EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Even though Repulse Bay has marine mammals and they use those resources to their benefit, but the people here have been using caribou fat for their Qulliq.
I was very proud that Joe Angutinguaq, who is my nephew, said that Jordin Tootoo, when he signed with the Nashville Predators, he was very proud of his family and his sister.
What I wanted to say Mr. Speaker is that there are many mining companies that are here in Nunavut.
They have done a great deal of work here in the Keewatin region, especially around Baker Lake for instance and Rankin Inlet looking for gold and around Repulse Bay for diamonds and also in the Baffin region.
However, the government has not made an agreement with the federal government over how the royalties will be divided up between the Nunavut and the Federal Government.
There has not been a negotiation on that Mr. Speaker and we feel that this has to be done if we are going to generate revenue for Nunavut.
At the present time we are not generating any revenue from the royalties.
I think there has to be an agreement between the Federal Government and the Nunavut Government in regards to the mining royalties, especially when they’re mining from the Nunavut lands.
That way we can have more revenue generated to our territory and I will be asking a question to the Minister of Sustainable Development during question period.
Member’s Statement 534 – 1(6): Replacement of Community Hall in Igloolik
I would like to thank the people of Baker Lake for welcoming us to their community and Mr. Speaker, our procedures have been changing gradually in the house and the Ministers get shuffled.
I would like to remind the Minister responsible for Community Government & Transportation because we have great needs, I would especially like to let him know that there is a great need to renovate or replace the community hall in Igloolik.
There are about 15 hundred people in Igloolik and in Baker Lake the people are very receptive and we envy them because they have all the infrastructure that they need such as community halls and arenas.
As members of the legislature when we travel the communities we envy the people.
Some communities that have all the services provided for them and I would like to say that give it a priority for the people of Igloolik as well.
Member’s Statement 535 – 1(6): Federal Government Agreement on Fishing Rights
I’m not sure exactly how I can start this but I started out as campaigning in 1972 in Baker Lake for the Inuit Tapirisat Kanatami and that was the first time that the Inuit people have elected me at that time.
I think we were about the majority of us that got elected to Inuit Tapirisat Kanatami were about the age of 26 and we didn’t really know how to start because we were so young.
I would like to thank the people of Baker Lake for welcoming us once again and I congratulate them on their new school.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give my support to the Government of Nunavut with their dissatisfaction with the Federal Government in regards to fisheries in Davis Straight.
The government and leader have written a letter to the Federal Government saying that Article 15.37 should be followed by the Federal Government by giving the people of Nunavut to be able to fish in the Maritime areas.
How does this affect us?
The people that negotiated the Land Claims Agreement have to be able to state that they are entitled to the negotiated principles.
I have twin sons and they were 14 minutes apart when they were born and I love them very much and I love them both the same, as equals, but sometimes when I want to buy them a toy, it becomes very expensive because one wants a bicycle and I tell the other one that I cannot buy you a bicycle right now, as soon as I get money I will buy you a bicycle.
So, when that time comes to buy the other one a bicycle, the son that got the bicycle has their bike stolen.
So, when I feel sorry for the first son that I bought a bicycle for, I purchase another new bicycle and the one that is supposed to be getting a bicycle the last time …
I would like to have unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
And thank you, Colleagues.
So I tell the other one, your brother’s bicycle was stolen so I have to use this money to buy him another bicycle and you will have to wait again for your turn.
I know that my sons know that I love them equally and the younger one must be thinking about it being very unfair to him.
The people of the Baffin Region and the Maritimes and the Newfoundland area had their cod fishing stopped and they wanted to grow some more cod so they put a moratorium on the fishing of the cod and as well, with the halibut.
And the Nunavut has been their halibut; the quota has been taken away and given to the Maritimes.
Is something like the story that I told about my twins?
Under the Land Claim Agreement 15.3.7, the Government agreed to it and signed it and it has been enacted in the House of Parliament.
After that, they do not want to use it; they do not want to go through with it.
The people of Nunavut that are also Canadian citizens, we feel that the Federal Government and the Provinces, we feel that they are going to have to try to come to some agreement.
Is the Federal Government going to treat everybody the same that are Canadian citizens or are they going to be agreeing to the Provinces more so than the Territory?
Member’s Statement 536 – 1(6): Raising and Loving our Children
And I would like to thank everybody for welcoming me here.
I rise today along with my Colleagues and the people of Baker Lake and Nunavummiut, the youth and the Elders.
We have to be grateful to our parents for raising us.
I would like to say to the youth that they are loved, and that their parents love them, their parents love them with all of their hearts.
We were brought up to listen to our parents, and so we followed this rule.
Those of us that are older now, when we were younger, we were not as able as you are today, and that experience comes during the years while you are growing up, so today’s youth will survive, just like we did, with the parents love.
While we are considering different issues, we as people, let us tell our youth that they are our future and that they are very important to us, so that they have something to look forward to.
This is what I want the youth to hear, because the majority of our population is younger.
I am also thankful that I am able to make it today, as elders, to this day, and that we do get assistance from other people in Nunavut.
It is in our nature to help each other as Inuit, as families, as communities, so let us carry that on.
And as elders be grateful and encourage youth to have a good life.
The people of Baker Lake are very hospitable, and also your MLA is also very hospitable, and he works hard for you.
>>Applause  Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Alakannuark.
Member’s Statement 537 – 1(6): Fishing in Baker Lake
Hon. Ed Picco (interpretation): Mut’na, Mr. Speaker.
First of all I would like to say thank you to the people of Baker Lake and I would also like to thank your MLA, Glenn McLean, he is very able and a hard worker for the people of Baker Lake on many issues.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I have had the chance to fish, Mr. Speaker, the great Coppermine River, the mighty Bathurst River, the beautiful Sylvia Grinnell River. Mr. Speaker, I have had fished the great Hall Lake, the fiords of Pangnirtung, the areas around Whale Cove, and many more lakes, ponds, and rivers all over Nunavut.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: You’ve never been in Whale Cove.
Hon. Ed. Picco: I’ve been in Whale Cove many times.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: How many times?
Hon. Ed. Picco: Ask Anne Crawford, she was with me.
All over Nunavut, Mr. Speaker, I have caught trophy jackfish off the Ingram Trail in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, two of them were over thirty five pounds each.
You remember the pictures; I had to bring back pictures because no one believed me.
Mr. Speaker, nothing compares to fishing the great Baker Lake.
And nothing compares, Mr. Speaker, of being able to compare and demonstrate my fishing abilities with you and my colleagues.
As Mr. McLean said yesterday, and I think that everyone in Nunavut should know this, Mr. McLean said yesterday that if my fishing skills were hockey skills, I would be joining Jordin Tootoo right now in the NHL.
Seriously, Mr. Speaker, in Nunavut Spring means getting out on the land and for many of us that means camping and fishing.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the good people of Baker Lake who took us out yesterday fishing.
And I would like to thank Mr. McLean for the arrangements.
I asked Mr. McLean to take the $100 dollars and give it to that wonderful gentleman for lending me his machine.
Mr. Speaker, most of all, I would like to be able to thank my Colleagues for attempting, Mr. Speaker, to out-fish me again and I wish them better luck next time.
Member’s Statement 538 – 1(6): Thank the People of Baker Lake
I have been to Baker Lake a number of times previously and I would like to also rise today as I have a lot of people to recognize and whom I am very happy to see again because they are really hospitable, truly welcoming us into their community and I thank them, however there is a catch, Mr. Speaker.
When I came here, the very first time, I noticed that there were no mountains, no cliffs in the vicinity.
That is the first thing that I noticed because I come from Pangnirtung where the land is lofty and chockfull of cliffs and mountains.
Another thing that I noticed was that there is no tide here, neither high nor low tide because in Iqaluit and Pangnirtung, we have one of the biggest low and high tides, so that is a big difference in our environment.
So, Mr. Speaker, I also recognize those whom have left us and I have realized and appreciated the kindness of people in Baker Lake and I would also like to thank our Colleague Glen McLean and while we were out fishing and Miki and Yvonne as well, who recently got married and their parents are here, I borrowed their machine yesterday.
And as well, my Kevin, not you Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize him as well, my boy in Qikiqtarjuaq and my son Joseph, my daughter Jenna and my wife Rosie and all my kids.
So, thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Are there any further Member Statements?
If not, we will move on.
Return to Oral Question 455 – 1(6): Telephone Communication to IDEA
Return to Oral Question 507 – 1(6): Plans for Changes to the Public Service Act
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Tootoo on March 20, 2003 and another oral question asked by Hunter Tootoo again, March 26, 2003.
Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling the responses to oral questions 454-1(6) and 506-1(6) under Tabling of Documents on the Order Paper.
The original response from Hon. Peter Kilabuk was recently forwarded to the Member by mail.
I would like to recognize the cameraman behind Hunter, Solomonie Pootoogoo, originally from Cape Dorset, who lives here in Baker Lake and also in the Gallery is Audla Pudlat, who is also from Cape Dorset and lives here and my teacher in the past, Rosaline Hope, I would like to recognize those people.
It gives me great pride like I said in my statement to recognize many of my Constituents. I do not want to try to do everybody today because we will be in here until midnight, but I would just like to recognize all of my Constituents for showing up here today to see the Legislative Assembly in action but I would like to mention some people.
Norman Attangalaaq who did the prayer, his wife Winnie, Mayor Joe Niego, Lucasie Takoomie, John and Helen Nukik, everybody here.
David Simailak, his wife Jean Simailik but I don’t want to go on and on.
I would just like to recognize most of my constituents but most of all Mr. Speaker, it is very, very seldom my family travels to Iqaluit to be recognized and when I am away I think of them a lot.
I would like to recognize my wife Emily, Terrance my son, Kyle and my daughter, who I sent out for something.
I would like to recognize them, along with Barnie and Rose.
Welcome to Baker Lake Jordan, Terra, Luke, and everybody else there.
Speaker: Welcome to the gallery. Emily, kids.
I would like to recognize a few individuals from my riding.
The famous Mr. Jordin Tootoo and his mom and dad and also I would really like to recognize Corrine his sister.
Everybody should recognize her too.
Corrine Pilikapsi, Tootoo and I guess Tootoo first and Aaron and their two kids, Luke, thanks for being here.
And Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all those people that were involved in the fishing trip yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize some of the family that I mentioned earlier in my Members’ statement.
Sitting back over here is Jack, our trusty guide, who took us out fishing yesterday and Frank as well took us out yesterday so I would like to recognize them and thank them for taking us out yesterday and I got a bigger fish then Glen yesterday too.
He keeps telling us about all these fish here and Becky, Frank’s wife who is sitting back there and Annie and their kids are here.
I would like to recognize them and also over there, they’ve been mentioned already Barney, Rose and Uncle Luke and Jordan, Corrine, Aaron and the kids, I would like to welcome them to the gallery and I would also like to thank everybody for coming here and participating with us here in Baker Lake.
Item 5. recognition of visitors in the gallery.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): I apologize Mr. Speaker; I didn’t quite hear you call my name.
I too would like to recognize many people although I recognize many people here but I’m sure that I don’t think anybody is going to call these two people.
Helen, whom I do not think is here anymore, there she is.
She used to be a teacher in my home community and her daughter Marilla and Kent her son and I recognized them from Coral Harbour so I would like to thank them for working here in Baker Lake and I would like to also recognize Barney my good friend.
He told me once when I said that I thought my skates were dull and affecting my play.
“I don’t think your skates are the problem because the uniform does not make you a good hockey player, a good hockey player comes from the heart.”
Thank you, Barney for giving me such sage advice.
I too would like to recognize Jordan.
When we came from Iqaluit and my son who is 5 years old, knows Jordan and he went for an autograph and when he came back to me and I asked him, what did he say to you? Because he was talking to him, gave him his card to sign and autograph in his colouring book and he said, “I do not know what he said, I forgot, but I was shaking.”
(interpretation) I wanted to bring that up because my 5 year old son said that while we were on the Canadian North plane, that is what he said.
Before we have a break, I would also like to recognize Jordin and especially his mom and dad for helping him get to where he is today.
They deserve a round of applause for all their efforts.
Before we continue on, we are going to break for a short period and I invite the Members and the public to join me downstairs, the door to the right, for refreshments.
>>Sergeant-at-Arms.
>>House recessed at 15:11 p.m. and resumed at 16:02 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to revert to Item 2. Minister’s Statements.
Speaker: The Members is seeking unanimous consent to go back to Item 2. Minister’s Statements.
Revert to Item 2: Ministers’ Statements
Minister’s Statement 163 – 1(6): Andrew Cooper of Baker Lake Places Second in Nunavut’s Canada Day Poster Challenge
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, colleagues. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker I would like to take advantage of the fact that we are sitting in Baker Lake to congratulate a youth from this community.
The Department of Canadian Heritage holds the Canada Day Poster Challenge each year and invites youth from across Canada to express their feelings about their country in a poster.
So now I would like to recognize and congratulate this year, Nunavut’s second place finalist, Andrew Cooper, age 12, of Rachel Arngnammaktiq Elementary School right here in Baker Lake.
Andrew was one of about 100 students from across Nunavut who participated in the poster challenge this year.
Again, please join me in congratulating Andrew Cooper of Baker Lake for his successful participation in the Canada Day Poster Challenge.
Speaker: Congratulations, Andrew, from all of the Members.
Question 531 – 1(6): Fuel Rider Stabilization Increase
Mr. Tootoo: Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that he has been in the hot seat, under the spotlight and everything over the last little while in relation to this fuel rider that he has requested to put in place on our monthly power bills.
Mr. Speaker, my first question that I would like to ask the Minister is this Fuel Stabilization Rider that he is requesting, is that specifically to be used just to offset the increased cost of fuel to the Power Corporation for the provision of power?
Speaker: The Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Minister Picco.
Thank you very much for the refreshments earlier today, it was very enjoyable.
The Member is correct, Mr. Speaker, the idea of a Fuel Stabilization Rider is to dampen the impact of fuel expense variations as well as increases to provide customers across Nunavut with a rate stability in place.
And that is the idea of the FSR Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I know that the Minister always leaves a little of room where he can say that I did not quite include this or include that.
The Rider that the Minister is requesting will that specifically be used for the increased cost of fuel?
That is the question that I would like an answer on.
Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to thank the Member for some clarification and for giving us an opportunity in this House to discuss the Fuel Subsidy Rider.
As the Member is aware, as most Members are aware, we did have this rider in place in 2000.
The Fuel Stabilization Rider was approved by the Public Utilities Board of the Northwest Territories in 1995 through 1998, at the General Reapplication of that time, the GRA.
At that time, Mr. Speaker, as you know the rate was put in place, the Stabilization Rider, for the most part for the fuel indication.
I would point out, Mr. Speaker, that the Fuel Stabilization Rider was not requested by the Minister, this Minister did not request the Rider.
The Rider was requested by the Power Corporation.
The process is that they request the Rider, it comes to me as the Minister responsible, and then I ask the Utility Rate Review Council, the URRC, to review it.
So you have a check and a balance in place.
And the trigger to ask for the FSR is two million dollars.
The Member is correct that the Fuel Stabilization Rider.
I will read it out to be perfectly sure, ‘The Fuel Rider would be to dampen the rate impact of fuel expense variation, and provide the customers with greater rate stability.
It would also preclude costly and frequent GRAs, or General Reapplications, based on a commodity, i.e. in this case fuel over which the Utility has no control.
Specifically, that is what the FSR is for.
Again, Mr. Speaker, for clarification purposes, the Minister did not request it.
The Power Corporation, which is under the Legislation, requested to the Minister that they wanted a rate.
I take it then to the URRC, which is under another Minister for approval.
That is your check and your balance.
That is the same answer that I had before so I can anticipate that the Minister had indicated that the Rider will only be used to offset increased costs in fuel, and that is it.
I am sure that that is something that he said publicly before.
I just wanted to clarify that that exactly and only what it was going to be used for.
Based on his answer, I guess that without a yes or no, that that is all that it is going to be used for.
I assume that that is what he meant.
Mr. Speaker, I know that according to the legislation that we have in place, I am sure that the Minister is quite familiar with, that he is required to inform the Members of this Assembly and the mayors of the increase of rate or tariff that they are looking at.
And I know in the initial request, I think it was December or January, we got a letter from the Minister when they were looking at a ten million dollar need and when their request was to set up to cover off costs of ten million dollars.
Since then, Mr. Speaker, they have basically fundamentally changed what they have asked for.
You know, they have asked for another five million dollars for a total of fifteen million dollars.
Has the Minister publicly notified the mayors and the Members that they are looking at another increase of not ten million but fifteen million dollars?
Mr. Speaker, there is a Legislative process which outlines, again, to provide that check and balance for the people of Nunavut, for the customers and for consumers and again, for our Constituents to make sure that any Fuel Subsidy Rider or any rider that is being put in place or any application receives due merit and notification and the Member is correct.
I believe it was in January where I had notified all Mayors and the Members of the Legislative Assembly, we sent out a letter saying that the Power Corporation had come to the Minister asking for this rate and at that time, as per Legislation, I notified the URCC and Mr. Speaker, when they came back and asked for an extra five cents, there was no need to go out and ask again, because we have already made the notification on the first rider.
So, you do not have to do it specifically for each rider as the Legislation outlines.
Mr. Speaker, I am a little surprised and the Minister talks about checks and balances.
If you go somewhere and ask for, this is permission or let people know this is what we want, it is ten million dollars and then publicly let people know that we need ten million dollars and then come back and say, well, we do not need ten million dollars, we need fifteen million dollars.
That is a different thing altogether, that is another five million dollars and I am sure some people, you know one would probably question, well, if you did not know in the first place why you were going to need an extra five million dollars, why that happened, too.
Like, you know, someone might say, if I want to sell you, a car for ten thousand dollars, say, okay, I will let you know I will be there to buy it and when you get there, oh, sorry it is fifteen thousand dollars right now.
That is a little bit, even that is to me sounds exactly like what the Minister is indicating they have done here with the amount of money that they are looking for in the rider and I would seriously ask him if he would look at and commit to finding out or a detail, in complete detail on exactly their interpretation of why they felt they did not have to notify the Members of the Legislative Assembly and the members of the public that there was an additional five million dollars.
And I think that they should have to and that is fifteen million is a lot different than ten million and if they are out that much, that is a lot of questions to be asked on that.
So, would the Minister commit to providing this House and the Members of this House exactly why they did not inform the Mayors and the Members of the additional increase that they went for here?
Mr. Speaker, first of all, this is a good line of questioning because it gives us the opportunity to explain a little bit about the rider.
If you would bear with me just for a second, Mr. Speaker, every Member in this House was a Member in 2000-2001 when the Northwest Territories Power Corporation asked for a rider that went from 3.4 cents to 9.9 cents, they asked for that increase, 6.5 cents increase.
I never received any letter from a Mayor saying that there was a problem or concern because the process was followed correctly and that process is when you ask for an amount of money, the amount of money that would be made initially, if it is 5 cents or 10 cents or 12 cents in the first case it was 3.4 cents.
That notification is sent to the mayors, the Members of the Legislative Assembly and so on.