EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
We wanted to use that NNI policy fully and when NTI asked for an extension for a week, we used it because that’s what they wanted to do prior to the final date of compliance.
We had a discussion prior to the extension so that each party knew exactly what one or the other was going to be doing and we will keep to that procedure.
At times we misunderstand some issues, especially us regular members and especially my colleague next to me as they do not understand every little nuance in English.
I do not want to mention this unpleasant fact but we have a disadvantage when we are unilingual as we do not receive any advance notice until it immediately requires action.
And by the time we comprehend the matter, it is non-debatable and we only hear about it when there is a problem with whatever was implemented.
If we had been informed right from day one we wouldn’t have this difficulty as it would have been debated and even though some of us have concerns it is a little late to do anything about it.
But in regards to what you said, I don’t quite believe that it was urgent, that it was such an urgent matter that you couldn’t have any dialogue with NTI.
If there’s an urgent matter, you can send the information out right away by way of e-mail or other techniques.
Is it because NTI couldn’t respond right away because of all their other responsibilities?
We had dialogue with each other and then they wanted it extended for a week at that time so we corresponded by phone.
So we extended it for a week, but then we extended it for a year.
It has passed now.
People with their own business in Nunavut, even though they don’t live in Nunavut, they want to be able to come here and we welcome them to be part of Nunavut because they create employment for the people of Nunavut.
The others that are outside of our boundaries have not been considered.
That having been said, that is why we decided to extend it for a year.
We have stated that we would like to resume talks to see if we can amend it for future use for things that are not included in there.
To date these have proceeded well, the things that I was talking about, like legislation, and we just finished with a fairly large agreement on Monday.
We will always proceed with things like these.
We don’t always agree on everything, if you recall a case almost went to court.
Sometimes we don’t always agree with each other on some things and we work to make it better.
The NTI executive said that they wanted to meet with the cabinet but the cabinet were not able to meet with them due to conflicts.
Like I have always said, I want to work with whoever I have to work with.
If something like this is going to happen then I’m not going to be part of it.
If someone wants to work with me and if they want to be straight forward, I’ll work with them.
This is the way I am and the way I want to be.
But if they’re going to turn around and say something else for their own gain, I can’t be in support of them.
I want to be able to work with them in the future and if they want to work with us and if they want to work with anybody else, I welcome that.
I have names on my list.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Just a short question Mr. Chairman, just before we go page by page.
I asked this question in the House in regards to Quebec trying to get hydro electricity and it’ll probably affect Nunavut waters. The question that I had was that Nunavut would probably be affected by that hydroelectric project.
I just wonder what is the status of that?
It’s inside of Quebec, the hydro electricity that they want to start up and I will be going to Sanikiluaq tomorrow to meet the community to hear their concerns.
We are in agreement that we want to protect our environment here in Nunavut and we will be trying to protect the Nunavut area if we’re going to have problems with the hydro electricity being planned in Quebec. I will be meeting the Hamlet of Sanikiluaq on their concerns, because I too have concerns about this.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Have you met with those people that are proposing that hydroelectricity project to talk with them about compensation just in case there’s an environmental hazard that happens here in Nunavut?
Yes, we have not been part of the environmental impact discussions to date and we have not been asked anything either.
But in regards to the agreement we’re going to have to be involved with the environmental assessment as it may damage Nunavut and this is going to be a part of our negotiations with them or an agreement with them.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Last question, Mr. Chairman.
The minister said that he was going to go to Sanikiluaq, so is that the beginning of Nunavut being part of the negotiations for the protection of the environment?
Yes, I’ve been invited to go to Sanikiluaq to talk with them and this is the only good time that I could go.
There have been other times that I have been invited but I was not able to and I will be happy to go down to Sanikiluaq. I will be open to the discussions that we will be holding.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. I still have some names.
My question is under 2-6.
I just wondered if the program review is on this page 2-6?
It’s not on this page.
It’s on 2-8.
I will ask the question on 2-8.
I would like to ask about the contract services in the amount of 230 thousand dollars in 2001/2002 and in the revised estimates it was 385 thousand dollars; but now it’s only 186 thousand dollars.
What is the reason, what do you use to contract services for under directorate 2-6?
There are various things that we were doing and we have completed many. In regards to the Power Corporation, the Law Review Commission and the Ikuma II Reports, these have been completed so that is why there is a decrease in this year’s Main Estimates.
I still have some names.
Mr. Chairman, you already went page by page, I think that we were supposed to have some general questions before we went page by page.
