EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In the long term Mr. Speaker it’s something that we need to be able to discuss openly in this forum and other forums and to support victims of family violence not just the physical violence Mr. Speaker, but also the emotional abuse that many men and women go through in relationships.
Question 458 - 1(5): Staff Housing Policy
I have been requested to ask prior to going into my questions if we can move to extend the question period.
Speaker: I don’t think the time is appropriate right now Mr. Tootoo as question period is not over yet.
Perhaps at the end of your question if you wish.
Mr. Tootoo: As long as I get an opportunity to speak.
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister Responsible for Public Works I believe.
Mr. Speaker, earlier I was asking the Minister of Human Resources about the staff housing and he indicated he’s working with the Minister of Public Works who I would assume is the Minister Responsible for staff housing at the time. I know on numerous occasions in the past Mr. Speaker, I’ve asked if the government has a staff housing policy and to my recollection Mr. Speaker, we still haven’t been provided with what the staff housing policy of the government is.
I know in my last request I believe, I was given a copy of what was called the Staff Housing Allocation Policy.
Other than that my question is do they have an actual staff housing policy other than just an allocation policy.
To date we are still in the process of dealing with it, but we expect to table it on April 1, 2002.
Wow, at long, long last finally a policy developed by this government.
I look forward to seeing what it looks like.
It must be a very, very comprehensive policy as it has taken almost three years to develop.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister if he would be willing to meet with the appropriate Standing Committee to review that policy and seek input from the regular members on that.
According to the process that we use and the steps that we have to abide by, we will follow the proper procedures.
So my answer to your question is yes.
Mr. Speaker, I think it has been so long since I have asked questions about the staff housing policy, maybe I would ask the minister if he could briefly give us an outline as how and who developed this policy.
At this time I don’t have the detailed information in front of me.
I want to give you a proper answer so I can’t respond to your question now, but later I will respond when I have the documents in front of me.
Mr. Speaker, just a question, at this time I should be asking to extend, or after my question.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the minister and I understand that the staff housing issue has been a very complex issue that this government has been facing over the last three years.
I look forward to getting an update from the minister on how that policy was developed.
I know I can go back and check in the Hansard as far as what happened up to the development of the allocation policy, but Mr. Speaker, what I would really like to ask the minister is to focus on what happened since the development of the allocation policy and the actual policy that has come out.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if this is the time to ask for consent, but I have been requested by one of my colleagues to request consent to extend question period.
We will allow the minister to answer your last supplementary, and then we will go back to you for your request to extend.
I didn’t hear a question from the member. I wonder if could he re-phrase his question for me.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister if he could focus his reply to me more on the information of what happened since the development of the staff housing allocation policy that was tabled here in the House and the actual staff housing policy if those are in fact two different things.
Because I remember asking about it before and was given an explanation as to who was developing this policy in the past, so I just wanted to make sure if they are both the same thing, if this one is in addition to the other, that’s the area that I would like to find out the information on.
The development of the policy not the allocation policy.
Hon. Peter Kattuk (interpretation): Yes, first of all when the member asked his question, I don’t think I understood the question at that time.
I can’t respond to your question and I will take it as notice.
Members will note that Question Period is now up.
I have been requested by another member to ask for an extension to Question Period.
Speaker: The member is seeking unanimous consent to extend question period.
Some Members: Nay.
Speaker: There are nays, Mr. Tootoo, so your request is denied.
Tabled Document 081 - 1(5): Commission on MLA Compensation
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a document called the “Commission on MLAs Compensation” that was done in 1996.
Tabled Document 082 - 1(5): 1996 Excerpts from NWT Hansard
Mr. Speaker, I wish also to table some excerpts from Hansard in 1996 that relate to the previous document that I just tabled.
I would like to table a document regarding the Chesterfield Inlet Development Corporation.
It is in regards to the RFP for the Chesterfield Inlet Home Care Facility.
There are questions in there.
Speaker: Mr. Arvaluk, in reference to the document that you just tabled.
We have noted that it’s unsigned.
There is a typed name here but it has to be signed as per the ruling that we just passed last week.
At a later time if you would like to come back with this as a signed document we would be glad to accept it. Item 13. Petitions.
Tabling of Documents. Tabling of Documents.
Tabled Document 083 - 1(5): Pension Administration Report, March 31, 2001
I have a document members that I would like to table.
Pension Administration Report March 31st, 2001.
