EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
At the end of this period, a review will be done to determine if the four apartments are still required by the Department of Education.  If the need for these units still exists, the agreement may be extended until the construction of additional staff housing for Repulse Bay.
Maintenance of the units will be negotiated as part of the administration fee. Education will be responsible for paying for the administration of the units, similar to what has been done in other communities.
Rent will be based on the current formula and will be deducted from the employees through the payroll deduction process.
Staff from both Education and Housing will be visiting Repulse Bay by early April to work on this arrangement.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Item 4.
Return to Oral Question 057 – 4(1): Department of Environment Expenditures (Mike)
This matter that was asked about on March 12, 2014 in a question by the Baker Lake MLA Simeon Mikkungwak was with regard to the Department of Environment operations and maintenance budget and funds provided forthwith, I believe. (interpretation ends) The question:
“Can the minister indicate if funding for hunters and trappers organizations and regional wildlife organizations will be increased in next year’s main estimates? Are HTOs funded to provide input into grizzly bear management plan development?”
My response reads:
Contributions to hunters and trappers organizations and regional wildlife organizations will not be increased in the 2014-15 main estimates.
The contributions the GN currently provides to the HTOs and RWOs will be examined as part of the review of harvester support programming that will be undertaken in 2014-15.
Funding HTOs and RWOs is a responsibility of the federal government under section 5.7.13 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. (interpretation ends) The financial contributions provided to HTOs and RWOs by the GN are intended to compliment federal implementation funding and to help enable HTOs to work with the GN in the local management of renewable resources.
HTOs are not specifically funded to provide input into grizzly bear management plan development.
However, in addition to the $223,000 in core funding, the GN provides to RWOs annually and the $317,000 we provide to HTOs annually, the department also covers the honorariums and travel expenses for RWO and HTO members to participate in consultations and other activities they work on with the department as well as co-management partners, including grizzly bear management planning. (interpretation) Thank you Mr. Speaker
I’m standing a number of times today and now I stand to recognize someone from Igloolik, my son-in-law Lazarus Iqaqsaq. He’s here on medical travel to Iqaluit. I just want us to recognize him.
I believe he is the only visitor I have.
I would like to stand and recognize Mr. John Matthews. I represent him and he’s a long-time resident of Iqaluit.
Speaker (interpretation): Welcome to the Legislative Assembly. Thank you.
Question 111 – 4(1): Planning for Travel from Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt)
My questions will be directed to the Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, over the past few years, members have raised the concern in the House that Nunavut residents are not getting government-issued identification such as driver’s licences in a timely manner for various reasons.
As recently as yesterday, I heard from a constituent who has been waiting two years for his new driver’s licence.
I would like to encourage our Premier to work with his ministers to ensure that government departments work together to ensure this basic need of Nunavut’s residents is addressed.
Can the minister indicate what steps have been taken to work with the community government liaison officers and assist Nunavut residents in getting government IDs in a timely manner?
I thought, at the last Assembly, we got rid of that, but apparently it’s still there.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation got an award for the best design of the general identification card, including a driver’s license and we beat out the United States, Cuba and several other countries by having the best designed and secure card ever done for a jurisdiction.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t expect we’ll get any awards for the delivery of the program, but, Mr. Speaker, it’s only been one member that’s been raising this issue. It’s not all members, but we’ll look into this. I know the GLOs are there for a purpose.
They have five primary functions as GLOs. One of the main functions is to disperse information within their communities and the government. And, we intend to do that with GLO offices.
Mr. Speaker, there’s 21 communities with GLOs and there’s four communities without GLOs. Kugluktuk is one of them and we’ve never ever had a delivery problem with either driver’s license or general ID license, so we’ll look into that.
I know that there’s going to be an increase in activity for Sanikiluaq so the Department of Transportation is aware, they can assist in anyway possible to make sure that the residents of Sanikiluaq get their general ID cards.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my member’s statement, medical travel clients will now have to go through a full screening process at the Winnipeg International Airport.
It is estimated that approximately 70 percent of the community’s residents do not have some sort of approved ID.
Would the minister support a public campaign, delivered through the GLO, to encourage and assist Sanikiluaq residents to get government-issued ID as soon as possible for when they need it for medical travel?
We will do everything to assist the residents of Sanikiluaq.
The general identification cards are valuable, needed documents to travel outside the territory, so we will do everything with the assistance of the motor vehicles division to assist Sanikiluaq.
Question 112 – 4(1): Waste Management in Arviat (Savikataaq)
As I noted in my member’s statement, Arviat’s integrated community infrastructure sustainability plan indicates that the community has been working to identify a location for a new landfill, a dump.
