EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
It’s time that you change some of these outdated programs. Will you do so?
Just for the record, the member is misinterpreting what I have said and the member said that there have been no changes that have been made and so on, and that’s not correct.
Mr. Speaker, in the last year and a half this government increased income support by 15 percent; the first increase in six years.
At the same time, we increased the electrical subsidy to 1,000 kilowatt hours across the board and there was no increase in the rate amount for anyone in social housing; it’s still at 6 cents and it has been for over ten years.
So there has been a lot put in place.
I will say to the member that he is correct that a review should be done on the different types of programs and subsidies that are in place and that’s something that we will do with the senior fuel subsidy and with some of the other subsidies.
That’s why there was a review done and that’s why we increased the subsidy rate on the electrical program, which the Minister of Finance announced in the budget would continue at that higher rate of 1,000 kilowatt hours.
We put that on from October to April so it benefits the majority of Nunavummiut.
I would like to let the minister know that I’m not applying for subsidy.
The elders are facing hardship; it’s very difficult for the elders to survive as they take care not only of themselves, but their grandchildren and all of the other school kids who could come to both of their grandparents for lunch.
So they subsidize, in many respects, the school program. And as a result of that, many of the income that are listed, that are subject to qualification of the Elders’ Benefit Energy Program are subject to claw backs. Will the minister undertake, really, that all the other income, aside from pension and supplementary income, should only be the basis for qualifying for this government’s Elders’ Energy Program?
So I’m asking: will you at least undertake that carvers’ income, aside from students’ income, not be considered part of the elder’s household income when considering revising his Elders’ Energy Program?
Will he undertake to do that?
In November, the FMB, the Financial Management Board of the government, had a meeting and at that time when we talked about the opportunity for the energy cost rebate for all seniors across Nunavut being mailed by the federal government, the cheques were put in the mail on January 12, 2006.
The Government of Nunavut gave the Department of Education the right to exempt as income all those dollars. So every senior who received a national energy rebate, as we just talked about earlier, was exempted from their income and was not counted as income.
That was a decision of the Financial Management Board in November. Mr. Speaker, the cheques were put in the mail on January 12, and most seniors and people with lower income, who are eligible for that program to receive that, and were exempted as the member requested.
What I will do, Mr. Speaker, as per the member’s question, is review the senior’s fuel subsidy and other programs this government has in place, to make sure that, in cases where there is a hardship, that our elders are taken care of.
As I just said Mr. Speaker, if an elder goes to an income support worker and has issues with their heating fuel or their electricity Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nunavut steps up to the plate and takes care of that. And on the exemption, those exemptions were passed by the Financial Management Board in November and that Energy Rebate Program was exempted.
Question 168 – 2(3): Policy and Guidelines for Emergency Response Times (Kilabuk)
As per my Member’s Statement earlier, I indicated that I was hoping my colleagues on this side and their departments would have taken the appropriate action due to the damages caused by the environment and natural disasters to ensure a speedy response.
So Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the many ordinary Joes, hunters, and fishermen across Nunavut and in my own home community, looking back at the last five applications, that took over a year, shamefully, for the Department of the Environment to review, especially when you look at the maximum allowable being $4,000 where an individual may have lost over $30,000 in equipment.
Again, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of the Environment. I believe we need to shorten the response time badly. Can the Minister table, in this House, the policy and guidelines used by his department that they use to determine eligibility because I believe it needs reviewing thoroughly to replace it; because this policy looks at providing assistance to hunters and trappers from natural disasters, such as forest fires in this bare rock, sand-covered territory of ours.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of the Environment, Mr. Akesuk.
According to the climate change, I think we will be getting trees very soon. I don’t know, but what we are currently using is the policy that we inherited from the Northwest Territories and they are currently drafting the new policies.
I can table the current policy that we use, that we grandfathered from the Northwest Territories, and that’s what we are using right now.
There are a lot of hunters and fishers that don’t want to wait until they get forests; they don’t have the time. Maybe the staff will have to make changes pretty soon.
The response time that they have means the hunters don’t have adequate resources. They go through hard times.
They should get responses a lot quicker than they do now, whether or not they will be approved; if you can table that document of policies.
I will table the current policies that we use.
To conclude my questioning, when are you going to be able to table those documents?
When are they going to be implemented?
Once they are available, I will be able to table them in the House, and of course, they will have to be reviewed by the Cabinet. Once they are completed, I’ll table them in the House.
