EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Bill 3 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2004-2005 – Third Reading
Bill 2 has had third.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Baker Lake that Bill 3, Supplementary Appropriation Capital, Act 2, 2004-05 be read for the third time.
Before we proceed with the Orders of the Day, Mr. Clerk, will you ascertain if the Deputy Commissioner of Nunavut is prepared to enter the chambers to give assent to bills.
Bill 1 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 4 2003-04 – Assent
Bill 2 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, No. 2, 2004-05 – Assent
Bill 3 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 2, 2004-05 – Assent
Bill 4 – Appropriation (Capital) Act 2005-2006 – Assent
Bill 5 – An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act – Assent
Bill 6 – Electronic Commerce Act – Assent
Bill 7 – An Act to Amend the Evidence Act – Assent
Deputy Commissioner: Thank you.
As Deputy Commissioner of Nunavut I hereby give assent to the following Bills.
Bill 1, Supplementary Appropriation, Operations and Maintenance, Act 4, 2003-04.
Bill 2. Supplementary Appropriation.
Operations and Maintenance Act 2. 2004-05.
Bill 3 Supplementary Appropriation. Capital. Act 2. 2004-05.
Appropriation Act. 2005-06. Bill 5. An Act to amend the Legal Profession Act.
Bill 6. Electronic Commerce Act, and Bill 7, an Act to amend the Evidence Act.
I wish all members a safe trip home to their communities and a restful and relaxing holiday and be good to your spouses and rest and have a safe trip home.
Speaker (interpretation): I would like to make a brief comment.
Yesterday, the member for Iqaluit Centre, tabled a document which reported on Government of Nunavut sole sourced contracts.
As I have some concerns regarding the tabling of the document, I am directing the Clerk to remove the document from the working papers of the Assembly, pending further consideration and a ruling on the matter.
Orders of the Day for Tuesday, February 22, 2005:
Motion 005 – 2(2)
Motion 006 – 2(2)
We will be taking our Christmas break and the Second Session of the Second Assembly will be closed over the holidays.
I wish everyone a Merry Christmas. The House is adjourned until Tuesday, February 22, 2005 at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 16:47  Nunavut Canada
Tuesday February 22, 2005
Pages 734 – 777
Opening Prayer 734
Speaker’s Ruling 734
Ministers’ Statements 736
Members’ Statements 739
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 746
Oral Questions 748
Returns to Written Questions 766
Tabling of Documents 767
Notices of Motions 768
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 769
Orders of the Day 777
Tuesday February 22, 2005 734
046 – 2(2): Notice of Budget Address (Aglukkaq) 736
047 – 2(2): Gas and Snowmobiles (Kilabuk) 737
048 – 2(2): Federation Nunavut Conference (Picco) 7387
091 – 2(2): Repulse Bay Bowhead Whale Harvest (Mapsalak) 739
092 – 2(2): Kitikmeot Trade Show (Peterson) 739
093 – 2(2): 24-hour Elders’ Care Facility for the Kitikmeot (Evyagotailak) 740
094 – 2(2): Polar Bear Harvest Increase (Barnabas) 741
095 – 2(2): Funding for Ilisaqsivik Society (Arreak) 742
096 – 2(2): New Parka from Mother (Simailak) 743
097 – 2(2): Nunavut Crime Statistics (Netser) 743
098 – 2(2): Gasoline Problems in Rankin Inlet (Curley) 744
099 – 2(2): Iqaluit Community Initiatives (Tootoo) 744
100 – 2(2): Kivalliq – Churchill Dog Race (Alagalak) 745
101 – 2(2): Daughter, Beatrice Makivvik, Born February 4 (Okalik) 7465
131 – 2(2): Gasoline Additive – MMT (Curley) 748
132 – 2(2): Utility Rate Review Council Secret Report (Tootoo) 750
133 – 2(2): Core Funding for Ilisaqsivik Society (Arreak) 753
134 – 2(2): Polar Bear Population (Barnabas) 753
135 – 2(2): Kugluktuk Men’s Healing Facility Opening (Evyagotailak) 755
136 – 2(2): Update on Drivers’ Licences (Alagalak) 756
