EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The strategy will guide the implementation of the three languages of instruction model; this is a new method for teaching in Inuktitut, French, and English.
Our goal is to help students better develop their abilities in their first language while providing more opportunities to learn a second language equally well.
I strongly believe that a four-year-long timeline can be met; however, it will require the dedicated commitment of teachers, parents, DEAs and department staff.
The department will work closely with its partners in education to make the changes needed to create a bilingual system that works.
The strategy is a living document; it will evolve over time in response to suggestions advice and input from Nunavummiut.
The Department of Education will ensure it meets the needs of students, our communities, and our economy.
Education is a key priority for this government.
The implementation of this strategy will help us meet the priorities set out in Pinasuaqtavut: increasing the relevancy of the Nunavut K-12 curriculum; strengthening Inuit culture; ensuring our grade 12 graduates are fluently bilingual; and Promoting Inuktitut as the working language of government.
The Department of Education and the Government of Nunavut as a whole will be pro-active in implementing these changes.
I welcome any and all comments from members of this House on this important step in the evolution of our education system.
I look forward to the support of members for this significant initiative.
Ministers’ statements. Minister Simailak.
Minister’s Statement 042 – 2(2): Northern Mines Ministers’ Meeting
Hon. David Simailak: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform members of a meeting I attended late last week in Ottawa of Northern Mines Ministers.
This forum, chaired this year by federal ministers Scott and Blondin-Andrew, was an opportunity for my two territorial colleagues and me to discuss the potential that the North holds in the mineral sector.
The conference is important for representatives from the mining industry, aboriginal organizations, territorial governments, and environmental groups to share their views with the federal ministers responsible for mining in the North.
During the conference, we heard presentations from several stakeholder groups on issues that are important to mining in the North and then met privately to discuss these and other mining-related issues.
I was very pleased to have had such a strong representation at that meeting from Nunavut, including Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Kitikmeot Corporation, regional Inuit organizations, the Northwest Territories-Nunavut Chamber of Mines and several of the exploration companies currently involved in building a vibrant mining sector in our territory.
We all know that Nunavut’s mining industry holds a great deal of potential, with over $120 million spent on exploration in the territory this summer.
This promise for the future will increasingly provide sustainable and substantive benefits to Nunavummiut and to Canadians.
Our discussions at this meeting are significant to developing Nunavut’s mineral sector and I appreciate the collaboration of all ministers and mining industry representatives.
Member's Statement 077 – 2(2): Last Sitting of the Year
I am pleased to rise today on what may be our last sitting day of the year.
It is hard to believe that when we convene again at the Assembly next February, it will be over a year since we were elected to represent our constituents and communities.
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of Christmas, I would share with you and the House some observations on what has been naughty and what has been nice during our recent session and on these meetings.
Mr. Speaker, as a newly elected member of the Legislative Assembly, I have found this past year to be a learning experience, and that is an understatement.
One the positive side, I have been impressed by the commitment shown by all elected members of this House to work together to achieve progress for our territory.
We may disagree at times on strategy and details, but I have no doubt that members share a number of common goals.
Mr. Speaker, on the other hand, I have been greatly frustrated by the attitude demonstrated, on an almost daily basis, by some elements of the bureaucracy towards the work done in this House.
Before I was elected, I never dreamed that there were so many different ways of saying that something was “under review” or “being looked at”, or “moving forward towards the strategy to develop framework options for further discussion...” or other such babblegab.
Mr. Speaker, the language of administration is truly unique, and I confess that I don’t understand a lot of it yet.
I also didn’t expect the extraordinary resistance or reluctance on the part of certain elements of the government to reveal almost any detail and substance to this House, its members of committees, or the public.
Mr. Speaker, if it is this difficult for elected representatives to get answers from its bureaucracy, it is no wonder that so much of the public feels alienated from its own government.
Mr. Speaker, transparency is nothing to fear, and this lesson will be learned in the second Assembly.
During this session I believe that some valuable scrutiny has been directed towards the government’s spending requests and initiatives.
The work in this House and the committees is important, and I am looking forward to our upcoming budget session, which I anticipate will be very lively.
I represent a part of Nunavut that is on the verge of making great strides; with the hard work of my Kitikmeot colleague, colleagues on both sides of the House, we are making progress.
The other night, Joe-Allen and myself were on the starting line-up with the Premier in the hockey game; we actually scored three goals, so that’s a good sign.
As we said at the caucus retreat in the beautiful community of Arviat, Nunavummiut are entitled to a standard of living no less than that of any other Canadian citizen.
There are no nays, Mr. Peterson.
All too many of our people live in difficult circumstances.