I don’t want to ask any questions at this time page by page.
I would like to get back to the minister’s opening comments if that is okay with you Mr. Chairman?
Yes there were opening comments from the members and now we are on questions for Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.
As long as you keep to the subject then you may proceed Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I am going to be asking a question on the Premier’s opening comments.
Under the Premier’s opening comments something about Aboriginal Circumpolar Affairs?
This division receives a total of 764 thousand, of which 130 thousand is new money.
In regards to NNI, the EIA extended the NNI policy for one year.
My question is, the Premier welcomed the businesses to Nunavut and that is very good to see, but also those people that have always lived in Nunavut, pertaining to contracts according to the agreements.
They should be considered for contracts if they live here in Nunavut.
I just wondered whether those guys are welcome here too, to do business here in Nunavut.
There are a lot of people that have their own business living in Nunavut.
They have been impacted as well.
It could have been a longer extension than just one year.
If they want to move to Nunavut they are welcome to move to Nunavut, if they want.
In the Budget Address by the Minister of Finance, the taxes have been lowered, there should be a lot more business if they want to come up to Nunavut.
It was not even a year as we speak so this has been helpful for businesses in Nunavut.
We have been asked about it before and we only did what they wished us to do.
Yes, I understand the response and I am not saying that I disagree with the minister.
Also the other question that I had was the people that have their own businesses in Nunavut.
Are you welcoming those businesses that already exist in Nunavut?
Yes, even more so with Nunavut based businesses.
Especially now that we have lowered the taxes that they had to pay and NNI is more directed at the people that already have existing businesses in Nunavut.
We are really helping those people that live here in Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman I want to go back the Chairman of the Standing Committee’s opening comments and I couldn’t agree with him more with it.
Mr. Chairman one of the most important challenges facing the government over the coming years is the coordination of the program review exercise.
Members reiterated their desire that the knowledge and experience of long-time staff be drawn upon and caution the department not to fall prey to over-reliance on imported consultants.
And like I say consultants have made a killing in this territory in the last three years from the south and I’m a little concerned and I have mixed feelings about the results of consultants.
Because we have a lot of long term staff up here and I wonder sometimes if don’t ignore them all when we are doing things in Nunavut.
So my question to the minister is that I’m a little nervous about the program review.
There was a tender in the newspaper and it closed May 10, 2002 looking for consultants to help provide the review team with support and analysis services for tasks that will arise during the timelines of the program review and it’s got the NNI component in there which I’m glad.
It’s an RFP.
I know it’s too early for the minister to have an answer on who we’d consider to be the consultants but does he have a list of consultants yet that have submitted RFPs?
To date there’s been 20 enquiries so far to that RFP.
So that’s very encouraging that there’s a lot of interest expressed so far.
That’s great to hear.
Have there been any consulting firms from the north and I don’t want their names because I know you are under an evaluation now.
Has there been any long term consulting firms in the north show an interest and submit on the RFP?
Hon. Paul Okalik: From the advice I received, yes.
I must reiterate what I’ve said earlier that the problem with bringing consultants from the south is they get off a plane, they travel around, and they are instant experts.
Going back we have a tendency sometimes that if it’s a consultant in the north we might not use them because we might have some bias against them for something that they did a number of years ago.
And I’m just asking the minister again that when he’s finally getting down to hiring a consultant, please, please, I’m pleading with you to consider a northern company because the program review is going to be a very political and close issue to all of us.
So make sure that you have some northern expertise involved that you use when you are doing this program review; long-term northerners that work for the government and are on the front-lines because they know the programs probably better than anybody.
So it’s more or less a statement but I would like to see that done and I’m sure that you will commit that to this House.
I’m getting like you on my preambles and I get lost on them sometimes but I wish the minister could confirm that he would consider on the RFP long-term northerners.
I’m bound by NNI, so we have to follow it.
Nunavut businesses will get priority.
So I have to follow it.
Chairperson (interpretation): We understand.
I’m on 2-6. Under directorate, I have two questions.
Under this directorate, under Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, how are the annual reports being handled because reports have to be submitted annually.
How is this going?
I want to be kept informed about annual reports.
If an annual report is due and it’s not submitted I want to be informed as to what reports are not being submitted when they’re supposed to be.
If they just rely on one of us to request these reports that might not work very well.
Has EIA made sure that GN departments are fulfilling their statutory tabling requirements?
We keep a list now of statutory requirements and we ensure that’s happening internally but if you notice any deviation from that list we would like to be advised so that we can act on it. So that’s the only way we can act on it.