We are looking at making an improvement or revisiting the issue such as giving further support to the owners.
In light of the climate change, we will be able to complete them prior to our fall sitting. We’re working closely together with the other departments.
I wanted to conclude my questioning, but I have another supplementary.
As I stated earlier, the turnaround times take way too long in responding to the requests in regard to natural disasters and so on.
As I stated earlier, there are people right at this very moment who are losing their equipment.
It has taken approximately a year or more to get a response from the government.
It is an embarrassing situation for the Government of Nunavut.
If you get a request from my community would you be able to respond immediately?
This is their livelihood. This is the livelihood of the fishers and the hunters.
If we see this changing trend in the environment, we are going to see more of those requests. I will work very hard, and I will consult with the departments and our staff on how we can improve the system.
There have been requests to increase the amount of compensation that is given to the hunters and the fishers.
If this is your livelihood and if we receive a request, we could go directly through the Department of Environment at the community level.
Written Question 013 – 2(3): Impact of the 2002 Budget Measures Implementation Act (Peterson)
My Written Question is for the Minister of Finance.
The title is, ‘The Impact of the 2002 Budget Measures Implementation Act.’
What has been the impact on the Government of Nunavut’s revenues as a result of the tax measures passed in the 2002 Budget Measures Implementation Act?
How has the Department of Finance measured the impact of the tax measures passed in the 2002 Budget Measures Implementation Act on Nunavut’s economic development?
Tabled Document 075 – 2(3): Photographs of Aging Infrastructure (Barnabas)
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Last week, I spoke for the need of new infrastructure in the community of Arctic Bay.
Today, I would like table a series of photographs which clearly reveal the aging conditions of the multipurpose hall in Arctic Bay. These photographs also show how crowded this facility is during events such as Christmas time celebrations.
Mr. Speaker, this gymnasium is used seven days a week, Monday to Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is used by the school for their sports activities.
The hamlet’s Recreation Department takes over from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. On Saturdays, the cadets start using it at 9:00 a.m., and then the hamlet’s Recreation Department takes over again from 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. On Sundays, it is used again by the cadets from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, if you’ll allow me, I have another document to table.
Tabled Document 076 – 2(3): Two Proposals for Work and Supplies Needed in Arctic Bay (Barnabas)
Today, I would also like to table two proposals which outline the expensive work and supplies that are necessary to improve the conditions for the multipurpose facility in Arctic Bay.
Mr. Speaker as you can see, the original proposal was rejected by the government. A second proposal for minor supplies was only approved for half of the request.
This is just enough for some new chairs, plywood, and paint.
Tabled Document 077 – 2(3): Peter Irniq Article (Picco)
It gives me great pleasure to table the following document: ‘Amending the Past; the Memory and Politics of Forgiveness’ Montreal, Quebec, October 13 to 15, 2004; a speech given by our former Commissioner, Mr. Peter Irniq.
Mr. Speaker, it is a very moving article.
Motion 009 – 2(3): Appointment of Patterk Netser to Executive Council – Notice (Kilabuk)
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on March 1, 2006 I will move the following motion:
WHEREAS section 60(1)(b) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that there be an Executive Council of Nunavut, and
WHEREAS Members of the Executive Council of Nunavut are appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly,
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Iqaluit East, that this Assembly recommends to the Commissioner of Nunavut that Patterk Netser, Member for Nanulik, be appointed to the Executive Council.
Mr. Kilabuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with my motion today.
There are no nays. Mr. Kilabuk.
Motion 009 – 2(3): Appointment of Patterk Netser to Executive Council (Kilabuk)
Mr. Kilabuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues.
WHEREAS Section 60(1)(b) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that there be an Executive Council of Nunavut, and  WHEREAS Members of the Executive Council of Nunavut are appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly,
Bill 12, Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07 with Mr. Arreak in the Chair.
We will take a break and resume in 20 minutes.
>>House recessed at 15:25 and Committee resumed at 15:52
Chairman (Mr. Arreak)(interpretation): Thank you for coming back. We are on Bill 12, (interpretation ends) Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07.
What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Evyagotailak.
We wish to proceed with the review of Bill 12 and continue with the review of the Department of Human Resources Main Estimates and the Business Plan, Mr. Chairman. After the review of Human Resources, we will proceed with the Department of Health and Social Services.
