EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
In a lot of cases people have to come forward and ask for that help. In most cases with suicide it doesn’t happen but, within a 24 hour period, in most cases, we see Mr. Speaker, a symptom of suicide where people give; they sell off some of their clothes, they give away things, they write notes and so on and then we are able to move in, and hopefully have successful prevention of a potential suicide.
Mr. Irqittuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very happy about the response that the minister gave me.
Do you have any plans to put out this information through the media, TV and so on.
Do you have a plan.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.
Next week Mr. Speaker, myself and the Minister for CLEY will hopefully be able to announce the joint initiative on behalf of both of our departments of this community mobilization plan I just spoke about earlier. The department will be using various media as well as brochures, pamphlets, contact with hamlets, and local groups and agencies and the support people that the members talked about, at the community level, to talk about suicides.
We will also try to bring out some of these areas of discussion, Mr. Speaker, that the member talked about earlier, 38 successful suicides since April 1, 1999. I think sometimes Mr. Speaker, myself included, we thought that on April 1, 1999, things would dramatically change. They haven’t, Mr. Speaker, change takes time, we talked about that with the member before, it’s like smoking, 5 years ago you could go into any house in Nunavut and find people who smoke in front of children and babies and so on.
Today I will challenge you to find a house in Nunavut where people smoke in front of children and so on, everyone has a cold porch, they smoke outside, that has taken “x” number of years to learn that.
Mr. Speaker, it’s just like suicide, right now it’s seen like almost the thing to do, in a lot of our communities and for a lot of our young people to think about suicide. We need to be able to, as the member has just said, communicate. Suicide is not an appropriate response to stress when dealing with real problems.
Mr. Speaker, by bringing it up in this House, by members’ statements, by bringing it back to our communities and working with our families, that is the way Mr. Speaker, the Government of Nunavut and the members here and the people of Nunavut could be successful in preventing suicide.
Question 045 – 1(4): Nursing Program Students' Dependants
I will be directing this question to the Minister for Health and Social Services.
There are some students taking the Nursing Program here in Iqaluit.
They were provided units to live in because they have to be here for more than a year and they have to bring their children.
Because these are students they need to be given some money to survive.
Some of them have six people living in one unit.
For the students who have many children or dependants would you be willing to raise the money that they are receiving.
Yes, that is how we do it.
They are given assistance based on the number of their dependants.
Usually when they have more dependants they are given more student assistance.
That is how the system is and it is our policy.
Speaker: Supplementary. Mr. Nutarak.
I apologize I asked the wrong department. So I apologize for asking the wrong department.
I was going to ask this question to the Minister for Education.
For the students who are taking Arctic College programs, especially for the students taking the NTEP program and the Nursing program.
They are given assistance to take their training courses.
I think that the assistance they receive, some of the students, the assistance they are receiving is insufficient because they cannot survive.
Because of that I am sure some of the students will be dropping out from these programs because of the shortage of funds to survive.
I was wondering if the Minister responsible for Education can look into the assistance program before more students drop out.
Speaker: Minister for Education. Mr. Premier.
Yes, I know it myself.
I just recently paid for my debts after three years of being in university.
We know that there are insufficient funds.
I know that at times we can loan the students some funds.
The Inuit organizations do have funds set aside for the use of some students so that they could be assisted when they are in the training programs.
I will be discussing this matter about how we can increase the support for the students.
Before these students drop out who are taking these programs that I mentioned, we want to encourage the students to take training programs through Arctic College.
Education is very important for our future especially in Nunavut.
I was wondering if you can look into the assistance programs that they now provide.
I was wondering if you can review it.
Would the minister be willing to review the assistance program.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I know that when, if you really want something you can take a loan and if you really want something, if there is a will then you can do so. As I have stated before Regional Inuit Associations do give some funding so they can provide assistance to the students.
We will be starting discussions to see if we can put this into one window so the students can benefit from it.
I want to start on this initiative not too long from now.
Question 046 – 1(4): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Review
Mr. Speaker, I will be directing my question to the Minister responsible for Education.
We have held workshops in the communities and the communities have requested a new curriculum that could be used with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within the schools.
Can the minister tell us when he expects to see the results of the review.