If you let me know that would be very helpful if you noticed something not being done.
Chairperson (interpretation): Madam Williams.
They have staff that receives compensation and benefits of over 1 million dollars and I’m sure that they could keep on top of a few reports that need to be tabled annually.
So maybe that little bit of advice.
Because there’s already a list, as the minister says. My second question is will this department take a lead in making sure that our GN departments, all the departments, boards and agencies, table annual performance reports in addition to business plans?
All we’ve tracked so far is the statutory requirements that we’re bound by so, if there are additional responsibilities that are asked of us then we’ll take a look at it but there are other bodies of government that ensure these things, for example the FMB is in charge of business plans and making sure that they are done.
So, there are different bodies of government, central agencies that perform other duties that we have to respect.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Madam Williams.
Ms. Williams: Do I understand that the departments or boards, different boards and the departments are responsible for some of the reports and business plans?
I do just not understand properly.
I explained that for statutory requirements of government for tabling, we will do that, but if additional responses are requested of us we have to work with other agencies.
Business plans are required by the legislation to be tabled, the only requirement for the business plan is that they be reviewed by the Financial Management Board and that’s statutory from what I understand.
So, where we are bound, we will do so, but we have to work with other bodies of the government.
The minister indicated that there is a list and on that list there are a number of reports that have not yet been tabled. When can this House expect those reports to be tabled?
I think this is our last day today, it may be a little difficult today, but I can make a commitment to table them in Pangnirtung, this fall at the earliest possible time.
I have one more name on my list.
Ms. Williams and I are taking turns, but the program evaluation, is there money available for program review or policy review?
It’s not identified here but there was a surplus that will be carried over for collecting information from communities. We’re just completing the review and the surplus is being carried over because we want this to be completed.
He stated that they’re using a surplus to complete the review.
There are two questions; if the surplus is fully expended, will the review be completed, or will they do a supplementary appropriation for funds?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): When I met with the law review commission they stated that they should be able to complete it with the surplus funds that they have and perhaps in the next month they should have it done and we want that to be done properly. So they said they should be done within a month.
Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs. Branch summary. Directorate.
Total operations and maintenance 1 million 477 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Turn to page 2-7.
Evaluation and Statistical Services.
Total operations and maintenance 885 thousand dollars.
Under the evaluation and statistical services, when they’re doing these surveys and compiling statistics and, I’ve said it numerous times in here, when you’re doing the unemployment rate, when they’re going into communities and evaluating the unemployment rate, they have a tendency sometimes of showing up there in the middle of a construction season. We all know in the construction season unemployment rates drop by 70-80 percent.
My question to the minister is when Statistics and Evaluation are doing this; I’d like to see them go in February and March when most seasonal people are unemployed so the statistics would more or less reflect what the actual unemployment rate is.
The reason I say that is because I think statistically that’s what the Federal Government looks at with our statistics.
I brought it up in the House here with the poverty level and where we are with it and if the Federal Government knew the cost of living in this country. We should be getting detailed statistics that accurately show what’s happening in Nunavut.
And I’m not saying the statistics department isn’t doing their job.
At least we’re getting some statistics that are showing what’s happening here.
My question to the minister here is that when you’re doing the employment statistics, could you direct your people in that department to, when they’re doing it, to do it in the slower months of the year when the seasonal workers are sitting home unemployed.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. McLean are you done?
Total Operations and Maintenance 885 thousand dollars.
I think they’re called Kiglisiniartiit in Inuktitut.
These are evaluations in communities.
The evaluations for 2001/2002, would they be able to table evaluations that were done in the previous year in the house?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Yes they are available but they’re all figures and there’s a lot of numbers. I think we’d have to identify how we want to present it.
During the next sitting, we would like to table it for your information.
Also, under this page, there’s 180 thousand dollars for contract services, what are they contracting out in this department? Thank you.
The Auditor General in Canada asked us to strengthen our evaluation and statistical services.
We had to use contract services to compile the information.
Total Operations and Maintenance, 885 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Page 2-8. Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs. Branch Summary.
Communications. Policy and Planning. Are there any questions or comments?
The government’s public affairs needs.
Does that have to do with news releases?
We are expected to inform the communities more, put out more information into the communities and it is to provide information on cassette tapes and this is something the communities are interested in.
Yes we usually see information on press releases sent out to the public and they try to protect the government and they try to inform the public.
The recordings that you sent out to the communities, do you have a goal to make sure that the communities will understand?
In regards to the recording tapes, we’ve only used it few times when there are important issues or important information that needs to be released.