Can the minister indicate how his department is working with the community to achieve this goal?
If I may, there was a round of laughter and I missed some of the question.
Mr. Savikataaq, please clarify your question.
I’ll ask my question again, just part of it because we don’t want to paint a big picture again, eh?
The community of Arviat has been working on identifying a location for a new landfill.
Yes, my department has had some consultations with the community in regard to the landfill concerns and we will continue to have a dialogue with the community.
As I also noted in my Member’s Statement, Arviat’s integrated community infrastructure sustainability plan also indicates that it supports obtaining an incinerator for the community.
Can the minister indicate how his department is working with the community to achieve this goal of Arviat getting an incinerator as part of the landfill development or finalization plan?
CGS is currently investigating the feasibility of incineration as a solid waste management strategy for Nunavut.
The Department of Community and Government Services recently issued a request for information for potential planning for solid waste management methods. The closing date for this is March 28.
Will the minister commit to providing a formal update to the Legislative Assembly on the status of this initiative at our upcoming spring sitting?
Once the report is available, I would be happy to share it with the member.
Question 113 – 4(1): Concerns Regarding Shortage of Nursing Staff (Akoak)
Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s Statement, I raised the issue of the shortage of nurses in our community health centres.
Can the minister provide an update on the status of hiring full-time nurses to work in Nunavut’s community health centres and specifically at the Gjoa Haven Health Centre?
The Department of Health has been reducing the vacancy rate in the last couple of years. The agency nurses’ rates have also been going down.
For the community of Gjoa Haven, there are to be 11 nurses. At the current time, there are five vacancies, six are filled with permanent positions, and seven are filled with casuals and two agency nurses. From February 2014 is my latest statistics with me.
I was just on the phone with the head nurses. They just have two full-time nurses. My second supplementary, the Department of Health has a Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategy.
According to the department’s business plan, this strategy was evaluated in 2013-14.
Can the minister inform this House of what areas of the recruitment and retention strategy need to be improved and how her department will use those improvements to recruit more full-time nurses?
As I said, I only have the stats from February.
The Nunavut Nursing Recruitment and Retention Strategy was implemented in August 2008.
We have been working with our recruiters, the nurses, and the Nunavut Employees Union to reduce the vacancy rate, including implementing job share agreements and improving training and orientation programs.
We have also been working with the Nunavut Employees Union to overtime costs by making changes to the community health centres.
Mr. Speaker, as I have been stating in the House, we compete for nurses, not only in the Canadian jurisdictions, but also with our American counterparts.
We are trying to improve the vacancy rate.
We work with Nunavut Arctic College with the Nursing Program, but the nurses coming out the college need to have at least three or four years experience before they can go to the communities.
I can tell you that 50 percent of the graduates who have come out of the Nunavut Arctic College program, I have to say, are still in Nunavut.
Will the minister commit to hiring more nurses for the Gjoa Haven Health Centre at the earliest opportunity?
The Department of Health is committed to filling all staff vacancies.
As we stated, the recruitment campaign is implemented. We are committed to supporting our frontline nurses, who are essential to a strong health system, but when we can’t find permanent nurses, we do have to rely on casual staffing, and if the casual staffing is not available, then we have to rely on agency nurses.
Question 114 – 4(1): Harmonizing and Updating Eligibility Criteria for GN Programs (Mikkungwak)
In my Member’s Statement, I suggested that the Financial Management Board undertake a government-wide initiative to harmonize and update the eligibility criteria for the government’s different programs to assist Nunavummiut.
What is the minister’s position on this idea?
I thank Mr. Mikkungwak for the suggestion.
I only heard about it 10 or 15 minutes ago. I haven’t had much time to think about it. I will assure the member that this government is intending to undertake a review of government programs during the course of this mandate.
Will the minister commit to reporting back to the House on this issue during the upcoming spring sitting?
I thank Mr. Mikkungwak for the question.
We’re going to be very busy for the next couple of months. During the spring sitting, we’re working on the main estimates.
I will again assure Mr. Mikkungwak that our department and our government will be reviewing programs. We’ll take into consideration his suggestion.
In order to make good decisions, it’s important to have good information. In recent years, the Minister of Finance has tabled an annual report on the government’s grants and contributions spending, which includes spending on some of the programs that I referred to in my member’s statement. When will the minister be tabling an updated annual report on grants and contributions spending?
I will commit to tabling that report as soon as possible.
Question 115 – 4(1): Human Rights and Social Assistance (Enook)
Good afternoon to the people of Pond Inlet and also fellow Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Justice, who is also the Minister responsible for the Human Rights Tribunal.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked questions about social assistance recipients who abuse the benefits they receive.