137 – 2(2): Decriminalizing Marijuana Possession (Netser) 756
138 – 2(2): Tabling of KPMG Report (Peterson) 758
139 – 2(2): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Group and Researchers (Curley) 760
140 – 2(2): Providing Accurate Information (Tootoo) 762
141 – 2(2): Training Needs in Mining (Alagalak) 765
Return to WQ 002 – 2(2) Staffing in the Government of Nunavut's Departments, Crown Corporations, Boards and Other Entities (Clerk) 766  Return to WQ 003 – 2(2) Petroleum Products Subsidies (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 004 – 2(2) Loan Application Reviews (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 005 – 2(2) Murders in Nunavut (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 006 – 2(2) Public Housing Construction in Nunavut (Clerk) 766  Return to WQ 007 – 2(2) Recidivism Rates and Rehabilitation Programs (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 008 – 2(2) Dropouts and Truancy Rates in Nunavut Schools (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 010 – 2(2) Staff Housing (Clerk) 766  Return to WQ 012 – 2(2) Rental Arrears and Tenant Damages (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 013 – 2(2) Status of Nanisivik File (Clerk) 766
Return to WQ 014 – 2(2) Human Resources Statistics (Clerk) 766  Return to WQ 016 – 2(2) Salary Ranges for Senior Executives of Government of Nunavut Crown Corporations (Clerk) 767
Return to WQ 017 – 2(2) Water Sewer Services Subsidy Policy (Clerk) 767
Return to WQ 018 – 2(2) Social Assistance Payments (Clerk) 767  Return to WQ 019 – 2(2) Eyewear and Related Services (Clerk) 767
Return to WQ 020 – 2(2) Trades Training (Clerk) 767
Return to WQ 021 – 2(2) Medical Travel Costs (Clerk) 767  Return to WQ 022 – 2(2) Fuel Delivery (Clerk) 767
Return to WQ 023 – 2(2) Activities Conducted under the Fire Prevention Act (Clerk) 767  Return to WQ 024 – 2(2) 2004 Fuel Resupply (Clerk) 767
058 – 2(2): Report to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut by the Chief Electoral Officer (Speaker) 767
059 – 2(2): Statutory Requirements for Tabling of Reports and Other Documents in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut (Speaker) 767  060 – 2(2): 2004 Annual Report of the RCMP “V” Division (Netser) 767
061 – 2(2): Tabled Document 012 – 2(2) A Need for a Senior Citizens’ Home (Evyagotailak) 768
062 – 2(2): Response to Petition 003 – 2(2) Demand for More Public Housing (Clerk) 768  063 – 2(2): Returns to OQ 018, 067, 105 and 111 – 2(2) (Clerk) 768
064 – 2(2): Package of Materials on Ilisaqsivik Society (Arreak) 768  G.
007 – 2(2): Referral of Tabled Document 053 – 2(2) to COW – Notice (Tootoo) 768  H.
Bill 8 – Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2005-2006 – Notice (Aglukkaq) 769
005 – 2(2): Referral of Tabled Document 052 – 2(2) to COW (Tootoo) 769
006 – 2(2): Request for Comprehensive Audit of QEC and its Subsidiaries (Tootoo) 769
008 – 2(2): Adjournment for the Day (Tootoo) 776
Bill 8 – Appropriation (Operations and Maintenance) Act, 2005-2006 – Notice 769
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Honourable Olayuk Akesuk, Mr. David Alagalak, Mr. James Arreak, Mr. Levi Barnabas, Honourable Levinia Brown, Mr. Tagak Curley, Mr. Joe Allan Evyagotailak, Honourable Peter Kilabuk, Mr. Steve Mapsalak, Mr. Patterk Netser, Honourable Jobie Nutarak, Honourable Paul Okalik, Mr. Keith Peterson, Honourable Edward Picco, Honourable David Simailak, Honourable Louis Tapardjuk, Mr. Hunter Tootoo.
Speaker (interpretation): I would like to ask Mr. Netser to open the meeting with the prayer.
Item 1 in our orders of the day.
I would like to welcome each and every one of you to the session.
I wish to inform members that the Member for Sanikiluaq, Mr. Kattuk, is resting in the Baffin Regional Hospital here in Iqaluit.
We expect to see him back in the House in a couple of days. On behalf of the members, I wish Mr. Kattuk best wishes for a fast and full recovery.
