EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Can the minister explain how the Department of Health works with the Nunavut Housing Corporation to determine staff housing needs for nurses and other essential health care workers?
All government departments, but especially the Department of Health, work very closely with the Nunavut Housing Corporation on its staff allocations.
What the housing corporation has done, along with the collaboration of other GN departments, is create a priority ranking for staff housing.
Fortunately for our communities, when we’re talking about critical needs and critical health services, a lot of our employees are ranked as priority one. We do want to make sure that we have essential services in the communities.
Thankfully, with the cooperation of the Nunavut Housing Corporation and other government departments, it is recognized that the health and safety of the communities are directly impacted by health care providers in the community and have rightfully designated a higher priority to those people for allocation of housing units.
Question 604 – 4(3): Language Services at Qikiqtani General Hospital (Angnakak)
I want to keep the health minister on the… . I’ll ask him some more questions because we didn’t ask him enough yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, on May 30, 2016 the report of Nunavut’s Languages Commissioner on the systemic investigation of official language services at the Qikiqtani General Hospital was tabled.
The report noted a number of concerns with the provision of services at the hospital in a linguistically appropriate manner.
Mr. Speaker, it has been brought to my attention actually quite a few times by some of my constituents that there is often a lack of Inuktitut interpreting at the hospital, especially for in-patients who have to stay there for extended periods of time.
Can the minister clarify what measures are in place to ensure that Inuktitut language services, from the recording on the hospital’s voicemail to the number of interpreters who are employed to assist with patient interactions, are adequate and meet our Inuit language needs?
The member brings up a very important issue when we’re dealing with health care and some of the language barriers that encompass that very passionate and very important topic.
With regard to specific numbers of interpreters that are available at the QGH here in Iqaluit, the numbers do fluctuate. We have to rely upon casual workers.
I’m sure all members of the public, especially here the legislature, realize how important interpretation services are and what a high demand that service is.
I know we work very closely with Nunavut Arctic College to make sure that people are trained and able to work. There are four modules offered through Nunavut Arctic College on medical-specific terminology on different categories.
I don’t have that direct information in front of me on what those categories are.
When we’re dealing with interpretation services in a health care setting, there’s a lot of unfamiliar terminology even to people who are very fluent in Inuktitut.
It’s a continual challenge to make sure that the staff we have are familiar with terminology so that they can express in a clear, concise manner to our patients to make sure that they are aware and understand the circumstances.
I understand that I’m not directly answering the member’s question with regard to whether they are sufficient. Obviously we are continuously working to fill additional positions with regard to interpretive services and translation services at the QGH.
I can say we’re continuing to work on it. It’s a work in progress.
There are gaps and I recognize that and it is something that I have been dealing with the department on a continual basis.
For people that are listening out there, we’ve had interpretive students here in the legislature this week, so it shows that there are more and more people that are recognizing that.
It is a real positive career that people can have a long-time career in and adapt to different techniques, terminology, and different dialects.
Are we satisfied where we are right now?
No, but we are working very diligently to make sure that all people in Nunavut get the service in the language of their choice.
We look forward to seeing more qualified Inuktitut interpreters at the hospital.
In saying that, I want to also speak about the French language services.
It is unclear what French language services are currently available at the Qikiqtani General Hospital.
The Languages Commissioner’s report highlights a number of cases where francophone patients felt their health was put at risk due to the lack of French language services.
Can the minister clearly describe what French language services are currently available for francophone clients at the Qikiqtani General Hospital?
I truly thank her for raising that. Again, this is a very important issue.
One of the challenges that we have with providing French language services is it can be a more infrequent request than Inuktitut services.
We do have French-speaking staff on hand that, as part of their contribution to the health care system, do provide interpretive services.
We’re in the process of hiring somebody with French language ability with our patient relations office which can assist us in French language delivery to deal with patient concerns.
Specifically within the QGH, again, it is a challenge to allocate the resources to have somebody there full time to provide French language services when it’s not as frequent of a request.
We do rely on existing staff to provide and supplement the translation services for French languages.
Again, it’s an ongoing challenge with the department and with the QGH.
It’s something that we are aware of and we are working to find the right balance.
Mr. Speaker, the Languages Commissioner’s report regarding the Qikiqtani General Hospital states that between 2000 and 2011 six language-related concerns were raised.
