INTRODUCTION

The northern part of Canada still holds a special mystique for many people. It is often thought of as a frozen frontier awaiting development, inhabited by only a few hardy individuals who suffer at the unkind hands of the elements, eking out a meagre living. In fact, there are many developments in this region that are envied by people in other parts of Canada and the world. At the same time, some major issues still need to be addressed. This chapter identifies both accomplishments and challenges related to the languages of the north.

It is perhaps because the north has only recently begun to develop the type of institutions that Europeans and southern Canadians have known for generations that there is greater opportunity for innovation. In addition, Canadians have, fairly recently, achieved a new awareness about the linguistic and cultural diversity of this country, and about the contributions made by aboriginal people. Further, because the Northwest Territories (NWT) will be divided into Nunavut and a separate western territory in 1999, and because aboriginal people in the north are beginning to settle their claims and establish their own forms of self-government, northern residents find themselves facing the enormous responsibility of recreating every aspect of society.