, if you need to prepare then I think you probably don’t qualify?
Newsflash. All departments are understaffed, with no exception. Blaming it on staffing and the Malware-attack is just lame and laughable.
I changed GN jobs two years ago. I used to get my language allowance with my previous job. On changing jobs, my allowance was stopped. I was informed that I had to re-apply for the allowance when changing GN jobs, so I did. I had to re-take the competency test, so I did. My results were not sent to me until I inquired about them, six months later. Then they had to be sent directly to HR. I’m still waiting for my allowance, more than one tax year later. When GN employees start a new job, their letter of offer should advise them that about the process for acquiring or keeping their language allowance, and IUT needs to have a more transparent and efficient scoring and reporting system and then the GN needs to pay benefits in a timely manner. More than one tax year isn’t about lack of staff capacity; it’s more than that.
Textbook example of GN inefficiency and incompetence, completely pathetic.
i had the test done way back 6 months ago, still not getting any bonus yet, gov’t of nu is so cheap, i think its run by very lazy inuit, who really dont care about anything at all, as long as they get food on their tables.
i had the test done way back 6 months ago, still not getting any bonus yet, gov’t of nu is so cheap, i think its run by very lazy white people, who really dont care about anything at all, as long as they get money in their pension accounts.
Nope, in fact it is run by very lazy Inuit.
Interesting angle, especially because HR is almost entirely inuit staff. Do you have anything to back this claim or are you just angry and disgruntled?
Even some, like myself must take the test even though I am a certified interpreter translator, Which I still don’t understand why, this creates alot of backlog that’s unessasry. 3 years of college to take interpreter translator program in Iqaluit recieved honoroll 3 years straight, yet still have to go on the waiting list to take the ILI test.
In Quebec were french is the first lanquage and in other provinces were englisgh is the first language. No one gets a bonus for speaking their mother tongue. Why would anyone expect to be paid a bonus for speaking there first language.
I wondered the same thing, are people more entitled up here?
i had sent an email attached with IUT application 2018 and i still haven’t got any email back about getting tested for language bonus.
supervisor and manager sent it also, all together we sent same application about 9 times and still nothing.
i had emailed IUT people that i found on GN website, who we should contact about our IUT application, no word, no reply…nothing.
sending application is a joke!
The more I think about my orginal post. I just can’t settle in my own mind why. Anyone would receive a bonus for speaking their own language. Rationalizing this is difficult.
Personally I speak a indigenous dialect from the south. Working with Northern affairs. At no time was I offered or asked for a bonus. For being able to speak one of the many indigenous languages.