Yes. I can give you some background and I would also like to thank my colleagues for approving the funding that we set aside so that we could do that very thing.
So that we could include Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in the school curriculum.
We have dealt with quite a few things since we approved that 400 thousand dollars. We are starting to use those funds.
We would also like to see more of this happening in the future.
So now I can see elders who are certified instructors.
Within this year as I have announced, the Minister for Culture, Language, Elders & Youth and our office have jointly announced that the elders will be requested to play a role in providing instruction in the schools.
His response said requesting to have the elders; are we just going to include the elders or request them to be involved in the school curriculum.
I wanted to know if you could provide certification for the elders so they could be recognized as certified teachers.
They are more than capable of instructing.
Yes, we are looking for ways to involve elders and let them participate.
Since this is at the initial stage of planning we were supported by the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth.
We were very happy to work with that department.
If we just put them into schools it is not going to benefit the elders or the students.
If we come up with a curriculum it will be more useful.
So that is why we have supported making the school curriculum with the assistance of the elders.
I am very happy to hear that.
What about outside the schools, for example on the land programs.
I was wondering if your department has come up with something for the on the land program.
Speaker: I believe that is a new question.
Mr. Premier if you choose to answer it, if not that is acceptable.
Mr. Iqaqrialu that really is a new question so we will have to strike that from the record.
Question 047 – 1(4): Pre-Mining Training
Mr. McLean: Ma'na Uqaqti. Uqaqti, my question today is for the Minister responsible for Education.
Uqaqti, yesterday in the House I was trying to press the Minister of Sustainable Development for some answers regarding pre-mining training.
Far too often maybe I zero in on the Minister of Sustainable Development to give us all the answers in regards to training in our communities.
But, Mr. Speaker, I know for a fact that there are millions and millions of dollars in third party funding out there that is being channelled through the Regional Inuit Associations.
I know that the Department of Education has Arctic College under its wing and Arctic College is responsible for delivering programs.
I wonder if the Minister of Education could direct his Arctic College people to work with the Department of Sustainable Development in bringing forward some type of pre-employment mining training in the communities.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Ma'na Uqaqti.
Yes, we have been working on a big document for some time.
It is called Aujungitutit.
It addresses mining training and other fields of training that we want to put in place, such as nursing and other areas of expertise that Inuit in Nunavut could take advantage of.
We have been working with all the RIAs to try and get additional monies for training.
Further we are in discussions with Nanisivik mines to perhaps try out a pilot project with them on trades training.
So we are not resting on our heels we are pursuing all avenues very aggressively.
Mr. McLean, supplementary.
Mr. McLean: Ma'na Uqaqti. Uqaqti, it's nice to see that we are starting to get some Kivalliq influence in the House for a change.
I am very glad that the Minister of Education is working towards developing a program and like I was stressing yesterday, probably in the next three or four years, the potential of having three or four mines on stream in Nunavut, with probably the job potential being in the thousands.
I know that they are working on a document and it is coming forward soon.
Like I said I didn't want to zero in on the Minister of Sustainable Development to provide all the answers in training Nunavummiut.
But would the Minister of Education also work with his counterpart in Community Government & Transportation and look at doing community based training in regards to upgrading roads, airports and other facilities in this document that he is bringing forward. Because we know there are only limited resources in this government to build infrastructure in our communities.
I see this as an opportunity as an MLA in my community to do community based training to upgrade roads, docks, airstrips and so on.
Could the Minister of Education try to include that into his document.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Education. Mr. Okalik.
We have discussed this document with all departments.
We did not want to review this policy in isolation so there have been discussions with every department in trying to formulate a formal policy that we can discuss, not just with RIAs but with the Federal Government to access any source of funding for training for Nunavummiut.
It sounds like me and the Minister of Education are working together on something here, but we are not. It is all totally new, so I don't want anybody to think that there were any backroom dealings on these questions today.
On that, he brought up a very valid point, and as Minister of Education and as Premier, he brought up the federal component.
As we know a year and a half ago there were some questions brought forward by yourself in regards to a road from Nunavut.
I know the Kitikmeot region is looking at a road from Nunavut.  And I know the Kitikmeot region is looking for a road from Nunavut also.
So could the minister try to bring this forward also in this training program because if you are going to build mines you are going to need roads.