At the conclusion of our last sitting, I indicated to members that I would provide a ruling on the tabling of unidentified documents.
Concerns have been expressed regarding the priority of tabling a document which purports to list government sole-sourced contracts from 2000 to March 19, 2004.
The following specific issues were identified:
As the document is not signed, can it be tabled?
Are there privacy issues that preclude tabling of the document?
Can an unsigned document be tabled?
A similar issue arose during the First Legislative Assembly when a Member attempted to table e-mailed correspondence which had the names of the sender and the recipient blacked out.
Parliamentary precedents are clear that unsigned, unidentified correspondence may not be tabled unless the member is prepared to accept responsibility for its contents.
The issue under consideration is whether the same principle applies to information that is not in the form of correspondence, but in some other form.
In considering this issue, it is important to review the reasons behind the rule.
It is also important to keep in mind the nature of the information contained in the document itself, as information may be of a public nature, or it may be of a more private, personal nature.
The purpose of this rule is to allow the authenticity of documents and information contained in the documents to be verified. The ability to authenticate document ensures accountability for statements made in the House. Is the principle any less important if information is provided in a format other than correspondence?
In my view it is not.
This is not to say that all tabled documents must be signed.
Many documents are tabled without signature.
Many of these documents are in the public domain and their source can be readily identified.
For example, newspaper articles, brochures, and information from Internet Web sites all originate from identifiable sources. Further, documents which have an identifier on them to indicate their origin may be tabled.
As stated by the Speaker of the Manitoba legislature, “When a document is tabled, it seems to me only reasonable that there should be some identifying information going along with the document, indicating in some manner, either its source, its author, when or how it was published, or the nature of its publication, or how the member obtained possession of the document.”
(Mr. Speaker Graham – 1980 – 81 Journals, Page 179)
At the time of tabling the document, the Member stated that he was tabling “a list of Government of Nunavut sole-sourced contracts that was provided to me by a concerned citizen.” (Hansard, November 30, 2004, page 40).
Such an identifier is not attached to the document itself.
The document is not identified as a government document.
It is not clear if the document originated from a private citizen or from government.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba has considered this issue on a number of occasions.
Their assembly has established a practice whereby the member tabling a document can sign and attach to a document, a declaration indicating the origin of the document.
Would such a declaration be sufficient identifying information to allow the document to be tabled?
This consideration requires the balancing of the public interest in having regular Members call upon the government to account, and the interests of the government and all Members in assuring unsubstantiated allegations are not made without consideration for the consequences.
In this instance, the information contained in the document is of a primarily public nature and is a legitimate matter for debate in the house.
If the document is identified as originating from government, then the government can confirm or deny this.
If the document is identified as originating from some other source, then the government could not be held responsible for it.
Certainly, the information contained within the document can be verified by the government and indeed, this is what the Member asked the government to do when he tabled the document.
Accordingly, I find that in its present state, the document cannot be tabled.
However, should the Member wish to provide further information as to the source of the document and how it came to be in the Member’s possession, then it may be tabled. Such information should indicate in a general sense the manner by which the Member came in to possession of the document.
For example, the document may have been provided by a constituent, published on a website or obtained pursuant a request under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Are there privacy issues that preclude the tabling of the document?
The document lists project names, the entity the contract was awarded to and the value of the contract.
There has been concern raised that the information disclosed is personal information and for that reason the document should not be tabled.
While it is the case that correspondence of a purely private nature will rarely be tabled, a document which might potentially be in the public interest may be tabled.
The fact that a document may contain personal information, and I am not convinced that in this instance it does, will not necessarily render it unsuitable for tabling.
Clearly, it is open to, and arguably incumbent upon regular Members to hold the government to account for how it spends public money.
Any entity contracting with a public entity accepts that the terms and value of the contract may become subject to scrutiny in a public forum.
Further, while the government may have policy and statutory limitations on the information it releases, there is no such constraint upon this assembly.
While Members are expected to use good judgment and discretion in the release of information, the consequences for any abuse are largely political.
Accordingly, I find that there are no privacy issues in relation to the document which preclude it from being tabled.
Mr. Speaker: Going back to Orders of the Day.
Item 2, Ministers’ statements.
Minister’s Statement 046 – 2(2): Notice of Budget Address
Welcome back to all Members.