Chairman: Are we in agreement to continue with 2006-07 Main Estimates and Business Plans for the Department of Human Resources?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Tapardjuk and your officials may proceed to the witness table.
For the record please introduce your officials.
To my left the Deputy Minister Kathy Okpik, and to my right Bob Loehr, Director of Corporate Services.
We were in Human Resources.
Branch Summary. (interpretation ends).
Page D-6.
I do have a couple more questions with respect to staffing, mainly for hiring practices and exactly how the guidelines work.
Assuming that we do have a Public Service Act, in summary, maybe the minister and his senior staff can explain to me exactly which level of the executive staff are considered political staff? If so, who is responsible for filling these positions?
In terms of the deputy minister on down, is there a difference between what would they call political staff or the civil service staff? If so, primarily what guidelines are used for hiring all those public service employees in Nunavut?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Public Service Act applies to services. We are still reviewing that Act.
In 2007, we will be coming up with the results of the review of the Public Service Act because this old Act that we use came from the Northwest Territories.
The Premier, as to which department they’ll be working for, appoints the deputy ministers and the assistant deputy ministers.
Also, the deputy minister is responsible for each department.
The Premier had appointed the deputy minister and the assistant deputy minister. That’s how the set up is.
The minister stated that the Premier hires the deputy ministers, as well as the assistant deputy ministers.
I want to ask one of your deputy ministers, or assistant deputy ministers for that matter, as long as whoever is on salary to state to the House exactly that provision in the Act, that the Premier is responsible for hiring these senior levels in the government.
My assumption is I don’t believe that it’s that clear cut that the Premier has to appoint.
Surely the deputy minister, but I’m not sure that he has the same mandate from the Public Service Act for putting in assistant deputy ministers through his office.
I want that provision clear, and if so, under what particular clause in the Act.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): For your question, we cannot respond to his question right here, but once we review it, we’ll be able to respond to the member’s question.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I don’t know why now you can’t respond to it because we do have the Public Service Act.
The minister cannot respond to that. I am sure that we are appointing without following the guidelines.
How long will the review take? I think the Public Service Act is available.
So I was wondering when the minister would be able to respond to my question.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Although it states in the Public Service Act, but we don’t have a copy of the Public Service Act right in front of us.
We will have to review and I don’t want to respond to you by making a guess. So therefore, I would like to respond to you correctly tomorrow.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Perhaps, if you can’t respond to my question, if the minister can agree that we don’t approve the budget for the department until we get the information because that’s your guideline and I thought that you or your staff would know the response.
So could you agree that we defer the review of your department until tomorrow?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): I think that’s up to the discussion of the members here, but I could tell you that the Public Service Act is not in front of me and I don’t have a copy of it. I don’t want to make a response by making an estimate or a guess. I would like to give you a true response after reviewing the Public Service Act.
It’s totally up to the committee here if they want to defer the review of my department.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask him, in regard to this issue, if we can move on to the next item.
I would like to ask if our Legal Counsel can respond as to who is under the political staff, under the Public Service Act. If our Law Clerk can come in and read the provision for us, instead of just deferring the whole department, moving on to the next page and just defer this page until we get the answer from the Clerk.
Mr. Curley is suggesting that we defer this page. Do you agree?
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I’m requesting to have the Legal Counsel into the Chambers. You are the only individual who can request for the Clerk to come into the Chamber.
We will request our Legal Counsel to come in.
We are on page D-6.
Mr. Curley would like to go on to the next page until he gets his response.
With all due respect to my colleague’s request, I think it would probably be most appropriate to have the Legal Counsel for the government respond to those questions and not the Legal Counsel for the Legislative Assembly.
If it’s the government’s the one that is doing it, then putting our Legal Counsel in a position of guessing at what the government is doing, it might not be a good situation to be in.
I think that it should be the Legal Counsel from the government, whether it is the Department of Justice, or whoever is tasked at reviewing that on behalf of the government that should be here to answer to those questions.
Are there any further questions from page D-6? And when the Legal Counsel arrives, you will be able to ask any further questions.
Welcome to the minister and his officials. I have a question now.
On page D-16 of your business plans, you said a new casual hiring process that will reflect Cabinet direction will be in place by January 1, 2006. Can the minister or his officials explain what the major changes are in the government’s new casual hiring process?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Minister Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, I will have my deputy respond to that question.