Notice of Motion 21 – 1(5) TD 80 – 1(5) to Committee of the Whole
Ms. Williams: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, March the 1st, 2002, I will move that the following motion;
Therefore I move, seconded by the Member from Akulliq that the issue of the quality of the gasoline in Nunavut be further pursued in the Committee of the Whole, and that Tabled Document 080-1(5) be referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Bill 21 - Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act - First Reading
Mr. Speaker I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Amittuq that Bill 21, Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act be read for the first time.
Speaker: Point of Order.
Mr. Speaker, I had my hand up and I want to ask for a recorded vote on the motion.
Speaker: The member has asked for a recorded vote on this item and if the member would just allow us a minute to get organized to actually do this.
The member has requested a recorded vote and we’ll start with Mr. Ng. All those in favour, please stand and as your name is called by the Deputy Clerk please sit down.
Deputy Clerk: Mr. Ng., Mr. Kattuk, Mr. Kilabuk, Mr. Puqiqnak, Mr. Alakannuark, Mr. Irqittuq, Mr. Arvaluk, Mr. McLean, Mr. Nutarak, Mr. Iqaqrialu, Mr. Picco, Ms. Thompson, Mr. Akesuk.
Speaker: All those opposed.
Deputy Clerk: Mr. Okalik.
Speaker: Abstentions.
The result of the recorded vote is 13 for and 2 against.
Bill 22 - Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act - First Reading
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Amittuq, that Bill 22, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act be read for the first time.
Bill 22 has had first reading.
Bill 23 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act - First Reading
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Amittuq, that Bill 23, an Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act be read for the first time.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Ng. Motion is in order.
The bill has passed first reading.
Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to give second reading of Bill 22, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.
The minister is asking for consent to proceed to second reading.
Are there any nays? Proceed Mr. Ng.
Bill 22 - Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act - Second Reading
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members. Mr. Speaker.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Amittuq that Bill 22, Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes a new Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.
The bill incorporates amendments made since April 1st, 1999.
The bill clarifies the rights, powers, and responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly, the members, and the Management and Services Board.
The bill also sets out the indemnities, allowances, and benefits payable to members and provides for the appointment of a Deputy Premier.
In addition, the bill provides criteria of eligibility for the appointment of persons to the Executive Council who are not members, but mandates that the Premier shall be chosen from among the sitting members.
Speaker: To the principle of the bill.
The bill has had second reading. Mr. Ng.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 67(2) and have Bill 22 moved directly to the Committee of the Whole.
The minister is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 67(2) and have Bill 22 moved to the Committee of the Whole.
The bill stands referred to the Committee of the Whole. Item 18. Second Reading of Bills.
Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to give second reading to Bill 23, an Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. The minister is seeking consent to proceed with second reading.
Bill 23 - An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act - Second Reading
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and members.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Amittuq, that Bill 23, an Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act be read for the second time.
This bill makes changes to the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act. Some changes are necessitated by the enactment of the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act.
Others are required for Members of the Legislative Assembly to be registered under the Income Tax Act.
Motion is carried. The bill has had second reading.
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 67(2) and have Bill 23 move directly into the Committee of the Whole.
Thank you.  Speaker: Thank you, minister.
The minister is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 67(2) and have the Bill moved into Committee of the Whole. Are there any nays?
Bill stands referred to the Committee of the Whole.
Mr. Picco, it looked like you had your hand up.
Tabled Document 67, Bill 22 and Bill 23 with Mr. Puqiqnak in the chair.
Before we proceed members, we will take a short break.
>>House recessed at 3.21 p.m. and resumed at 4.09 p.m.
Chairperson (Mr. Puqiqnak) (interpretation): Thank you for returning.
We are in the Committee of the Whole.
We will be dealing with Bill 22, Tabled Document 067 – 1(5).
The committee would like to start with Bill 22.
Do we agree that we will be dealing with Bill 22?
I would like the Speaker to begin his opening remarks.
Mr. Speaker, you can take the chair at the witness table with your officials.
Welcome, Mr. Speaker.
You can invite your officials also.
Mr. Speaker, you can begin with your opening remarks.
Bill 22 – Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act - Consideration
Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to appear before the Committee of the Whole to introduce Bill 22, Nunavut's new Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act.
I would like to begin by thanking all members for their contributions during the development of this legislation.
As members know, the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act is the statute that establishes the parameters within which we operate as a legislature and a government.
Since April 1, 1999, a number of amendments have been made to the statute, all of which have enjoyed unanimous support from all members in this House.
Introducing a new Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act ensures that the statute is fully up-to-date with respect to these amendments.
I am pleased to say that it has been translated fully into Inuktitut, thereby increasing the number of Nunavut's laws that are available in Inuktitut, English and French and Inuinnaqtun translation will be prepared after the Bill receives Assent.
