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Mr. Speaker, March is Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, a nation-wide celebration of French language and culture.

This year, the Government of the Northwest Territories has teamed up with our Francophone partners CDÉTNO, Collège Nordique, and La Fédération
franco-ténoise to deliver a contest and celebrate our vibrant Francophone community, so be sure to visit the Education, Culture and Employment website for more details at the start of March.

Mr. Speaker, the difference in GNWT French language communications and services from 10 years ago to today is immense. The GNWT now has an established Francophone Affairs Secretariat and a network of French Language Service Coordinators within every department.

Employees receive training to effectively deliver programs and services to the public, and feedback mechanisms exist to identify what is working and where improvements can be made. We also have staff receiving bilingual bonuses and public-facing material is available in French in all significant demand communities.

In the 2022-2023 fiscal year alone, 2.7 million words were translated to French for GNWT public communications. Within this same timeframe, Services TNO saw an increase of nearly 60% in requests from the public from the year before, and
174 GNWT employees received the French bilingual bonus.

These improvements would not be possible without our valued partnerships with French language groups in the NWT. I would like to thank the organizations and individuals who have contributed their feedback and recommendations to help us improve our services.

Beyond the growth in this government’s communications and services, the territory’s Francophone community is also growing.

According to the 2021 census, the number of residents who could have a conversation in French or who used French most often at work reached an
all-time high of nearly 4,400 people, almost 11 percent of NWT residents. Across the Northwest Territories this school year, there are over 2,700 students enrolled in French second language programs.

Mr. Speaker, the Francophone community makes important contributions to the territory’s social, economic, and cultural fabric. We will continue to work with the Francophone community and routinely review, evaluate, and improve our French language services and communications to meet the current and future needs of our residents.

Merci, Mr. Speaker.