The Government of the Northwest Territories of Canada recently announced a new pilot to train the next generation of Indigenous language interpreters at the Legislative Assembly.
Under the Interpreter Career Pathway Program, participants who are fluent in one of the territory’s eight official Indigenous languages will receive training over the next year.
Agata Gutkowska, a spokesperson for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, said that while more work is necessary, existing initiatives—including the Mentor-Apprentice Program and the Interpreter Career Pathway Program—motivate speakers of different fluency levels to become more advanced. “These programs also equip interpreters with advanced skills for other fields, including the healthcare system and the courts,” Gutkowska added.
Advocates have been calling for training and certification programs for Indigenous language speakers since the closure of the government’s Language Bureau and Aurora College’s Interpreter-Translator Program in the 1990s.
Eleanor Bran, a retired Dene Zhatıé (South Slavey) interpreter, said she is happy the program will help train new speakers. “It will give them the incentive to go out there and train and learn,” she said.
Bran added that translating for the Legislative Assembly requires an understanding of technical language and specialized terminology. “We might be excellent in our native language, but when it comes to the English language, you have to be well-versed.”
Elizabeth Biscaye, a former director of the Language Bureau and a Dëne Sųłıné (Chipewyan) speaker, said that formal training is beneficial even for those who have a natural talent for interpreting. “You can always tell the difference,” she said.
CBS (03/27/26) By Yumna Iftikhar