Mr. Chairman, the Act does not alter any of the basic principles of consensus government or parliamentary democracy as they exist in Nunavut today.
The Premier and Cabinet will continue to hold office at the pleasure of the Legislative Assembly.
The Integrity Act, which this House debated and passed last May, remains in force.
A number of the Act's provisions have also been clarified or strengthened.
The rights and powers of the Assembly, its members and committees are set out more clearly.
For the first time, IQ is explicitly recognized in law as something that the Assembly and its members may take into consideration during deliberations.
I would like to make it clear to all members today that it is up to all of us to decide how IQ can be used.
The statute does not tell us as elected members what IQ is, it simply makes it clear that we now have the authority to apply it to our work.
As members will recall, this House unanimously passed an amendment at our last sitting to tie any increases or decreases to the indemnities payable to Members of the Legislative Assembly to any increases or decreases to the rates of pay of members of the public service of Nunavut.
This provision is maintained in the new Act.
Furthermore, the Act introduces a new provision that allows for the appointment of an independent commission to review the compensation provided to MLAs.
This is consistent with our commitment to transparency in this government.
I would like to add, Mr. Chairman, that all of the tabling requirements presently in the Act have been fully maintained in the new statute.
Mr. Chairman, the new Act strengthens the eligibility requirements for membership in this House.
For example, it is made very clear that sitting members of any body elected pursuant to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement cannot simultaneously sit as MLAs.
This will avoid potential conflict of interest situations.
In addition, the provisions dealing with criminal convictions in the Legislative Assembly Members Removal and Disqualification Act have been fully maintained.
Members will recall that this Act was introduced by the Premier in Committee of the Whole and was passed unanimously.
Finally, the Act makes it clear that the Premier must be selected from among the Members of the Legislative Assembly, while allowing the flexibility, in extraordinary circumstances, for the Assembly to appoint a non-Member to the Executive Council.
The ability of the Premier to designate the Deputy Premier is also clarified.
I look forward to responding to any questions or comments that the members may have.
At this point I’d like to ask my Clerk, the Clerk of the Assembly, one of my witnesses Mr. John Quirke to come over and take a seat.
Chairperson (interpretation): I would like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to bring in the witnesses.
Mr. Speaker, will Mr. Pollock be joining you at the table.
Speaker: Mr. Chairman, we have decided that we will invite Mr. Pollock to come and join us at the table here.
Mr. Speaker, would you please introduce your witnesses. We are not sure who they are.
To my right is our trusty clerk. John Quirke. Clerk of the Assembly.
To my left, your right, Mr. Steve Pollock, Director of Corporate Services for the Assembly
Before we go on to questions, on Bill 22, before we go clause by clause, do the members have questions or comments to the bill?
The members will have 10 minutes to make opening comments.
They will each have 10 minutes for opening comments. Are there any opening comments?
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Chairman and good afternoon to the committee and to the Clerk and his able staff.
Mr. Chairman, I think it's very important to note that this is the first opportunity that we’ve had at the Legislative Assembly to take this piece of legislation which provides us with the parameters the legislature has to work within and differentiate ourselves from the GNWT from which most of the genesis of this Assembly first came forward.
I believe Mr. Chairman, the major thrust of this legislation being the incorporation, as members have brought up several times, and that is the acknowledgement in legislation of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. That’s not a definition Mr. Chairman of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit but having the legislation directing members and the Assembly to incorporate IQ in the decision making process is a fantastic first step, unprecedented in any legislature of this country or any other country that I’m aware of.
Where traditional knowledge is actually enshrined in a piece of legislation and I think that is very important to note.
Mr. Chairman, I do have one specific question for the witness and that is concerning the designation of the Deputy Premier’s position and I haven’t had an opportunity to ask the witness previous to this opportunity about that position.
So if I could Mr. Chairman, with your indulgence I would like to ask a specific question on the legislation that's before the committee.
If you would like to raise your question you are welcome to raise your question at this time.
Mr. Chairman, in this legislation that is before the committee for the first time in this type of legislation we have a designation officially of the position of Deputy Premier.
It is now Mr. Chairman, officially in the legislation and that itself is a precedent of legislative assemblies and legislatures.
I have a specific question on the position and my specific question Mr. Chairman, if I may, is if the position of Deputy Premier as designated in this legislation includes specific designations or duties within the body of the legislation.
If you would like to respond Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Chairman, we do not set out the responsibilities or the duties of the Deputy Premier.
We felt that would be better left to the Premier to do so.
