Nunavut reviewing its language laws for the 1st time

Nunavut's language laws are being reviewed for the first time since some of them came into force 15 years ago. 

The Official Languages Act, which became law in 2013 and the Inuit Language Protection Act, first signed into law in 2008, mandate the use of Inuktut, French and English in the territory. The legislation is supposed to be reviewed every five years, but hasn't been until now. 

Different groups presented their suggested amendments to both laws last week in the legislative assembly during a four-day televised hearing before the standing committee on legislation. 

Joelie Kaernerk, Nunavut's newly sworn-in minister of languages, told the committee that one of his department's suggested amendments would require the federal government to comply with Inuit language laws. 

"There has been resistance from federal departments and agencies to comply with the Inuit Languages Protection Act, and ambiguity remains," Kaernerk said in his opening address to the committee. 

Kaernerk also wants to dissolve the "unused" Official Languages Promotion Fund. 

"The fund has not met its initial objective to collect fines and penalties prescribed under both Acts. We believe that future monetary penalties could flow into the general revenue stream," he said. 

Karliin Aariak, Nunavut's languages commissioner, said the use of Inuktut in the public and private sectors has declined drastically. 

According to Statistics Canada data from 2021, about 53 per cent of Nunavut's population said their mother tongue is Inuktut, compared to 65 per cent in 2016 and 72 per cent in 2001. 

Aariak also said recommendations on language made by her office to the Government of Nunavut (GN) "go without response and are simply reiterated year after year." 

To solve this, Aariak wants to see a language secretariat within the GN to ensure accountability, similar to the Treasury Board for the Government of Canada.  

While the Official Languages Act applies to territorial institutions, the Inuit Language Protection Act applies to territorial institutions, municipalities, private sector organizations and federal departments and agencies. 

"Without wanting to sound the alarm, the Government of Nunavut is at a crossroads where it will have to take stronger measures to protect Inuinnaqtun which is spoken by just 545 Nunavummiut and could disappear in just two generations," Aariak said. 

"The decline in the use of Inuktitut and the corresponding rise in the use of English as the language of work and at home should be equally alarming," she added. 

Aariak also said she hopes to see a separate Languages Commissioner of Nunavut Act to give her office further independence. 

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. also spoke before the committee, listing a number of amendments it wants to see made to strengthen the territory's language laws. 

"You have the means, because our language is important. You are proud to know Inuktitut. We are Inuit, we are proud. Our children, our future generations must also be proud of Inuktitut," NTI Vice-President Paul Irngaut said. 

NTI's recommended amendments including strengthening the rights of Inuktut-speaking employees in Nunavut, providing the right to Inuktut-instruction in all grades in school, and increasing penalties for those who don't comply with the law. 

French services 'sorely lacking,' says francophone association

The Francophone Association of Nunavut also presented to the committee, saying it wants to see a francophone immigration policy, French daycare spots and French interpretation in the legislative assembly. 

The association also wants to see a partnership created with the Government of Nunavut to offer services and communications in French.

"French-language services are sorely lacking in public administrations and have been requested by Franco-Nunavummiut for over 20 years," said Goump Djalogue, the association's president. 

"This one-stop service would be a partnership between our association and the government of Nunavut because our association has some expertise in delivering services in French. So it's a solution-oriented strategy that we are proposing to help the government provide services in French."  

The committee will now create a report and present it to the legislative assembly this fall or winter. Members of the legislative assembly will then have 120 days to respond to the report.