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LANGUAGE LEGISLATION for NUNAVUT Consultation Paper ] Table of Content

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LANGUAGE LEGISLATION for NUNAVUT Consultation Paper ] Table of Content [ LANGUAGE LEGISLATION FOR NUNAVUT CONSULTATION PAPER ] TABLE OF CONTENT OVERVIEW............................................................................................................1 CONSULTATIONS.WITH.THE.PUBLIC.&.STAKEHOLDERS...................................2 THE.DEFINITION.OF.THE.INUIT.LANGUAGE........................................................4 ESSENTIAL.SERVICES.TO.THE.PUBLIC...............................................................5 MUNICIPAL.GOVERNMENTS................................................................................6 THE.RIGHT.TO.EDUCATION.IN.THE.INUIT.LANGUAGE........................................7 THE.INUIT.LANGUAGE.AS.A.WORKING.LANGUAGE...........................................8 TAIGUUSILIUQTIIT...............................................................................................10 MINISTER.OF.LANGUAGES................................................................................12 LANGUAGES.COMMISSIONER..........................................................................13 INUIT.LANGUAGE.PLANS...................................................................................14 SERVICES.TO.THE.PUBLIC.IN.THE.OFFICIAL.LANGUAGES..............................15 PROVIDING.COMMENTS....................................................................................16 QUESTIONS.POSED.IN.THIS.DOCUMENT.........................................................17 OVERVIEW The Inuit language is a defining characteristic of Nunavut and a shared heritage of all its citizens. The presence of Inuit in Nunavut as a people of distinct culture and linguistic heritage is also a fundamental characteristic of the Canadian identity. The.Inuit.language.is.crucial.to.Nunavut.and.to.Canada.in.a.number.of.ways: [ It.is.an.expression.of.Inuit.identity; [ It.shapes.the.relationships.between.individuals,.families.and.communities.in.the.Arctic; [ It.enables.Inuit.to.participate.in.making.decisions.about.the.society.in.which.they.live. The.Inuit.language.is.at.a.pivotal.moment.in.its.history..The.establishment.of.Nunavut.has.created.a.unique. opportunity.to.ensure.that.the.Inuit.language.remains.a.healthy.and.vibrant.language.for.many.generations.to. come..While.the.Inuit.language.is.still.strong,.it.has.suffered.greatly.from.past.government.policies.that.were. aimed.at.assimilation..The.Inuit.language.also.faces.new.pressures.from.the.wide.use.of.English.in.global. electronic.media.and.culture. Nunavut.is.also.home.to.two.other.languages,.English.and.French...Any.measures.designed.to.protect.the.Inuit. language.must.not.take.away.from.the.rights.of.Nunavut’s.anglophone.and.francophone.minorities. For.over.20.years,.the.Northwest.Territories.Official Languages Act.set.out.the.rights.and.privileges.of.language. communities.in.the.Arctic...The.Official Languages Act.guaranteed.the.full.equality.of.English.and.French,.while. providing.a.lesser.set.of.rights.to.six.Aboriginal.languages,.Inuktitut.among.them. One.of.the.top.priorities.of.the.Government.of.Nunavut.has.been.to.write.new.langauge.legislation.that.responds. to.the.unique.needs.of.the.territory...After.years.of.consultations.and.research,.the.government.is.unveiling.two. language.Bills.for.consideration: The proposed Inuit.Language.Protection.Act contains measures aimed at ensuring that the Inuit language remains strong and healthy in Nunavut. It focuses on the use of the Inuit language among private businesses, municipalities, the education system, as a working language, and within communities. The.Official Languages Act.deals.with.the.use.of.languages.in.the.Legislative.Assembly,.in.the.Courts.and.in.the. delivery.of.government.services.to.the.public..The.Government.of.Nunavut’s.proposed.Official Languages Act. would.maintain.all.of.the.rights.and.privileges.that.English.and.French.speakers.currently.enjoy,.while.raising.the. Inuit.language.to.equal.status. LANGUAGE LEGISLATION FOR NUNAVUT CONSULTATION PAPER 1] CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC & STAKEHOLDERS Since 2000, there have been on-going consultations with the public and stakeholders on the proposed content of the new language legislation. Special Committee of the Legislative Assembly (2000-2003) In.2000,.Nunavut’s.Legislative.Assembly.struck.a.Special.Committee.of.MLA’s.to.review.the Official Languages Act.that.Nunavut.inherited.from.the.Northwest.Territories..The.Special.Committee.held.a.series.of.four. roundtables.with.stakeholders.in.Nunavut..It.also.consulted.with.nine.communities.throughout.the.territory... In December 2003, the members of the Special Committee issued their final eport,r which contained 18 recommendations. Language Legislation Steering Committee (2004-2007) The.Department.of.Culture,.Language,.Elders.and.Youth.began.the.work.of.developing.the.proposed.legislation. The