I would like to inform the house that on February the 24th, on Thursday, I will be delivering the budget address.
Minister’s Statement 047 – 2(2): Gas and Snowmobiles
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, PPD and Shell Canada are investigating complaints of spark plug fouling in snow machines at extremely low temperatures.
This seems to be most common at temperatures at -35˚ and lower.
The gasoline supplied to Nunavut by Shell Canada has been tested at all stages of supply and delivery and after complaints.
It complies with all Government of Nunavut and Canadian General Standards Board specifications.
Mr. Speaker, to better understand the concerns, the gasoline has undergone further extensive testing in Rankin Inlet in extreme winter conditions.
In addition, tests were conducted at Alberta Research Council in Edmonton in a special cold box laboratory.
The cause of spark plug fouling has not yet been identified.
However, it was found that an additive tested in the gas improves the performance of the fuel in two-stroke snowmobile engines in very cold temperatures.
This additive is not called for in the Canadian or Nunavut specifications.
Mr. Speaker, providing initial tests are successful in Rankin Inlet, Shell and PPD will safely blend this additive into the existing gasoline supplies in affected communities.
Very cold temperatures are particularly hard on two-stroke engines.
There are things that snowmobile operators can do to help reduce spark plug fouling.
That includes using the right spark plugs; ensuring the engine is fully warmed before moving the machine; using an injection oil that meets the minimum outlined in the Owner’s Manual; carefully adhering to the recommended fuel-oil ratio.
Mr. Speaker, the PPD, with assistance from Shell, are undertaking more research to look at the contributing factors and the specifications for fuel to determine a long-term solution.
PPD will change the fuel specifications if that is required.
To address the ongoing concerns, representatives from PPD and Shell Canada will be available during the Community & Government Services’ appearance before Committee of the Whole to answer any technical questions my honourable colleagues may have in relation to snowmobiles, and how the current gas is affecting them.
Minister’s Statement 048 – 2(2): Federation Nunavut Conference
Mr. Speaker, this week is a special one for the teachers of Nunavut.
For the first time ever, they are gathered in one place – Iqaluit – for five intensive days of professional development.
The leadership and staff of the Federation of Nunavut Teachers are to be commended for their dedicated work over the past year:
More than 540 of Nunavut’s 617 teachers are attending
Almost 180 sessions will be held at Inuksuk High School
Facilitators have come from near and far, with the majority from the north...and the furthest from Rockford, New York
The Department of Education is pleased to be a major supporter of this conference.
We see this as part of the ‘fundamental change’ that our education system is experiencing – where everyone involved in education works together to improve the learning experience for our students.
The Department of Education and the Federation of Nunavut Teachers actively promotes and encourages professional improvement.
Each FNT member is entitled to five professional improvement days per year.
Professional development is a requirement for re-certification.
This fiscal year, the Government of Nunavut has contributed $1.8 million to the FNT for the purpose of professional development.
The Nunavut Professional Improvement Committee, made up of representatives from the FNT and Government of Nunavut, sets out how this money will be spent.
FNT members can apply for short-term assistance to complete certificate, non-certificate and university courses.
One priority is helping members who are beneficiaries complete a degree.
The FNT is pleased to welcome Members of this House to visit the conference this week in the mornings, or during special events during the evening.
This is a unique opportunity to see our teachers at their best.
This government should find this event inspiring, and I believe everyone, both indirectly and directly, involved will too.
Education is a key priority for the Government of Nunavut.
The Nunavut Teachers’ Conference is an important part of the process to reach our goal of quality education for all, so that we may all contribute to the future of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, for many educators, this will be their first opportunity to work with their counterparts from across Nunavut and I would like to welcome them all to Iqaluit.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to take this personal observation as Minister to say that last night while I was attending the conference, I performed some of my hit records and songs.
Tonight the FNT are hosting a Karaoke, and I would invite the members to attend, and maybe try to compete with me for best singer in Nunavut.
Going back to the Orders of the Day, Item 3, Members' statements.
Member's Statement 091 – 2(2): Repulse Bay Bowhead Whale Harvest
I rise today to say how pleased my constituents and I are that Repulse Bay was successful in its quest to host the 2005 bowhead whale harvest.