The casual review is going to be done in consultation. As of right now, we have not implemented any type of changes as yet as we are still consulting with clients and stakeholders.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Minister and Ms. Okpik. I guess one concern from my riding is that a lot of people who would like to be hired as casuals can’t seem to get jobs.
They think there’s unfairness and inequity in the program. They see a lot of people getting hired who they don’t think are qualified, or they think they’re friends or relatives of the people hiring. They’ve asked me, on a number of occasions, to bring it up with the minister’s officials to see if there can be some fairness and equity in the program, and to explain to managers of departments who aren’t following the system.
We know there are situations in Nunavut where departments are using casuals to, in effect, staff full-time positions. There are some concerns there, so I wondered if the minister can explain if the new measures will contain mechanisms to ensure that there is fairness and equity in the system and in the casual hiring process.
Will they give us some indication of when that new system, new Casual Hiring Policy, will be in place?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson, for asking that question. Minister Tapardjuk.
To his question, the problem of course is not just in Cambridge Bay.
I think, in all the departments, we had heard similar complaints. I think it was last December that department directors that hire casual employees were reminded again by our deputy minister about our policies for hiring practices. So she reminded all the departments about the hiring practices that they are to use.
We just welcome all the information that you might have, things occurring like this that are contravening our guidelines or policies. Yes, we run into casual employees and when we hear about these kinds of problems about nepotism occurring, we can deal with them at our office, Mr. Chairman.
Can the minister explain, to me, if the individual who comes to me with an obstacle or with a concern that they didn’t get a job as a casual that they applied for, do they have appeal rights for those jobs?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Mr. Minister.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you. The way I understand it, the people that apply for casual positions cannot appeal, that is my understanding, because they have different guidelines than the indeterminate positions.
Perhaps the minister could explain to me then that if a person feels they were qualified for the job and they didn’t get a fair chance at it, how would they go about bringing their concern forward to the government and the Human Resources Department so that they could, not appeal it, but get a decision as to whether they had a fair opportunity to apply for the job?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): My deputy will elaborate.
We certainly welcome any concerns you may have.
Ms. Okpik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We are hoping that the casual audit, the review of casual staffing will lead to some positive changes.
Like I said, we are still in consultation mode right now and we need to bring the report to a few more stakeholders before we look at any type of implementation.
In the meantime, if there are any issues with this, they can bring their concerns either to me or to Tom Thompson, who is the Assistant Deputy Minister responsible for Staffing.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Minister and Ms. Okpik, for that response.
One of the departments that require solutions to casual hires is the Department of Health. I believe the Department of Human Resources has delegated hiring practices and the functions to the Department of Health and their staff.
Would the minister comment on how his department will ensure the Department of Health complies with the Government of Nunavut’s casual hiring practices?
That would help me a lot to explain to my constituents as to why they don’t get hired as casuals.
Yes, it’s very true that the Minister of Human Resources has given the power to the Minister of Health and Social Services to be able to hire or fire doctors, or practitioners, or nurses.
The minister is given that power to hire or fire those that are healthcare professionals, but the other positions, we do hire and we want to be kept informed of those problems if you encounter them.
Just perhaps to clarify a bit: did the minister say that the Department of Human Resources retains the hiring function for casual employees in the Department of Health?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): The Deputy Minister for Health is given the power to be able to hire and fire, especially hiring healthcare professionals, but the others, they still have to go through Human Resources and if they have problems with the Department of Health, then we want to be informed.
The Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services: only the healthcare professionals when it comes to hiring those.
Can the minister give us an estimate of approximately how many casual employees the Government of Nunavut has on staff at the current time?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): We’re just going to check the figures here.
Mr. Chairman, I believe I brought this up yesterday, but as of September 30, 2005, it indicates there are 517 casual employees. That is the figure as of the end of September 30, 2005. And 291 of that were beneficiaries, or 56 percent.
Does the minister have figures in his report that indicate how many casuals are working in the Department of Health?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As of September 30, 2005, 187 casual workers were employed by the Department of Health and Social Services.
Is the minister able to commit to tabling that report that you are preparing? Can you table that in the House? Can he make that commitment today?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Can you clarify, or elaborate more on which report you are talking about?
I apologize for that. After I said report, I meant review, the review that you have your department currently working on; the casual hire review.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Yes, definitely. We will have to present it to the Cabinet. As we progress with the review, then we will be asking how they feel about the report.
We are trying to solve those problems that we are encountering, so, definitely.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister for that commitment to table the review.