Have Your Say on the Northwest Territories Official Languages Act
News Release

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) is asking the public for their input on proposed amendments to the Northwest Territories (NWT) Official Languages Act. 

ECE is proposing amendments to better reflect the intended function of the NWT Languages Commissioner and the Language Boards, ensure that the Act is protecting the NWT Official Languages rights in NWT communities, and emphasize the importance of language protection as a means of implementing the articles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The proposed amendments are in response to recommendations of language groups, the NWT Languages Commissioner, and the Standing Committee on Government Operations.

To participate, the public is encouraged to review the plain language summary of the proposed amendments and provide feedback to:
ECE’s Director of Indigenous Languages and Education Secretariat, Shawna Coleman:

ECE’s Executive Director of the Francophone Affairs Secretariat, Benoît Boutin:

Input will be accepted until June 6, 2022
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    Quote(s)

    “The NWT Official Languages Act is a vital piece of legislation that aids in the legal protection of the territory’s 11 official languages. The proposed amendments aim to further empower the NWT Languages Commissioner, enhance the language boards, and update the language and terminology in the Act. I encourage the public to provide their input.”

    - R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment

    Quick facts

    • The NWT Official Languages Act identifies the 11 official languages of the NWT; recognizes the roles and responsibilities of language boards, the Languages Commissioner, and the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT); and provides legal protection of languages to assist in preserving culture as expressed through language.
    • In 2020, the Standing Committee on Government Operations began a review of the Official Languages Act. As part of this review, the Committee reviewed the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 Annual Reports of the Languages Commissioner and held public meetings in June 2021 and January 2022.
    • ECE reviewed the recommendations made by the Committee, Languages Commissioner, language boards and stakeholders in advancing the proposed amendments.

    Related links

     

    For media requests, please contact:

    Briony Grabke
    Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
    Education, Culture and Employment
    Government of the Northwest Territories 
    Briony_grabke@gov.nt.ca 

    Updated: May 16, 2022