Members' Handbook

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES SERVICES

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141. OFFICIAL LANGUAGES SERVICES 

The Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories guarantees Members the right to use any official language in the debates and other proceedings of the Legislative Assembly. As set out in the Act the official languages of the Northwest Territories are Chipewyan (Dëne Sųłıné Yatıé), Cree (Nēhiyawēwin), Tłı̨chǫ, English, French, Gwich’in (Dinjii Zhu’ Ginjik), Inuktitut (ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ), Inuvialuktun, Inuinnaqtun, North Slavey (Sahtúot’ı̨nę Yatı̨́ ) and South Slavey (Dene Zhatıé).

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141.1 OFFICIAL LANGUAGES SERVICES

At the outset of each Legislature, the Office of the Clerk will consult with each Member to determine interpretation or translation requirements.

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Daily during session, there will be eight interpreters situated in the glass booths on the floor of the Chamber. Due to facility restrictions, the ability to accommodate all 11 official languages on the floor of the House and during Committee meetings is not possible, but the Legislative Assembly will broadcast as many languages as possible per sitting day.

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141.2 TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS

Written translation services, where reasonable and practicable, will be provided upon request for designated documents in any of the official languages.

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Designated documents include, but are not limited to, the Orders of the Day, bills or bill summaries, amendments to bills, motions and committee reports.

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141.3 BROADCAST SERVICES

The Office of the Clerk will endeavor to provide public broadcast coverage of House proceedings in as many official languages as practicable. The broadcast coverage will attempt to achieve equality of status and equal right and privileges for all official languages.

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Section 7(3) of the Official Languages Act provides that copies of the sound recordings of the public debates of the Legislative Assembly, in their original and interpreted versions, shall be provided to any person on reasonable request.

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