Inuktitut Protection Act Needed, Aariak Says
Eva Aariak, the languages commissioner for Nunavut, is urging Nunavut’s Legislative Assembly to amend the Official Languages Act with an Inutktitut Protection Act. “An Inuktitut Protection Act would ensure that Nunavut’s majority language is treated as such, ensuring that neither the language nor its speakers are discriminated against,” Aariak said in a press release this week. “Nunavummiut want Inuktitut and Innuinaqtun to receive status equal to English and French. This is necessary to ensure that Inuktitut and Inuit culture are encouraged to thrive in all aspects of day-to-day life in Nunavut.” During the current sitting of the legislature, a special committee that review the Official Languages Act will present its findings.

From Nunatsiaq News, October 24, 2003