However, the response that I got indicated that the abuse of social assistance is, apparently, a human rights issue which could be taken to the Human Rights Tribunal.
Can the minister clearly explain how the abuse of social assistance funds, which are public funds provided to eligible Nunavummiut to purchase the necessities of life, is a human rights issue?
As far as I know, as a government we are compelled to treat everyone equally.
When we provide assistance programs to the public, we have a duty to treat everyone equally. That’s what I know.
If I receive funding from the government, say from the Department of Culture and Heritage for, let’s say, to purchase supplies for a cultural program, I am required to sign a contribution agreement specifying that it is what the money will be used for. If I don’t adhere to the terms of that agreement then I could face serious consequences.
Can the minister explain what prevents this government from making social assistance recipients equally responsible for how they spend the funds they receive?
I cannot speculate on what law the member is referring to, so I am in no position to respond at this time.
Will the minister commit to working with the Minister of Family Services, to bring forward legislation or amendments to current legislation to prohibit the abuse of social assistance?
At the Department of Justice, we do help government departments on our policies and to amend legislation where necessary.
Yes, I can commit to that.
Question 116 – 4(1): Public Service Act (Hickes)
My questions are for the Minister of Finance, who is responsible for the Public Service Act.
As I noted in my Member’s Statement yesterday, I believe that the thousands of Nunavummiut who work for the territorial government across 25 different communities need to be assured that their right to communicate with their elected Members of the Legislative Assembly will be respected, and feel comfortable that they will not be targeted with blind accusations from within the public administration for doing so.
Mr. Speaker, the basis for most of my questions in this House comes from numerous sources. Examples are previous issues raised in this House, issues raised by media and members of the public who bring their issues to me. They also stem from the experience and knowledge gained from living and working in Nunavut for the past ten years, and my interests and issues facing Nunavummiut since its inception.
For the benefit of the permanent public record, can the minister confirm that the new Public Service Act does not prohibit public servants from communicating with their MLAs?
I listened with great interest yesterday to Mr. Hickes’ Member’s Statement and again his comments today.
I’ve just quickly scanned his message from yesterday.
This government highly values our Government of Nunavut workforce. We wish them to be highly skilled and motivated and willing to come to work for us. Threats, intimidation, and bullying is unacceptable in this government.
The Public Service Act, to answer his question, there is nothing in the Public Service Act to prevent employees from communicating with their MLAs.
I’m sure my colleague from Gjoa Haven will be happy to hear that he did not get somebody in trouble by mentioning a source.
Mr. Speaker, the government recently produced a Code of Values and Ethics for the public service.
Can the minister confirm that the Code of Values and Ethics does not prohibit public servants from communicating with their MLAs?
The code of values does not prohibit employees from communicating with their MLAs.
However, an employee should be aware of what the code allows them to say and not to say. There are some restrictions on what government employees can say to their MLAs.
Mr. Hickes: I sincerely thank the minister for that answer and I hope those are clarified to most employees. Also, as noted in my Member’s Statement yesterday, it is important to recognize the difference between situations when public service simply want to have general discussion with their MLAs as opposed to situations when a public servant feels duty-bound to disclose potential wrongdoing in the workplace.
Earlier in our sitting, the minister indicated that he is working to bring into force part 6 of the new Public Service Act and appoint Nunavut’s new ethics officer.
Can the minister describe what process the department is currently using to recruit the new ethics officer?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Finance, Mr. Peterson
Hon. Keith Peterson: Mr. Speaker, in my home riding of Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit, practically everywhere I travel in Nunavut on an airplane or I’m in an airport or even in Tim Hortons, I have Government of Nunavut employees approach me with great ideas and suggestions how to improve the government.
I encourage people to have ideas and talk to their MLAs.
However, I also have people come to me and tell me about wrongdoing.
We specifically amended the Public Service Act to include an ethics officer so that people can report wrongdoing if they believe it occurs.
We are supposed to bring it into force by April 1, 2015, next year.
My officials in the Department of Finance are working on policies and procedures to support the operations of an ethics officer.
With the advice and approval of my colleagues in Executive Council, then I would be in a position to appoint an ethics officer to begin their work under section 6 in the Public Service Act.
Question 117 – 4(1): Foster Care Services in Nunavut (Angnakak)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Family Services and follow up on my questions about the fate of those children who, until now, had a warm and caring home at the Iqaluit children’s home.
The minister indicated that it was the social worker’s job to find the appropriate foster homes for these young Nunavummiut.
