Nunavut MP to pressure government to give bilingual bonus to Indigenous speakers – Nunatsiaq News
Some federal employees get $800 per year extra for knowing English and French
Nunavut MP Lori Idlout says she plans to pressure the federal government to extend a bilingualism bonus to federal employees who speak an Indigenous language.
The bilingualism bonus, first introduced in 1977, gives employees an extra $800 a year if they work in a position designated as requiring proficiency in Canada’s two official languages, English and French. The amount of the bonus has stayed the same since its inception.
The Canadian Press recently reported that the Treasury Board has no plans to expand the bonus to Indigenous language speakers, in light of information contained in a briefing note released through Canada’s access to information a law. The briefing note, written by senior public servants, suggests expanding the bonus as a way to address concerns held by some Indigenous public-sector employees.