I believe the government can help correct the conditions for growth and opportunity.
A strong education system is the foundation of the future and the means by which our next generations will succeed.
An economic development strategy that maximizes our resource potential and makes a clear commitment to being open for business will help to alleviate the crushing poverty that affects many of our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I wish you and all of my elected colleagues and all Nunavummiut a safe and joyous holiday season and I look forward to getting to back to the Assembly in the New Year.
Member's Statement 078 – 2(2): Language of Instruction
At times, we get nervous before we rise to make a statement, but we are learning.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with you some experiences of my own, as well as views expressed by my constituents on the issue of language and its role in our education system.
I have followed with interest the Minister of Education’s statements and activities relating to education reform in Nunavut.
I have listened very carefully to the comments and suggestions from my communities relating to the issue of language of instruction in our classrooms.
My mother tongue is very important to me and to my family and to my community and to my culture.
I learned my language from my parents at home and on the land, not in school.
Since I became a parent myself, I, too, have made efforts to raise my children to speak the language of my family and my culture.
Mr. Speaker, while my wife and I share important responsibilities at home in teaching our children our language and culture, the school system also plays an important role in providing a different kind of education.
The formal education system is designed to develop skills and provide different types of knowledge, some of which is foreign to my culture, but still important for surviving and succeeding in the world we know today.
As an example of this, Mr. Speaker, just yesterday the Hon. Minister of Justice indicated that he would make his comments on Bill 6, The Electronic Commerce Act, in English, because some of the terms are very difficult to translate into Inuktitut.
Mr. Speaker, about 50 people attended a recent public meeting in my constituency of Coral Harbour.
One topic raised by many parents was the importance of having our school system provide a solid education in the English language.
On the one hand, parents have the responsibility to teach their children the language of our culture and they should not give that up to a formal institution such as a school.
On the other hand, Nunavut needs well-educated graduates who can succeed academically and gain the skills... Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
There are no nays, Mr. Netser; proceed.
Mr. Netser (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) On the other hand, Nunavut needs well-educated graduates who can succeed academically and gain the skills needed to succeed in today’s complex world.
Members will recall that one of our collective goals from the Arviat caucus retreat was to work for a public education system that focuses on graduating bilingual youth who are equipped with the skills and knowledge to succeed in post-secondary studies.
Working together, parents and educators, we can give our children the tools they need.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that there are different opinions on language and the role that our school system plays in teaching and preserving it.
I support the Minister of Education in his efforts in this area because I understand that this is not an easy issue to address.
Mr. Speaker, whatever solutions are proposed in this area, it is important that we maintain a balance.
We need to consider what expectations are realistic; we need to set objectives that can be achieved with the resources provided, and when we set our goals, we must spare no effort to meet them.
I am very proud that my oldest daughter is fully bilingual and will be ready to begin a professional career once she has graduated.
It has taken the combined efforts of family and school to give her these skills.
I listened very carefully to the minister’s statement, and I look forward to working with him in the future.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Members’ statements. Mr. Barnabas.
Member's Statement 079 – 2(2): High Cost of Living
I rise today to push forward an issue that has been raised many times by my constituents in the High Arctic communities.
We all note that the high cost of living in the North is even higher in the more remote communities.
Anyone who travels between Nunavut’s communities knows that the cost of some very basic products can double and even triple the further you travel from the first-stage transportation points.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, this summer I wrote a number of letters to ministers of the government and our federal member of parliament on this issue.
At the appropriate time, I will be tabling copies of the correspondence related to this issue.
One response to my letter provided some new and some not so new information on food cost and on food mail programs.
The food mail program is very good program supported by the federal government that subsidizes transportation costs for nutritious food and other items.
I was very interested to note that the federal government’s Department of Indian and Northern Affairs tabled their planning documents in the House of Commons on October 8 of this year.
One of the department’s targets for the coming year was to improve the food security and health of Northerners by ensuring that each of us use the food mail program and pass savings onto the customers through regular monitoring and reporting of the prices.
Mr. Speaker, in my letter to the Minister of Community and Government Services, I indicated that I would be interested to learn of any reviews undertaken by the consumer affairs division that addressed this same issue.
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, it does not appear that such reviews have taken place yet, or if they have, they clearly have not been reviewed.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
There are no nays; proceed, Mr. Barnabas.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I asked some questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services because when people don’t get enough nutritious food, this leads to health problems.
Today, I wish to encourage the Government of Nunavut to look into the matter of access to affordable, nutritious food.
Especially, I would like to suggest that the Department of Community and Government Services undertake some initiatives to ensure that Nunavut’s more remote communities are being treated fairly by private sector businesses such as suppliers of food and household goods.