Can the minister clarify what steps are being taken to ensure that Nunavut has enough foster homes that are willing and able to provide specialized care to medically fragile children?
I thank the member for Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu for her question.
First of all, I would like to thank every one of the foster parents who look after children; they have our immense gratitude as there are about 40 foster children here in Iqaluit.
There are about 220 foster parents throughout Nunavut and we appreciate their contribution as they provide care for our children.
The member is asking how we can help the children who need specialized care, and how we can help them out. We always look after how the children can be looked after properly in the home and how they are being served. Those foster parents are being paid an adequate amount of money.
Mr. Speaker, if the foster homes cannot be found in Nunavut, which are willing and able to provide the level of care that these young, vulnerable children need, where are they going to be placed?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister of Family Services, Ms. Ugyuk.
I thank the member from Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu for the question with respect to where the children are placed.
They could go to their relatives after they are asked numerous questions. If they cannot be placed with their families, we will look for foster parents.
If the foster parent cannot look after them, we would place them in southern institutions.
Will the minister explain how the act of sending some of our most vulnerable children to foster homes outside of Nunavut, away from familiar surroundings and culture, how can they be provided with the same level of services that they receive here, where they could be part of Nunavut society?
I thank the member for Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu for her question with respect to children.
Children are sent outside of Nunavut only as a last resort, especially those with no special needs.
We want to be able to provide for the children with special needs and other issues. Because there are a lot of children with special needs, it would be better for them to have foster homes outside of Nunavut.
Question 118 – 4(1): High Arctic Transportation Strategy (Shooyook)
For the past several years, the Government of Nunavut has been working on a High Arctic Transportation Study.
This study was undertaken to look at ways of addressing the high cost of travel to the communities of Grise Fiord, Resolute Bay and Arctic Bay.
Conducting constituency visits is problematic due to the distances between the communities with airline changes and schedules that make it doubly hard.
Can the minister indicate whether this study has now been completed?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for that question.
Mr. Speaker, regarding my colleague’s question about a previous study, can he clarify the type of study he was referring to in his question?
Speaker (interpretation): Mr. Shooyook, can you clarify your question, please.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Yes, my question was about air transportation issues.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I again thank my colleague.
His question, if I misunderstood it initially I apologize as that word he used is just transportation, so I wasn’t sure which study he meant.
With respect to a study related to his community air transportation issues, I have yet to be briefed on it, but I will have to look into that matter.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Will the minister commit to tabling a copy of the High Arctic Transportation Study in the Legislative Assembly?
I thank our colleague again for that question.
Just now I replied that with respect to his question about a study, I haven’t personally heard about it.
I will have to ask my departmental officials to brief me on whether that study has been undertaken and of the status as per his question. If this study was completed, I will commit to tabling it in the House for the member’s benefit.
Mr. Shooyook (interpretation): Will the minister commit to raising this issue with his federal counterpart?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I again thank the member.
I am trying to be clear with my response, if a report is in existence in our department for that area regarding air transportation or other transportation issues, I commit to tabling this report in this House for every members’ benefit.
Question 119 – 4(1): Update on Family Violence Prevention Strategy (Joanasie)
Mr. Speaker, the minister’s 2013-14 business plan indicates that her department would be finalizing and implementing the Ilagiitsiarniq Family Violence Prevention Strategy.
Can the minister provide an update on the current status of the Ilagiitsiarniq Family Violence Prevention Strategy?
I also thank the South Baffin member for asking that question.
The Ilagiitsiarniq strategy is still under review and further, I doubt that it is near completion.
The strategy was given to the department in July of 2013, as a draft with further work required.
However, the position is still vacant, but the hiring process is underway.
Based on my briefing on it, an individual will be hired shortly in the coming days. The strategy that was drafted on the Ilagiitsiarniq issue requires a worker, so once work is started, then the Ilagiitsiarniq strategy can then be fully developed.
Will our new government be working with other agencies to finalize and implement the Ilagiitsiarniq Family Violence Prevention Strategy, and if so, how will it be done?
I thank the South Baffin member for asking this extremely important question.
I also applaud his efforts and his earlier statement.
That is also what we believe, that in order to alleviate Nunavut social issues, the Qulliit Status of Women, Pauktuutit, the RCMP, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the MLAs need to work together as they are impacted by this issue. We expect to be in partnership with these organizations.
I have noted that the Ilagiitsiarniq Family Violence Prevention Strategy has not been made available to the public.
Will the minister agree to tabling the strategy in this House or posting it on her department’s website?
I would also like to thank the member for South Baffin for asking that question.