Every fiscal year, the Government of the Northwest Territories issues a record of measures taken to implement the Official Languages Act. Each report details developments in both French and Aboriginal language programming. Many programs focus on connecting youth with elders, training teachers, developing curriculum, and providing government services in as many languages as possible.

From Introduction: “This report is available in French. It is also made available in other NWT Official Languages upon a reasonable request to: the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment. Language Services Section.” (1)

Notable events from this reporting year:
Dene Kede curriculum grades 7-9 was still in development at this time, through consultations with Elders and the committee. The draft version was piloted in the next fiscal year, “with field evaluations completed late in the 1997/98 fiscal year. Several teaching units were developed to support the curriculum.” (4)
Teaching and learning centres continued to develop in materials and programs, with DECs. Included “development of teaching kits in North Slavey (Traditional Dene Food Kit, Traditional Dene Games).” (5)
The Conclusion closes by recognizing the simultaneous importance of government services and the need for a larger community role “in the delivery of language services and programs, and the establishment of priorities for language development, that many NWT official languages will survive and may one day flourish again.” (20)

Access this Resource:

The Government of the Northwest Territories makes reports from the last decade available here: https://www.ece.gov.nt.ca/en/services/francophone-affairs-secretariat/official-languages-annual-reports. Older reports are archived with the Department of Education, Culture, and Employment. 

Government of the Northwest Territories. Annual Report on Official Languages. Yellowknife: 1997.