Nunavut urged to create new Official Languages Act

PATRICIA D’SOUZA

The special committee reviewing the Official Languages Act has recommended that the next legislative assembly repeal the current act and replace it with an entirely new one.

That goes beyond recommendations made last year by Eva Aariak, Nunavut’s Commissioner of Official Languages, to simply amend the act and create a separate Inuktitut Protection Act.

“It’s not just merely amending the existing act, but they’re calling to create a whole new act altogether, which could be exciting and interesting,” Aariak said this week in an interview.

The difference is that a new Official Languages Act must be approved by Parliament, whereas Nunavut’s legislative assembly could create a separate Inuktitut Protection Act without seeking input from any other jurisdiction.

Quebec gained much notoriety in 1977 when its Bill 101 required French be the dominant language on all commercial signs in the province.

The special committee recommends all territorial government signs be quadra-lingual, and that all health, public safety and transportation documents be produced in four languages. Though the committee recommends the legislation also apply to municipal governments (noting that only Iqaluit needs French signs and only Kitikmeot communities need Inuinnaqtun signs), it has no provisions for commercial entities.

The five Nunavut MLAs who sit on the committee came together in February 2001, and over the past few months they have travelled across Nunavut seeking input from experts and other interested individuals.

In their final report, tabled in the legislative assembly this past Tuesday, they take a strong stand on overhauling language policy in the territory.

The committee recommends that the new act designate English, French, Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun as the four official languages of Nunavut.

In doing so, it would establish Inuinnaqtun as a distinct language from Inuktitut, rather than a dialect, as Aariak has recommended.

But Aariak said that dialects of Inuktitut are already considered official languages of Nunavut, even though they are not specifically singled out.

“It is already an official language, because all the languages of Inuit are official languages within Nunavut. I think some people tend to forget that,” she said.

Aariak supported the committee in its recommendation that the new act contain a provision for vesting a cabinet minister with responsibility for its implementation. There is currently no single minister responsible for language issues in Nunavut. Instead, the job is split among three different ministers in the departments of education, justice, as well as culture, language, elders and youth.

One of the major initiatives, she said, is the committee’s recommendation for the creation of an official languages body.

The body, which Aariak also suggested as part of her Inuktitut Protection Act, would have the authority to develop and approve terminology, standardize writing systems, address appropriate use of dialect and act as a resource to government, the report says.

On the whole, Aariak said she is pleased with the committee’s report. “I was a little bit apprehensive before I saw it, but I’m glad it’s written the way it is,” she said.

“I just hope the new government we are getting into will be just as supportive of all the recommendations that are put forward.”

However, Aariak herself may not be around to see the culmination of her efforts. Her four-year term as commissioner of official languages ends this month, though a new commissioner won’t be named until the second sitting of the new legislative assembly.

“There is still so much work to be done, especially now that so many recommendations from the languages commissioner’s office have been supported. There is much, much work to be done, and it should continue accordingly.”

But as she waits to learn her fate, she said she will be watching the election process carefully.

“This document should be well-read by people who are thinking of running,” she said.