Department struck a Language Legislation Steering Committee comprised of officials from several Government of Nunavut departments, and representatives of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Office of the.Languages.Commissioner..The.Language.Legislation.Steering.Committee.provided.an.invaluable.forum.to. discuss.many.of.the.issues.that.the.proposed.legislation.will.address.. Feasibility Study (2004-2005) The.Department.of.Culture,.Language,.Elders.and.Youth.staged.a.series.of.focus.groups.as.part.of.a.feasibility. study.on.implementing.the.recommendations.of.the.Special.Committee..The.focus.groups.looked.at.the. particular.issues.facing.different.segments.of.Nunavut’s.population: [ Kivalliq.Elders.-.July.2004,.Baker.Lake [ Speakers.of.Inuinnaqtun,.August.2004,.Kugluktuk [ Qikiqtaaluk.Elders.-.August.2004,.Iqaluit [ Kitikmeot.Elders.-.August.2004,.Taloyoak [ Inuit.Youth.–.August.2004,.Iglulik [ Unilingual.GN.employees.-..Sept..2004,.Iqaluit [ Iqaluit.Chamber.of.Commerce.–.Nov..2004,.Iqaluit [ Francophone.public.servants.–.Fall.2004,.Iqaluit [ Iqaluit’s.francophone.community.–.November.2004,.Iqaluit [ Deaf.Nunavummiut.and.Inuit.Sign.Language.–.July.2006,.Iqaluit [2 Surveys of Municipalities & the Private Sector (2004-2005) In.the.fall.of.2004,.the.Department.of.Culture,.Language,.Elders.and.Youth.circulated.two.surveys.to.inform. municipalities.and.the.private.sector.on.proposals.for.the.language.legislation.and.to.solicit.their.input.. Government officials followed the survey with direct conversations with the mayors and Senior Administrative Officers in all communities. Other consultations (2006-2007) As.the.work.has.proceeded.to.draft.the.Inuit Language Protection Act.and.the.Official Languages Act,.other. consultations.have.taken.place,.including: [ a.presentation.to.District.Education.Authorities.(February.2006,.Iqaluit) [ a.presentation.to.the.Commission scolaire d’Iqaluit.(March.2006,.Iqaluit) [ a.presentation.to.the.Annual.General.Meeting.of.the.Arctic.Co-operatives.Ltd..(May.2006,.Winnipeg) [ a.presentation.to.Nunavut.Teachers’.Union.and.the.Nunavut.Employees’.Union.(August.2006) [ community.presentations.in.Cape.Dorset,.Whale.Cove.and.Rankin.Inlet.on.the.proposed.legislation. (December.2006) [ the.Association des francophones du Nunavut.and.Commission scolaire francophone du Nunavut. (February.2007) [ the.Worker.Compensation.Board.(February.2007) [ the Office of the Languages Commissioner of Canada (February 2007) LANGUAGE LEGISLATION FOR NUNAVUT CONSULTATION PAPER 3] THE DEFINITION OF THE INUIT LANGUAGE “Inuit language” is meant to define the language spoken by Inuit in all of its forms. While Inuit in most communities say that they speak “Inuktitut”, those living in the western Kitikmeot (Qitirmiut) most commonly indicate that they speak “Inuinnaqtun”. “Inuit language” encompasses both Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun. The.Government.of.Nunavut.believes.it.is.important.to.respect.the.diversity.of.the.language.spoken.by.Inuit.in. different parts of the territory. At the same time the government wishes to affirm the unity of Inuit as a people who.share.a.common.language. Section.1(2).of.the.proposed.Inuit Language Protection Act.states.that.“Inuit.language”.means: Inuinnaqtun, if the activities or services in question occur or are relevant in or near Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay, Bathurst Inlet and Umingmaktuuq; Inuktitut, if the activities or services in question occur or are relevant in or near other municipalities; The.proposed.Inuit Language Protection Act.also.gives.Cabinet.the.authority.to.designate.situations.where.both. Inuktitut.and.Inuinnaqtun.will.be.required.(for.example,.on.signs.placed.on.Government.of.Nunavut.buildings). Does the proposed Inuit Language Protection Act recognize Inuinnaqtun? Yes. The definition states clearly that around the communities of the western Kitikmeot (Qitirmiut), the Inuit language.is.Inuinnaqtun..Section.1(3).of.the.proposed.Inuit Language Protection Act.also.states.the.importance. of.revitalization.and.improving.services.in.Inuinnaqtun. Does the proposed legislation deal with Nunavut’s different dialects? Yes..The.government.is.proposing.to.establish.an.Inuit.Language.Authority.(see.issue.6)..The.duties.of.the. language.authority.would.include.researching.and.documenting.Nunavut’s.dialects...The.language.authority. would.also.help.government.and.other.organizations.communicate.in.different.dialects. QUESTION 1 [ Should the definition of the Inuit language used in Section 1(2) of the draft Inuit Language Protection Act. be.adopted? [4 ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC The.proposed.Inuit Language Protection Act.would.require.all.organizations.in.Nunavut,.including.government,. business, Inuit, non-profit and charitable organizations, to: [ produce.and.display.their.public.signs.or.posters.in.the.Inuit.Language.in.addition.to.any.other.
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