On behalf of my constituents and the people of Repulse Bay, I would like to thank the wildlife policy advisory committee, the Kitikmeot Hunters and Trappers Association, the Kivalliq Management Wildlife Board and the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Management Board for their decision to have the bowhead harvest in Repulse Bay.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, we would like to assure all Nunavumiut that this hunt will be carefully managed through traditional Inuit harvest methods.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Members’ Statement’s.
Member's Statement 092 – 2(2): Kitikmeot Trade Show
I am please to rise today to the House to report to about the very successful trade show held in Cambridge Bay last week.
Business leaders from across Canada and Nunavut gathered to hold business opportunities for the Kitikmeot and Nunavut.
More than 40 exhibitors and 120 delegates participated at the Killiniq High School gym.
High school students were active participants.
Many of them will be our future business leaders.
I want to thank the Premier and the Minister of Economic Development for coming to be with us to speak to the delegates and participants.
The Kitikmeot is on the cusp of making great strides.
Tahera Corporation recently took a major step forward in signing a land lease that jump-started the winter road to haul materials to start Nunavut’s first diamond mine in the Kitikmeot.
Government of Nunavut, for its part, has been sending positive signals about making Nunavut attractive to mining companies in Canada.
Mr. Speaker I was pleased to hear the Premier in Cambridge Bay that he wants see the private sector as the main engine of growth in jobs.
In the Kitikmeot we’ve always said a healthy economy can’t be dependent on government alone.
Mr. Speaker, the Premier told us that he is looking for ways to cut red tape.
That is very good news.
I look forward to discussions with him his ideas for specific initiatives in this regard.
On a less positive note, I am disappointed to hear that a former President of the World Wildlife Federation spoke to the teachers’ conference this week.
I gather that this southerner had strong words to say about our priorities in putting people first.
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that we want our teachers going back to the classroom and telling students that their dream of securing meaningful skills and employment should come second to the complaints of urban environmentalists.
It seems to me that many of the urban environmentalists don’t care about people living in poverty
They have their own ideas of what the north should look like.
A life on social assistance is not a life we wish for any of our children.
The Kitikmeot Inuit Association and the Government of Nunavut have it right - our first responsibility is to create economic growth and opportunity in order to help our residents to have a standard of living at least equal to the rest of Canada.
This is what we areed to our Arviat retreat.
I, for one, support our direction in this area and I urge the Government of Nunavut to hold the course.
Member's Statement 093 – 2(2): 24-hour Elders’ Care Facility for the Kitikmeot
I rise today to speak once again for the need for a 24 hour care facility for the elders in the Kitikmeot.
When we last met, I spoke about this issue and asked the Minister of Health and Social Services to give her consideration to a document presented by the elders’ committee of Kugluktuk.
This document, which I will again bring forward, outlines the reasons for the elders’ facility to be established in the community of Kugluktuk.
(interpretation ends here) Both the Baffin and the Kivalliq regions currently have 24 hour elders’ care facilities.
In all fairness, the elders in the Kitikmeot deserve no less.
It is a great hardship and their families when they are sent out of the territories far away.
Once again, I urge the government to address the needs as soon as possible.
During our Arviat full caucus retreat, all Members reported expanded access to 24-hour care facilities for elders.
In the throne speech, our government committed to opening one new 24-hour elders’ care facility each year of its mandate, beginning this year in 2005.
We all know that the capital planning project takes time, let’s not waste any more of it.
I look forward to the ribbon cutting ceremony in the Kitikmeot region 24-hour care facility sometime before December 31, 2005.
Member's Statement 094 – 2(2): Polar Bear Harvest Increase
I rise today to express my support for the recent increases to Nunavut’s total allowable harvest of polar bears.
I commend the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board in the management of the polar bear population in our territory, and the Minister of Environment for accepting these decisions through a memorandum of understanding.
I believe that all parties worked well together.
I am certain that my colleagues will agree with me when I say that there have been a large number of nuisance polar bears in our communities over the last couple of years.
The apparent increase in our polar bear population has become dangerous for Nunavumiut.
In my constituency of Resolute Bay, residents have had to frequently chase polar bears away from the community, as was the case in other Nunavut communities.
Some outside lobby groups are not in support of this increase.
They feel that Inuit don’t have valid or scientific evidence that the polar bear population has increased.