I thought you raised your hand for a member’s statement.
Member's Statement 080 – 2(2): End of Fall Session
As we approach the end of our fall session, I want to rise today to reflect on the progress, as some call it that, from May to date, during the second Assembly, and look ahead to the coming years’ work.
Mr. Speaker, in the few short months since the election we have come together as a Legislative Assembly to produce a set of important and worthy goals for our term of office.
New members on both sides of the House are finding their feet as they approach their different responsibilities.
However, I do want to say that it appears as though some questionable lessons are being learned in the spirit of that famous work, A Christmas Carol. As you will recall, Mr. Speaker, Ebenezer Scrooge was visited by a number of ghosts during the Christmas season including the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Well, it would appear to me that in this House we have been paid a visit by the ghosts of certain ministers past.
Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that ministers have rapidly learned the art of stonewalling, greatly and improved their skills of deflection, and worked hard on their ability to muddy the waters.
Mr. Speaker, the Scrooge was stingy with his dollars, and this government is showing signs of becoming a miser with the information it reveals to this House, and the public is watching.
Mr. Speaker, just yesterday I posed an important question to the minister regarding some practices of his department.
But then with the answer I received, I felt like a character in Oliver Twist, having asked for some more gruel.
Christmas is a time of giving, but I think there are some ministers who should get some lumps of coal in their stockings.
For members on this side, we are hoping that our stockings are filled with the responses to the many questions that remain outstanding.
Mr. Speaker, in less than 90 days we will be reconvening for the main budget session.
The government will be coming forth with expenditure requests amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.
We will need to work hard to make sure that these dollars are being allocated wisely, and we can only do this if we have all the necessary facts and information before us.
Good government is a Christmas present that all our constituents deserve, and it is up to all of us to make sure that we deliver.
I would like to recognize my wife Susanna and our adopted baby, her name is Cynthia Aglak Evaluarjuk Barnabas, and my mother-in-law, Bertha Takitiapik.
She’s been very instrumental in our community, and I’d like to recognize her for all the work she’s done.
She also visits people who are ill.
I’d like to recognize Eva Kadlutsiaq, my sister-in-law.
As I said before, traditionally, you are not supposed to mention your sister-in-law’s name.
Welcome to the gallery. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.
It gives me a great pleasure to recognize an individual that put a lot of work into helping Nunavummiut in troubled times, and that’s Eva Onalik, from Canadian North airline, over here.
Members will recall the function where we were invited to meet with the Canadian North people; Eva was not present.
She was ill that evening, and I know that Eva is the one that put it all together and organized it all.
So, I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the members of this Assembly and all Nunavummiut, to thank Eva for all her hard work.
I would like to recognize, even though she was already mentioned, Bertha Takitiapik, I call her Attippaakuluk; my late mother has the same namesake, Tuugaaq.
I used to call him uncle, although my stepfather’s name was Alaralak.
I remember my uncle giving a toenail to her.
She is just like my mother, and I look up to her when I need to talk to someone.
She was not afraid to discipline me as I was growing up, and I really appreciate that.
Also, Susanna and Eva, I would like to thank them for being here and I would like everyone to recognize them.
Also, right behind me, there’s a non-Inuk: Qajaaq Robinson is the daughter of an Igloolik resident, and both of her parents are non-natives.
She can speak Inuktitut; it’s quite embarrassing to talk to her in Inuktitut because she is very good at talking in Inuktitut.
So, we are quite proud of her.
Also, the students, especially the younger teenagers, I encourage you to use the Inuktitut language.
It’s going to be very useful when you become fully bilingual in Inuktitut and English.
Although some Inuit people are quite shy to speak Inuktitut, don’t be shy to speak Inuktitut.
So, I rise today to recognize those people.
I would like to recognize three individuals who are not in the gallery, but they are very close to the gallery.
It’s our interpreters; they are three individuals from my riding in Cambridge Bay.
Attima Hadlari, James Paniujaq, and Henry Ohokannoak, it’s good to see them here every day to keep me company; they do a great job for Joe-Allen and myself to send our message back home through interpretations and translations.
So, I would like to recognize them and say hello to everybody back in Cambridge Bay.
Going to item 6 on our orders of the day.
Question 114 – 2(2): Caribou Herd Crossing
I would like to direct my question to the person who is walking, to Minister Akesuk.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct this question to Minister Akesuk.
I am pretty sure you are aware that in Keewatin, the Beverly herd around Baker Lake, there are herds of caribou in the games sanctuary and the areas where the people can hunt caribou.
That has been around for about 40 years or more.
There’s a growing concern for my constituents of Arviat; they feel that where the caribou cross, there are some problems, especially for the sport hunters in Arviat and Baker Lake, even though they can get some caribou from that herd.
There have been some problems.
I would like to ask a question: has anything been done where there appear to be boundaries?
Is there any work being done on that?
Speaker (interpretation): Member for Cape Dorset.
Regarding the Baker Lake caribou herd, we still provide some funding for a study, along with the other provinces who also do studies.
We mainly concentrate on the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in managing the Baker Lake herd.
If we were to do more studies on how they can be managed, we could probably work on that.
If one of them were to write a recommendation, later, on how they can be better managed, then I agree.
I promise that I will work closely with the other provinces that are affected by this.
Yes, I truly understand your answer.
There are a lot of people working on it.
This would be a big stepping stone for the hunters and tourism operators and for the big game hunters for how it can be managed.
I think it’s about time that they start this.
I wonder when should we expect this kind of thing that you can provide for us?
Minister of Environment.
As I stated earlier, we will be corresponding about this pretty soon with the Member for Baker Lake.
We discussed earlier on what the situation is at this time, and I am anxious to hear more.
Maybe we can correspond about making some funding available.
If we were to see proposals within the next year or so, then we could start from there.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Minister Akesuk.
Yes, this would be a great stepping stone.
In the winter when we will have a session, I am pretty sure you will be able to have more concrete responses as to progress to date.
That is my final question, Mr. Speaker.
I will advise my staff to answer that because I don’t want to be put on the list of ministers who haven’t answered.
Question 115 – 2(2): Amendments to the Power Rates
I know the minister is aware, as everyone, I guess, that it’s publicly advertised that the URRC was having public hearings here yesterday and today.
I understand that there were some shocking revelations made at the meeting last night.
Mr. Speaker, apparently there was an amendment made some weeks ago; it was only made public late yesterday afternoon on the proposed... .
As a result of questioning at the URRC hearing.
The higher proposed increases affect both businesses and residents by about six per cent.
In the case of Iqaluit, Mr. Speaker, the residential rate will rise not by 69 per cent but by 75 per cent or 82 per cent with the surcharges included.
In the case of the commercial rates here in Iqaluit, it will not rise 92 per cent as previously advertised and proposed in the distributed information, but by 98 per cent or 107 per cent with all the surcharges included.
The disinformation was filed apparently with the URRC some weeks ago, but throughout all the community hearings up to yesterday afternoon the Power Corporation continued to hand out information packages, even at the meeting yesterday afternoon, with the old information packages containing the old rates.
Yesterday they were very reluctant to discuss what the new rates were.
My question is for the minister: is the minister aware that the proposed rates have been amended?
First of all, the good work that is being done by the URRC, and the public input as well, are welcomed by the government and by myself as minister.
Mr. Speaker, very quickly, the proposal that is put in front of the URRC is just that: it’s a proposal.
Mr. Speaker, the member tries to say that the rates will go up so on and so forth.
We haven’t finished this process yet; the URRC has to continue its process of hearing from the public, ascertaining the information, the veracity of that information and so on.
In answer to the member’s question, the answer is no.
That’s a surprising answer, as the Power Corporation is not keeping, the board of directors is not keeping the minister involved, aware of changes to the amendments made to the General Rate Application.
I’m just wondering, then, if the minister wasn’t aware of that, then was he also not aware of the fact that the Power Corporation was providing the public with outdated information which hid the full extent of the rate increases for all their public hearings except for after the first meetings here in Iqaluit?
Let’s be very clear on this, Mr. Speaker.
The Power Corporation has brought forth a document and they have asked to put a General Rate Application, a GRA application, to the URRC.
The whole basis of the public input and consultations and the role of the URRC are to provide that check and balance so that at the end of the day, the information, the veracity of the information that is being put forward can be checked and balanced by an independent organization.
That is URRC.
Everything the member has said tells me that the process is working.
If there were changes being brought forward... .
I wasn’t at the meeting and I don’t think that the member was probably there either, and if he was, he can correct me.
My understanding, as well, is that after the hearings yesterday, the Power Corporation did send out the wrong information and then they corrected it.
That’s the information that was provided to me this morning.
The member is asking for a transparent government.
This government is listening.
Not only have we extended the dates for the Utility Rates Review Council to do its work, but we have also extended the written submission, a proposal part of the General Rate Application, until December 17.
So, I would suggest to you, Mr. Speaker, and to the people of Nunavut, that the process is working, that they are actually uncovering issues within the General Rate Application document.