The low number of concerns registered was thought to be as a result of communication barriers, patients not knowing their rights to file concerns, and/or perhaps due to cultural factors.
Can the minister tell the House today how and what procedures are used by the Qikiqtani General Hospital when concerns are raised regarding language services and how many have been raised to date?
I don’t have the exact number to date; I don’t have that information in front of me.
I will search out that information and have a discussion with the member.
With regard to the specific steps that we have taken, the creation of the patient relations office has really offset the escalation of a lot of our complaints and a lot of issues within the health care service delivery. That office has been paramount in the collaboration with patients and families, with the department of identifying issues and concerns that are brought forward so that they don’t often get escalated, as an example, to the Office of the Languages Commissioner.
A lot of those concerns can be dealt with beforehand before it escalates.
That is one of the critical components, I think, of what has helped improve the patient satisfaction.
There are still issues. As the minister responsible, when I get concerns, a vast majority of them can be dealt with directly at the patient relations office and do get dealt with through there.
That is a crutch that I rely upon almost daily in most weeks.
The new executive director of the Qikiqtani General Hospital, who has come on board very recently, has made dramatic positive impacts to the facility itself of staff morale and engagement. People’s ideas are being listened to on how to better the service that we provide to Iqalummiut and people from other communities that rely upon the health service delivery here.
I know I’m painting with kind of a broad brush here, but things are improving dramatically every day, especially since that 2011 report, through those numbers.
I can say with all confidence that the conditions are more open and more conducive to positive relationships with our patients there right now.
Personally I don’t get as many complaints as I’m sure former ministers may have had.
Question 605 – 4(3): Marine Infrastructure (Qirngnuq)
In my Member’s Statement today I talked about the need for improved marine infrastructure for the community of Kugaaruk.
The Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy requires that an annual call letter be sent to municipalities inviting proposals for funding.
Can the minister confirm when will this year’s call letter be sent to municipalities?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I thank the member for that question.
Last year the call letter for the program went out in March. This year we’re expecting the call letter to be out around that period as well, but we still have to go through our funding proposal.
We’re proposing to do a one-time increase of $2.5 million to this program.
The maximum contribution for funding under the Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy is $300,000.
In cases where a community identifies the need for new marine infrastructure that exceeds that amount, what is the process to have the project included in the government’s capital plan?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for asking that question.
Right now, with the budget being increased, the program policy is being reviewed and it will be clearer during this session on how they can apply for this.
I want to tell my colleague that yesterday the mayor and SAO met with our staff.
The member’s constituents were clearly informed as to how they can apply for funding.
They were asked to apply to this program for an amount of up to $600,000 to be spent over a period of two to three years for that particular project.
They were told what to expect and they were told to go ahead with the proposal for (interpretation ends) breakwater upgrades, lay down area for sealift, (interpretation) and that the department would work with them on these areas for his constituents’ concerns.
I thank my colleague for clarifying that. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, both communities in my constituency have benefited from funding under the Community Transportation Initiatives Program and we appreciate this support.
When will the minister be tabling the next annual report on the administration of this program?
In regard to the 2015-16 budget, if it’s possible and because we have to get approval first, once the process has been done, we will be tabling the report as soon as we can.
Question 606 – 4(3): Staff Housing for Health Care Professionals (Akoak)
Mr. Akoak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, Uqhuqtuurmiut and my colleagues.
I want to begin by thanking the minister for recently taking the time to visit Gjoa Haven.
It was good for him to have the opportunity to meet with a number of community residents and health care workers.
As I’m sure the minister will agree, mental health care services are very important.
When the minister was in Gjoa Haven, I appreciated his willingness to look into the staff housing situation facing our health care workers, including our mental health worker.
Mr. Speaker, our frontline workers are so important.
They do work for the government and they also look at patients or keep them when they need help.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister update me today on his department’s efforts to ensure that all of Gjoa Haven’s health care staff have adequate housing?
I want to thank the member for inviting me to his community of Gjoa Haven.
I truly enjoyed my time there. It’s a fantastic community. There were many great people I met while I was there.
Some of the member’s constituents were able to bring concerns directly to my attention and some issues were resolved from that.
Specifically with regard to staff housing for health care staff, as I had mentioned in an earlier response, we work very closely with the Nunavut Housing Corporation and the recognition of the importance of staff housing for health care professionals.
I met with the individual that the member is talking about with the mental health team there.
I was very impressed by the commitment and engagement with community members that that individual has.
I doubt that he’s watching right now because he’s a very busy person, but I do want to emphatically thank him for the service that he is providing to the community.
We are working very closely with the Nunavut Housing Corporation. I’ve had some correspondence with them earlier this week, within the last few days, on allocation of some units that are coming online from the construction completion of the school there.
I’m looking forward to being able to provide health care employees some very good news in the very near future.
You have answered this question, but how does the Department of Health work with the Nunavut Housing Corporation when it comes to allocating existing staff housing units to health care workers and other staff?
Would it help by saying that our mental health worker is living in a hotel at this time and also sees 5 to 15 patients per day and is on-call 24 hours a day?
Would that help to get him a staff housing unit?
Again I can’t thank the person working in Gjoa Haven right now enough for the patience that they’ve had with the housing challenge that we have throughout the territory.
On this specific case in Gjoa Haven, we’re working very closely, like I said, with the Nunavut Housing Corporation to work out arrangements to take on some additional units.
That is in the process right now.
As a matter of a fact, I just sent an enquiry to my deputy minister yesterday to check on the status of the housing allocation for that specific employee.
I’m waiting to hear a response on where that individual would fit on the priority ranking, but I’m very hopeful that with the units that are coming online, we will be able to find more permanent accommodations for that employee.
Question 607 – 4(3): Status of New Housing Construction in Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt)
Mr. Speaker, today my questions are for the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was asking about the 15 new public housing units and two staff housing units that were scheduled to be constructed in Sanikiluaq in the coming months.
I have noticed the public tenders being in the paper in the past few weeks, but nothing for my community.
I asked the minister when this public tender would go out for my community for public housing. His response was that he didn’t have the information at the time and he would get back to me.
My question today is: is the minister in a position to confirm when the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s tender for the construction of Sanikiluaq’s new housing units will be issued?
I thank the member for his question. Mr. Speaker, like I said, I would get back to him once I get that information.
I have that information and I can tell the member that all the NHC projects in Sanikiluaq are coming out today.
I thank the minister for his quick response on my concern.
For my second question, as the minister is well aware, I have constantly spoken about the need for new housing for Sanikiluaq, so the 22 new units will be very much welcomed to the community.
Public housing contracts for Sanikiluaq had a history in the past of having a higher Inuit labour content to help with the high unemployment rate in the community.
Can the minister confirm what the minimum Inuit labour content will be for this year’s construction work in Sanikiluaq?
I’m sorry; I cannot give him that information in detail.
Like any projects that we award to contractors in Nunavut through the NHC, in the contract agreements we have in place where the contractors have to have a registered apprentice where that person can work with the company or the contractor to get more hours to get their certificate and so on.
We also encourage every contractor to hire locally and work with the local association in trying to work with the local employment for all of our projects in Nunavut.
That also applies to contracts that will be awarded in Sanikiluaq and other communities in Nunavut.
Two days ago my colleague from Gjoa Haven noted that the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s recently issued tender for housing construction in that community had set aside funding for training of Inuit workers.
Can the minister indicate how much funding will be set aside for local training as part of Sanikiluaq’s construction tender?
I don’t have that exact number, but I can get back to the member once I have that number that the member is asking about, the dollar number. I will get back to him when I get that information.
Question 608 – 4(3): Kimmirut Airport (Joanasie)
Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased that two ministers were able to go to Kimmirut yesterday, Mr. Quassa and Mr. Kuksuk.
I also appreciate that Minister Ell-Kanayuk was also able to go to Kimmirut recently. As the minister is also very much aware, the community desperately needs a new airport, but that will likely only happen with federal support.
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed with interest the minister’s response to the written question that was recently asked by my colleague from Uqqummiut.
My question for the minister is this: was a proposal for a new Kimmirut airport one of the 19 specific infrastructure projects that were considered by the Government of Nunavut’s Interdepartmental Committee on Capital Planning in December of 2014 for potentially submitting to the federal government for consideration under the New Building Canada Fund?
I can say that we went to go see Kimmirut’s airport and we had a meeting with the hamlet council in August 2015. The hamlet indicated where that new airstrip and air terminal should be located.
We made a submission to the federal government for several infrastructure projects and the Kimmirut Airport was one of them.
We recognize that it is one of the hardest places to land in Nunavut and the airlines know that. The need to have it upgraded and relocated is clearly identified.
There were many requests for infrastructure projects, but it is unfortunate that the Kimmirut Airport was not approved.
Even though that is the case, our department is looking at capital infrastructure dollars for Kimmirut in the future.
For the benefit of my constituents who are following us today, can the minister clearly explain how the territorial government decides which specific transportation projects to submit to the federal government for funding consideration?
My department reviews and outlines what the priorities are for transportation capital projects that are planned every year. We produce documents called substantiation sheets. It is submitted to the Department of Finance and they make considerations on the many different capital project proposals.
One of the recommendations contained in the final report of the federal Canada Transportation Act Review Panel was that the federal government should consider establishing a new “Northern Airports Capital Assistance Program.”
Can the minister indicate what discussions she has had with the federal Minister of Transport concerning this recommendation?
With respect to his question, I can say that Minister Garneau came to Iqaluit last year in July. I met with my fellow transportation ministers in southern Canada as well.
Question 609 – 4(3): Bullying in Nunavut Schools (Mikkungwak)
The day before yesterday I asked some questions and I asked at the end of the day about bullying.
This obviously affects students.
The students that go to school in Baker Lake, the children and teenagers, deserve support.
This is something we have to deal with as a community.
When I was asking my final question, the minister responded by saying that the local DEAs are responsible for policies dealing with bullying.
I know without a doubt that the local DEAs are not present in schools on a daily basis.
They meet only once or twice a month and at other times when it’s necessary.
However, I would like to ask the minister about bullying.
When bullying occurs, the teachers and the principal deal with these on a daily basis or whenever it occurs. My colleague from the High Arctic is always asking how Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit can be used more when teachers or the principal deal with bullying.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague for asking questions about what we all feel strongly about.
People use different terms for bullying. A word in Inuktitut that I learned recently is uumisuktuq (hating). I spoke about saalaksarasuarniq, which means to attempt to dominate others, and the need to reduce its prevalence.
You’re totally correct in saying that the local DEAs make their own policies, such as Inuuqatigiitsiarniq (having good interpersonal relationships).
They make different policies that have to be followed.
What is also taught in the schools is called Aulajaaqtut.
Through that, we use Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit about bullying and dealing with hatred.
Through Aulajaaqtut, the high school students are taught Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and they talk about how it’s important to have good interpersonal relationships and the fact that bullying should not be happening and they should have good relationships with other people.
That is what is taught through Aulajaaqtut.
As I stated, all communities have DEAs that are responsible for making policies.
Each community has most of those policies and the school principal is required to follow these DEA policies.
Through Aulajaaqtut, we follow Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and it is fully debated at our schools.
I hear what the minister is saying and I agree with him and the fact that we have to deal with different dialects and terms.
While this matter on bullying and personal hatred is being worked, as he stated, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is used in the schools and the local DEAs are administering that.
While that’s the case, the local teachers are trained about teaching matters, how to apply Aulajaaqtut, and other things.
A question I would like to pose to the Minister of Education is: who are the actual teachers?
I know that the minister should know as well most principals come from the south to come and work in Nunavut’s schools.
While that’s the case and they have to carefully use Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, who teaches the principals about those things so that they can be properly trained when they are the leaders in the schools?
We recognize elders in all of our schools to try to promote Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit more in our schools.
All communities have identified elders that can be used to go and talk about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in the schools.
I know it is done the same way in Baker Lake. The local DEAs identify the elders who will provide Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
That is how elders are involved.
As I also stated, with the Aulajaaqtut program, we use the Inuit culture and ways of mitigating bullying to try to lessen it or to see how we can stop it altogether and why bullying should be not happening.
The local DEAs have a foundation on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit when they make up their policies. They always base them on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and that’s what they do. There are things like that.
We also have student support assistants in our schools. We call them SSAs or counsellors.
Those workers promote Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and they are usually Inuit workers that do that in our schools.
Lastly the school principals have to follow the policies made by the local district education authorities along the lines of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. They make their policies, as I said, following Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the principals have to follow that properly.
That’s how they try to promote Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and teach that about preventing hatred and bullying of other people and the fact that it should be stopped.
This is an extremely important matter and I know that the minister and my colleagues have strong feelings about it because the youth are our future.
We lost part of the middle school in Baker Lake because bullying was part of the reason.
Bullying and showing hatred was really apparent there and it really affected attendance.
While that’s the case, with people who show hatred and bully and people who are victims of that, there are two sides; there are two types of people.