I think it is understood that the responsibilities of the Deputy Premier are to act on behalf of the Premier when the Premier is away from the chamber or away from Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, in some circles, it was only in 1987, I believe, not that long ago, when Dennis Patterson, at that time the Government Leader of the Northwest Territories, again the genesis for this territory, and this legislature, began the designation of Premier instead of Government Leader.
At that time there was no Deputy Government Leader and there was no Deputy Premier.
In the Northwest Territories government in which I had an opportunity to sit in the Thirteenth Assembly, Mr. Kakfwi, or Mr. Morin began the first designation of a Deputy Premier and at that time, it was Mr. Goo Arlooktoo.
Now Mr. Chairman, we have moved forward here in this Assembly and have actually put the designation of the Deputy Premier within the legislation itself.
At the same time Mr. Chairman, for whatever reason, and maybe according to the witness it is a good reason, that the specific duties of the Deputy Premier position be allowed by the Premier to designate.
I am wondering in the creation of this legislation if the witness could inform the committee and this House what type of information they had garnered from other jurisdictions as well as the precedents and the history of the designation of the Deputy Premier.
I know Mr. Chairman, there is no knock on our current Deputy Premier, who is quite well and able to fulfill the role that he has been given. But at the same time Mr. Chairman, once you put the legislation like this into place, you make a ruling or position designated within the body of the legislation and a precedent has been set for the first time.
So with any type of responsibility comes compensation and so on.
So I would like to know what types of precedents you looked at, where the information was garnered from in the creation of the position itself.
The role of Deputy Premier was announced by the Premier and Cabinet, which Mr. Picco is a part of, and therefore I assume it was supported by Cabinet.
We certainly don’t feel that we should question the Premier on his decision to have a Deputy Premier, or question his thoughts on what responsibilities the Deputy Premier should take on.
I guess I would suggest if you have strong concerns about that, you may want to discuss it with the Premier.
As far as our work on this piece of legislation, I believe the Clerk did do some canvassing across the country to get some background details on our decision to include it in this document.
Mr. Picco, do you have any further questions.
Mr. Chairman, first of all let me clarify for the record that I take my job as a legislator very seriously.
I have an opportunity in this committee to ask questions, like any other member.
Sometimes Mr. Chairman, you ask questions for the ability to have the public to find out why the reasons for a particular piece of legislation are being brought forward.
At the same time, Mr. Chairman, I know that the Premier has designated a position as Deputy Premier.
My question was, on what precedent when we brought this legislation forward, was the position created.
What type of research was done?
I know the history of the position, I know in the first time that the elected leader of the Government of the Northwest Territories in 1987 began calling himself the Premier at that time, and I know that in 1995 the first time that a Deputy Premier position was actually put in place was by Mr. Morin, who was Mr. Arlooktoo.
But it was never put in legislation.
So that’s my question.
It was concerning the precedents and the information that they had garnered from other regions.
I wasn’t questioning the Premier’s right to designate that position.
Mr. Chairman, I think the minister or the member is asking important questions, but he has already answered the question by stating that the Premier made the decision to select and appoint a Deputy Premier.
At that point the Premier, by doing this, put this precedent forward.
So the precedent was established by the Premier of Nunavut.
Not by the Legislative Assembly or by our department.
Mr. Clerk has done some canvassing for background information and Mr. Chairman, he would be glad to provide that to you.
Mr. Chairman, I am not trying to…
Chairperson (interpretation): I am sorry, just before I recognize Mr. Picco, I think the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly has some information that he would like to provide.
Thank you. Mr. Clerk.
Clerk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Research was done by the Office of the Clerk.
We examined every piece of legislation across the country that dealt with legislatures.
First of all, recognizing that only Nunavut and the NWT have a consensus government, when we looked at the provincial legislatures, they have something similar but somewhat different.
They have legislation that designates the Premier, or they have legislation that deals with the Leader of the Opposition, House Leader.
They are much more exacting in their definitions of who they put in legislation.
So they have Premiers, Opposition Leaders, House Leaders and etc.
So there is quite a bit of background information on those types of positions.
In looking at the NWT, and the member is correct, but the Northwest Territories also in its new Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act has codified or put in legislation the position of Deputy Premier and the language is somewhat similar, may appoint a Deputy Premier.
So if this legislation is passed, both Nunavut and the NWT will be similar in that respect when it comes to the Deputy Premier.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Clerk.
Any more questions Mr. Picco.
Mr. Chairman, I believe the Hansard will show that was the question I had asked a little bit earlier.
It has now been answered by the Clerk of the Assembly and I appreciate his answer.
I want just one short clarification.