Allan Adam at the at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission hearings in Saskatoon. (Image Credit: Submitted/ Allan Adam)

By Nigel Maxwell

Languages

Sask. Dëne interpreter reflects on 40 year career

Feb 14, 2026 | 11:42 AM

Over the course of his 40-year-old career as a Dëne interpreter, Allan Adam has worked in court rooms, the winter games and even movies.

The 68-year-old man from Fond-du-Lac most recently worked at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission hearings and before that was at a murder trial in Prince Albert.

Raised in Uranium City and needing extra credits to graduate, he recalled an assignment a teacher once gave him.

“He said I want you to find out who you are and then come back to me and I’ll give you a grade but I never did go back to him with a grade, I just made it my lifelong passion,” Adam said.

Allan Adam is an accomplished Dene interpreter and also teaches online courses. pic.twitter.com/zwf7br3ecM

— Nigel Maxwell (@NigelMaxwell) February 14, 2026

Raiders lose 4-3

Raiders win streak snapped in Brandon in game over shadowed by Wheat Kings injury

1h ago

Languages

Sask. Dëne interpreter reflects on 40 year career

1h ago

Mass Shooting

Mass killer was 'hunting' in Tumbler Ridge school, RCMP says

2h ago

Growing up, he said a lol of the older people in his community needed help with translation services. He also helped his own grandparents when they received mail and needed help reading the letters.

While in his 20s, Adam got a job with CBC, working as an English/Dëne broadcaster at a country music station in La Ronge.

“I had to really learn the language and I think that’s when the passion kicked in.”

With a desire to be around more Dëne speaking people, Adam moved to Yellowknife in 1984 and continued to work with CBC as a producer and also assisted the government with a Dëne language development.

After moving back to La Ronge in the early 90s, Adam started his own translation company and began work with the Federal government on a contractual basis.

It was also around this time he began writing in Dëne and estimated he’s written thousands and thousands of pages.

“At that time too there was fear that our language was kind of diminishing and dying out and something had to be done about it.”

Some of his work has included the uranium mine review panel, prime ministerial debates and the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. One of his most recent assignments was assisting a man at Court of King’s Bench in Prince Albert, who was guilty of manslaughter and did not speak English.

As a per a statement from Court of King’s Bench, interpretation services are arranged by the Court Services branch of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General.

Court Services works with several professional translation services and has current contracts in place with three interpretation companies for consecutive translation: Sandal Translation Services, Language in Motion, and MCIS.

The Court also has a contract with Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  

Adam explained when working in a courtroom, your job is to let the person know what’s happening and the proceedings.

“You become the voice in between.”

Through the University of Saskatchewan, Adam also teaches an online course which runs once a week for three hours and this year, 29 students participated

Looking back now on a career that has spammed 40 years, Adam said he thinks about the young boy who had a passion to help the Elders in his community.

“When I was younger I worked on behalf of the elders, now I’m older and I’m in their shoes and I’m teaching my great granddaughter. That’s the reward,” he said.

Allan Adam’s favourite student is his two year old great granddaughter. (Image Credit: Submitted/ Allan Adam)

—

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell