EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Nunavut’s tuberculosis program was established in 2000 and provides direct patient care; supervised tuberculosis treatment; active screening for children in schools and high risk populations; and the department provides tuberculosis information sessions.
Mr. Speaker, our program sets the standards and guidelines for community health centres, public health, hospitals, and referral centres.
We have a surveillance system that is well in place.
Our tuberculosis program is working.
Mr. Speaker, we ensure that patients identified as having tuberculosis, whether it is infectious, active or dormant, take medication in the presence of a nurse.
This means we are assured that patients are taking the right dosage and have the support from our health care professionals.
Mr. Speaker, the department has moved towards an enhanced treatment program that is showing an increase in adherence and a decrease in treatment failure rates.
While we work to treat cases of tuberculosis, we know additional work is required in its prevention, such as improving good nutrition practices and lowering overcrowding in homes.
We know that the recent budget announcement from Ottawa with regard to funding for housing will begin to address the housing issues.
Through the nutrition framework, we are addressing the nutrition of Nunavutmiut.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, we have pamphlets and information sheets available for the public in all four official languages. (interpretation) Thank you.
Minister’s Statement 036 – 3(1): Energy Retrofit Project (Kusugak)
Today, I would like to inform the legislature about an energy efficiency project we have underway here in Nunavut.
Two years ago, when we carried out our community consultations for the development of Ikummatiit, the Government of Nunavut’s Energy Strategy, we heard the comment that the government should lead by example. Mr. Speaker, our energy retrofit project does just that.
Through the energy retrofit project, the Government of Nunavut is showing that it is committed to meeting the highest level of energy efficiency.
(interpretation ends) Over the next few years, the Government of Nunavut will be retrofitting its buildings to make them more energy efficient.
Making our buildings more efficient will help reduce energy consumption and operating costs.
It will also help to conserve precious resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The first steps we will be taking will include the installation of a solar wall on the Qikiqtani Hospital, the installation of new energy efficient appliances as well as lighting and controls in our buildings.
We will be researching other alternative energy sources, such as wind power, to determine whether they can also be used in this project.
Mr. Speaker, higher fuel prices impact government operations.
Our energy retrofit project will also include maintenance training for our building operators and energy awareness programs for Government of Nunavut employees.
Training and awareness will help to ensure that energy is used wisely and will assist Government of Nunavut employees in learning about steps they can take to conserve energy in the workplace and at home.
Energy conservation and efficiency is a critical goal of our Energy Strategy. (interpretation) Mr. Speaker, through our energy retrofit project, our government is showing its commitment to meeting this goal.
Minister’s Statement 037 – 3(1): Elders Advisory Committee Meeting (Shewchuk)
I am pleased to announce that the Elders Advisory Committee on the Environment will be meeting for the first time in Iqaluit in April.
This committee is both a legislated requirement under Nunavut’s Wildlife Act and a critical source of knowledge for the Department of Environment.
This committee will provide advice and recommendations to me on the administration of the Wildlife Act, especially as it relates to incorporating the principles of IQ into wildlife management, conservation, and environmental protection in Nunavut.
The members of this Elders Advisory Committee on the Environment are Guy Kakkiarniun of Kugaaruk, Bob Konana of Gjoa Haven, Tommy Pigalaak of Kugluktuk, Laisa Ningiuk of Grise Fiord, Paniloo Sanguya of Pond Inlet, Quvianatuliak Tapaungai of Cape Dorset, Peter Alageak of Arviat, Jacob Ikinilik of Baker Lake, and John Kaunak of Repulse Bay.
I look forward to hearing what they have to recommend to the Department of Environment.
I am certain their wisdom and insights will only improve the way my department handles all environmental issues.
Minister’s Statement 038 – 3(1): Baffinland Tour (Taptuna)
I want to report to Members of this House on the brief visit I had with Premier Aariak and Minister Shewchuk to the Mary River Iron Ore Project and of course, to the community of Pond Inlet.
We left to travel up island last Friday afternoon, and the immensity and beauty of our land is no more evident than from the window of a plane flying over the mountains and fiords of the northern reaches of Qikiqtaaluk.
The residents of Pond Inlet welcomed us to their community with an evening of entertainment consisting of performances by the local theatre group, drum dancers and musicians, all of whom are involved in the making of a feature film and to a wonderful feast of traditional food.
The next day, we travelled to the Mary River Iron Ore Project to gain a better understanding on how such a mine will operate in the future and to see the site itself.
Mr. Speaker, our trip to Mary River provided us with firsthand knowledge to see proposed developments for the Mary River Iron Ore Project.
To see the freight transfer point at Milne Inlet, the tote road to the large campsite, the runway at Mary River, and the proposed rail route south to Steensby Inlet on Foxe Basin, is to realize the scale of the opportunity that the mining industry can bring to the territory.