So we will be releasing recorded tapes, we plan to do it on a monthly basis, and we are hoping that it will be clear for the communities and that’s what we want to do.
This 288 thousand purchased services is that for that line item?
Yes in part and under Program Review we use part of that for Program Review just for this one time review.
Mr. Arvaluk would you like to continue?
In regards to Mr. McLean’s comments I’d like to make an additional comment under Program Review.
I would like to ask Mr. Okalik if they had considered or made a decision in regards to the employees within the department that they need to be fluent in Inuktitut and be able to read and write Inuktitut.
I was wondering if this is already set or part of your policy?
Yes, we do want to utilize Inuktitut and we do want to hear from the impacted people as to how they want to see improvements because there are many people that are impacted and I’m sure not all of our staff will be able to read and write syllabics, but we do want to see that within our department.
Yes this is a very important issue and I’m aware that you know it as the Premier and your staff know that we need bilingual speaking people in the workforce.
And also head person should be able to be bilingual for example the Bureau of Statistics used to hire people in the communities who were unemployed; they used to hire young people.
They used to hire young people when they were doing statistics and some young people did not know how to ask questions.
Like for example, my mother who’s in her eighties.
The young person asked, the interviewer asked which hockey team do you like?
That’s just an example.
My mother doesn’t even know anything about hockey.
When she was being interviewed she was asked as to whose team she supported.
When you’re considering the interviewers, you should ensure they’re bilingual and make sure that you support them so that they could fall back on something. I know that this is very important and I’m very happy to hear the premier state that this is very important and we expect a lot of improvement on these programs.
It’s more of a comment.
Yes, I want to urge the department to commit to this.
Yes, we provided some courses on that, we now have new employees in the communities, and we appreciate the people who notified us about this under the program review.
We have five employees and four are Inuit.
There are only nine of us.
There’s no quorum.
Chairperson (interpretation): I’ll ring the bell to call them in.
Page 2-8.
Communications. Policy and Planning.
Total Operations and Maintenance 2 million 329 thousand dollars.
Page 2-9.
Branch Summary. Intergovernmental Affairs.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Compensation and Benefits.
In the revised estimates it was 1 million and, well first of all in 2001/2002 it was 669 thousand and then when it was revised it became 1.1 million dollars and in here in the main estimates it’s 764. Can you clarify that to me, why is there a reduction there?
Yes it was larger last year and we made changes to Aboriginal Affairs and also northern subsidies and they were moved from another department to this one.
Page 2-9 and 2-10 are on the same line item.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Under 2-9, Contract Services has a substantial increase.
What kinds of contracts will you be awarding because there’s a huge increase on that?
Yes, it was moved to the rates review council and so they are contracted at times while they are reviewing the power rates.
That’s why there was an increase, because it was in a different place last year.
Grants and contributions, they have provided funding through inter-governmental affairs.
The funding for this contribution has been allocated; did you move the Aboriginal and Circumpolar Affairs Branch?
Where can I find that because there’s no 90 thousand dollars in these main estimates?
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Arvaluk, can you please rephrase your question?
I’m sorry; I went ahead, so I take my question back.
Chairperson (interpretation): That’s the first time I have seen someone take their question back.
Intergovernmental Affairs.
Total Operations and Maintenance, 1 million 189 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Turn the page, 2-11 and 2-12 are on the same line item.
Aboriginal and Circumpolar Affairs.
Total Operations and Maintenance, 761 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Turn the page to 2-13.
Branch Summary. Nunavut Cabinet. Total Operations and Maintenance, 3 million 694 thousand dollars.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Under contract services, 210 thousand dollars.
It is used for our daily operations, like for photocopiers and to purchase materials and supplies that are being used on the second floor.
The total budget for the department has increased by several hundred thousand dollars.
But the total budget for ministers and the commissioner has not increased at all.
I’m just wondering why does the staff need to travel more this year but not the minister?
We’ll continue to travel as we have as ministers, some travel we go through the department and so it’s not reflected here, but it’s not always mandatory travel directly related to an individual minister’s department.
In turns of other travel for staff, we have hired additional staff, as you know, in program review and there’s additional staff who don’t have to travel to other communities to do their work so that’s why there’s an increase in staff travel and that’s not reflective of mandatory travel that we continue to use today.
I was worried that if I tried to ask the ministers to come to my community, they might say no we don’t have any money for travel, that’s why I was worried.
Mr. Premier would you like to respond or make a comment to that comment.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I didn’t hear a question either but I understand.