I feel, Mr. Speaker, that the Mary River Iron Ore Project could potentially produce 500 jobs annually over a period of 25 years.
It will stimulate the development of infrastructure in our communities and open up business opportunities across the territory.
We all know the risks the mining industry faces today, but to visit this site is to gain optimism and hope for the future of our economy and its ability to support our people.
Mr. Speaker, in order for Nunavummiut to capture these opportunities, we have a lot of work to do.
Above all, we need concentrate and focus on our education and training needs to ensure that we are ready for the jobs and business opportunities that present themselves, and Mr. Speaker, this trip gave us the confidence that we can do it.
It points to the fact that in Nunavut, we have a diverse economy, with opportunities in many different economic sectors, in addition to development of our natural resources.
Our participation in this diverse economy depends on the creativity of our people and we saw that in Pond Inlet.
Ministers’ Statements. Item 3.
Member’s Statement 066 – 3(1): Pauktuutit Annual General Meeting (Arvaluk)
I rise today to inform the House of this morning’s excellent meeting between the Regular Members’ Caucus and the delegates at Pauktuutit’s annual general meeting. We shook their hands, introduced ourselves, and they reciprocated with the introduction of their board members.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of Pauktuutit, the national organization that represents Inuit women.
Pauktuutit is holding its annual general meeting in Iqaluit this week.
Members were pleased to have had the opportunity to join delegates this morning as the organization reflects on its successes during the past quarter century and looks ahead to the challenges of the future.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, Pauktuutit is well respected for its commitment to ensuring that the voices of Inuit women from across the nation are clearly heard.
The organization does excellent work in such areas as HIV/AIDS prevention, residential school hearings, midwifery promotion, supporting women entrepreneurs, and the protection of Inuit cultural and intellectual property rights to name just a few.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in paying tribute to Pauktuutit’s 25 years of success. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 067 – 3(1): Kugluktuk Hosts Soccer Tournament (Taptuna)
Last week, the community of Kugluktuk hosted the Under 17 Boys Territorial Soccer Tournament, with teams representing Baker Lake, Cape Dorset, Rankin Inlet, and Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, although Kugluktuk has hosted soccer tournaments in the past, I am proud to announce that this was the first time that boys under the age of 17 from Kugluktuk received a silver medal coming in second place.
I would also like to congratulate the under 17 boys soccer team representing Iqaluit for winning the gold medal and to the Rankin Inlet team for winning the bronze.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is also important to recognize the time and dedication that parents and coaches put into developing student soccer skills.
Without their support or the support of officials and volunteers, these kinds of events would not happen.
Once again, my congratulations go out to all the teams that participated in the soccer tournament and I hope my community of Kugluktuk will be able sponsor many more such events in the near future.
Member’s Statement 068 – 3(1): Importance of Recreation for Youth (Ningark)
I rise today to talk about sports events for our youth to other communities, which I would like to acknowledge for its benefits and that I want supported as well.
As members here are aware, the youth in Nunavut outnumber adults and it is only due to being elected that we are here representing our constituents.
Mr. Speaker, when those of us with greying hair were still young, we were always advised to play outside when it was windy and to participate in all outdoor activities.
Whenever we were concerned, we were told to play outside as adults and children because it’s conducive to improving physical and mental health.
Our youth today love to play sports and it is a pleasurable activity that assists in teaching them about fair play, about controlling their temper, and it warms the heart of the parents to watch their children.
Parents tend to be proud when they are watching youth play sports happily.
Sports also allow these children to learn about new communities and to develop friendships in these sports that can last for many years, Mr. Speaker, and to meet new people who also enjoy those sports.
Physical activity benefits your body as you are growing, assists you spiritually and mentally.
When youth attend to different sports events, it allows them to see parts of Nunavut they didn’t know about. Let us provide more funding for these sporting events so that our youth can attend events and take into consideration that by providing support to our youth now and into the future, we are benefiting their futures.
Member’s Statement 069 – 3(1): Baffin Regional Youth Council (Elliott)
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my appreciation to the Qikiqtani Inuit Association Youth Department for its invitation to make a presentation at the meeting of the Baffin Regional Youth Council that was held last week.
As a long-standing volunteer with youth in Arctic Bay, I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to speak about Nunavut Youth Consulting, our non-profit youth organization in Arctic Bay and the many worthwhile activities and programs that they have done.
I was also honoured that two of the members from Arctic Bay, who are now living in Iqaluit, I guess as a testament to the program, were able to help present as well and at the same time, one of our youth is now the vice-chairperson for the Baffin Regional Youth Council.
Mr. Speaker, youth from across the Baffin were in Iqaluit last week for the election of the Baffin Regional Youth Council executive. As members are aware, the Baffin Regional Youth Council provides a forum for the discussion of issues that concern youth.
Mr. Speaker, the youth department is part of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association’s social policy department.
Regional youth coordinators act as advocates for youth issues in the region. The primary function of the youth coordinator is to provide support, guidance and assistance to the Baffin Regional Youth Council and to act as an information and resource centre for the youth of the Baffin region.
The youth department of the social policy department was established in 1996 to deal with youth issues in the region.
Since its creation, the youth department has grown in size and now has three staff and an increased budget. It offers a number of programs and services for the benefit of youth across the region.
Congratulations to the new executive council that was elected and to the Youth Coordinators Becky Kilabuk and Thomas Johnston.
I ask all members to join me in supporting the activities of this organization.
Member’s Statement 070 – 3(1): Support for Pangnirtung Fisheries (Komoartok)
Mr. Komoartok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I rise today to express my support for the activities of Pangnirtung Fisheries.
Mr. Speaker, as I noted in my Member’s Statement of last week, the winter fishery is currently in progress. I had the opportunity to speak with officials at the plant yesterday and they informed me that the fishermen have brought in a little over 104,000 pounds of turbot in the past couple of months.
Mr. Speaker, Pangnirtung Fisheries directly employs around 60 on a full-time basis in my community. At the present time, there are 22 fishermen out in the Cumberland Sound, along with 19 helpers. So we have a little over 40 people employed out at the Cumberland Sound right now and when they bring the fish into our community, it employs another 20 people in our fish plant.
For a small community such as Pangnirtung, these jobs are extremely important and I support measures to help Pangnirtung Fisheries expand its operations.
Mr. Speaker, Pangnirtung Fisheries is a subsidiary of the Nunavut Development Corporation. I am pleased to note that NDC’s most recently published annual report indicates that the company is moving towards becoming financially independent.
Mr. Speaker, the sustainable harvesting of our natural resources is a key component of Nunavut’s economic development potential. I look forward to partnerships and progress that will help lead to year-round fishing activities in our community of Pangnirtung. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 071 – 3(1): Rankin Inlet Hockey Champions (Kusugak)
I would like to inform my colleagues about the young boys who went to play hockey in Thompson for the McMunn & Yates Center Cup. They played four games, which they all won, and the residents of Rankin Inlet are proud of their accomplishments.
They were: Elliot Adams, Tia Adams, Hunter Alorut, A.J. Curley, Bret Fatheringham, Jacob Adelbow, Anthony Kataluk, Bryce Kusugak, Qaritaq Kusugak, Tuugaaq Ningeongan, Ala Ottokie, Jada Pilakapsi, Nanauq Qiyuk, Avaalaq Sabourin, Brad Sigurdson, Jay Ell Tagoona, and Braden Ulurksit, and the coaches were Pujjut Kusugak, Patrick Tagoona, and David Ningeongan.
They won all their games and I am so proud of them.
If there are no more, we will move on to Item 4.
Return to Oral Question 019 – 3(1): Medical Travel for Inuit and Non-Inuit (Curley)
On March 17, 2009, the hon. member from South Baffin expressed his concern that some individuals from his community who were on medical travel in Iqaluit have had to find their own accommodations.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to personally discuss this matter with the member and have advised him that the department will be addressing his concerns.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House today that when our boarding home in Iqaluit is at full capacity, it is the boarding home that is responsible for making alternate accommodation arrangements for clients. When this situation occurs, clients may advise Tammaativvik that they choose to stay with friends or family in Iqaluit, or the boarding home will choose a private billet from a list of individuals that are willing to take clients on short notice.
If there are no private billets available, clients are accommodated at local hotels.
Clients and escorts do not pay for their accommodations out-of-pocket; the boarding home issues payments directly to the private billet or hotel.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services recognizes that medical travel can sometimes be a stressful experience.
The department wishes to assure members and all Nunavutmiut that the clients’ time away from home goes as smoothly as possible and they do not pay out-of-pocket expenses while on travel for medical reasons.
Mr. Speaker, the department is fully committed to review any concerns regarding the quality of care and services provided to Nunavutmiut. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 058 – 3(1): Status of Sanikiluaq Water Fill Station (Rumbolt)
My question is directed to the Minister responsible for Community and Government Services.
Mr. Speaker, the water truck fill station in Sanikiluaq is very old and plagued with problems.
Can the minister update the House on the status of the new water fill station for Sanikiluaq?
The fill station was one of the projects that we approved during the supplementary appropriations last week. Once the new fiscal year starts, the department plans to get the request for proposals out.
Can the minister confirm whether the new water fill station will have its own backup power generator system?
Question 059 – 3(1): Housing Issues in Kugaaruk (Ningark)
Mr. Ningark: Thank you, Qujannamiik, Mr. Speaker.
My question is directed to my friend, Minister for Housing.
What I’m going to be asking him about is the unfortunate problem that arose from housing construction back in 2007-08 before the minister took office.
Mr. Speaker, my question is: what steps are taken to ensure that similar situations that we experienced in Kugaaruk do not happen in the future?
As the member pointed out, yes, there were issues that happened prior to me being the housing minister, but if he could clarify what particular issues he’s talking about, I would be able to respond to him.
There are all kinds of housing issues that have gone on over the last while all over the territory.
So maybe if he could clarify specifically what issue he was talking about, I would be more than happy to respond to him.
That reminds me of things that I used to clarify in the old Assembly.
The major problem we had was a new house burned down just before the final inspection and there were other leaks in the new homes back in 2007-08.
Mr. Speaker, I know that the issue of the unit that burned down that the member’s referring was a MAP client of the Housing Corporation.
And my understanding of the process is that through the Material Assistance Program, if an applicant is approved, the Housing Corporation provides the material for that unit and it’s the clients themselves that find a contractor to construct and do the construction of that unit.
In this particular case, Mr. Speaker, and I know there was a fire report that I provided to the member on that, I don’t know if it clearly states what the cause of the fire was but preliminary indications said it was a result of heaters being used by the contractor that started the fire and that’s an issue the client or the individual should be taking up with the contractor.
As far as the other issues that he mentioned, after he mentioned those leakage issues the other day, I checked with my staff at the corporation and they weren’t aware of any of these issues being brought to their attention.
But I would suggest that if there are any particular cases that the member is aware of...
And I don’t even know if they’re in public housing units or private homeowner units.
If they’re public housing units, then those issues should be reported to the local housing organization for them to action and if there are more serious issues related, they would forward that information on to the district office in the Kitikmeot in Cambridge Bay.
And if it’s a homeownership unit that the member is referring to, it would depend on when it was built and who did the construction under what program, and there are all kinds of issues there.
So without the particulars of the situation, I can’t provide any more information than that.
I thank the minister for his answers.
In the recent times around January of this year, we had people coming in from the Cambridge Bay regional office.
They had taken some drywall from a new home and they had also visited my daughter’s house where the bathroom was leaking, the drywall was spongy, and the floors were flooded, so those are the things.
So having said that, what steps will the minister take to ensure those kinds of problems don’t arise in the future?
Before I have the minister respond, I would like to recognize an individual who just walked into the Assembly and to also welcome him, Senator Willie Adams.
I would like to thank the member for pointing out the particulars of this individual case that he’s talking about.
But again, without knowing what kind of program the unit that he’s talking about was built under, whether it was a purchase of an existing building or built under a housing program, then that funding provided would determine that.
But I know in any projects where the corporation itself is involved in the construction that it is the role of our technical staff within the regions to go out and do inspections on units that we are actually involved in constructing.
Going back to my initial question, what steps will be taken by the department to ensure that we don’t experience similar problems in the future in Kugaaruk?
As I indicated, any project that the Housing Corporation is involved in as the contractor or getting it built, it is the role of our technical staff to go out and do the inspections on units at various stages throughout their completion and as a result of the terms of the contract, payment is not made until these inspections are done to ensure that the work that has been done to date had been done adequately.
As far as if it’s a contract by an individual to a contractor, maybe the corporation could look at providing information out there for individual homeowners and the private people of what types of things should be included in the contract as far as making sure, if it is work being done on behalf of a particular client or an individual and a contractor, to ensure that the work that they’re getting done for them by a contractor is being done adequately.
Your final supplementary, Mr. Ningark.
I am hesitant to name a particular contractor, but will the minister ensure that they consider to make sure that those kinds of things don’t happen again in the future in Kugaaruk, if that can be controlled?
I really do appreciate the member bringing this issue forward and I can understand his reluctance to discuss any particular contractor here in the House, but I want to also let him know that I would be more than happy to sit down with him in person and discuss the issue where if there’s a specific contractor or individuals involved that we can take a look at.
And I assure the member that any contractor that is performing work for the Housing Corporation that these things are to be inspected.
It’s right in the terms and conditions of the contract, but the corporation doesn’t have any control on contracts between private individuals and contractors.
If it’s an issue with a contractor doing work for the corporation, I can commit that those things should be looked at.
If it’s an issue between a private individual and a contractor, that’s something that we don’t, as a corporation, have any control over.
But I again would be more than happy to sit down and discuss the particulars with the member outside of the House here.
Question 060 – 3(1): Backup Generators for Airports in High Arctic (Arvaluk)
My questions with respect to airports are for the (interpretation ends) Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.