This would all fit in together so is the Minister of Education now working on bringing that forward also.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. McLean for that excellent question.
At times it is very, very difficult to sit here when those types of questions come up and not be able to speak to it.
I am sure I will have the opportunity to speak to you after the session.
I see this as an issue for everyone.
We are working, as the Minister of Transportation stated a week ago, we are hoping to release the transportation strategy, reviewing all transportation needs for Nunavut and that will include roads to Nunavut.
A road or roads.
I have not seen the report yet.
So when that is tabled I think we can discuss that issue further.
In relation to training as I said, we are looking at all options for trades training and we have not ruled out any avenues that we can access for trades training.
We will take advantage of any opportunity as presented to us.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Premier for that excellent answer.
Question 048 – 1(4): Gymnasium for Gjoa Haven
The day before yesterday I asked a question of the Premier regarding the plans that were in place for my community.
We have been waiting for a response for eight months now.
I will now be directing this question to the Minister of Community Government and Transportation.
I know when he came to visit Uqsuqtuq in from March 12-18 he met the mayor from Uqsuqtuq and the senior administrative officer.
Since then we have not received any response or any reports resulting from that meeting.
The Supplementary Appropriation Act that was given to us, there is nothing in the Supplementary Appropriations Act.
Can the Minister of Community Government and Transportation give me a response.
We have been requesting a new gymnasium for the last eight months.
Can he give me a response before 2001.
We are working on the five year capital budget.
That is currently under review.
In the last mayors meeting I only regret to say that the mayor from Uqsuqtuq was not present at the meeting.
In terms of the member’s statement I know what he is talking about because I was there. When they are having special occasions, the gym is a little too small and it gets really crowded.
There are other priorities that the government is looking at, education and housing are the major concerns that have been raised.
We know that overcrowded recreational facilities can create communicable illnesses, but as it is now, we as the government are still struggling to get our funds in order.
They are slowly coming into order so we will hope to be able to present a new capital plan.
The reason we cannot present our capital budget plan right now is because we have to take into consideration all our accountabilities, we have to take into consideration our children who need good schools.
We know that there are concerns out there that effect all of us, but there are other priorities that we have to consider when we have limited funds.
Because of these limited funds, things are not working as fast as we would like them to.
Yes I understand what the minister is saying, and I want to work closely with him.
I understand where the minister and his department are coming from.
In the fiscal year 1999/2000, there was 50 thousand dollars allocated by the Department of Community Government and Transportation. I want to thank the department for the water study.
I’m glad to see it, I was really pleased to see this plan, this supplementary appropriation. but still 50 thousand dollars is not enough.
Our community is one of the decentralized communities, and there has been a populations influx.
We have to take into consideration any emergencies that may arise any day and these funds are limited.
Can the minister tell me if they can allocate more funding for the year 2000/2001, or will they totally reject our request.
When the Mayors met here in Iqaluit, a while ago at the Parish Hall, we discussed that.
We realized that we have to take more into consideration.
After Nunavut came into being, there were some very difficult tasks ahead of us.
When the government and the ministers are more available, we have to start showing progress as a government.
I asked the constituents of the member for their input and we have set up a pilot project.
When the hamlet realized that there were not enough houses to go around to accommodate everyone we, as the Department of Community Government looked into this lack of housing for younger people.
We will have to discuss this further.
How can we work closer together with limited funds, with limited government funds to solve this problem.
We have to look at the funding that is available to us. We know sometimes there are surpluses but even those surpluses are bound by policies or laws.
I want to know if the member is willing to discuss with me as to how we can apply these funds more appropriately.
I understand the Minister of Community Government.
I understand what he is saying.
There are other priorities, I want to know, because we have limited funds, if funds will be made available to get a new community hall or a new gym.
The Federal Government has established a contract with an expert who knows about building these gymnasiums.
He has promised that this problem will be looked into and I want to ask the minister has he spoken to the appointed representative of the Federal Government regarding the concern about the lack of a gymnasium.
Yes, I have spoken to the minister you are referring to and he feels for our younger people.
All we are doing is waiting for funding.
If we are going to start training our younger people to better prepare for the future then we will recognize that gymnasiums and support are very important to our young people.
I understand where the member is coming from and why he is driving so hard for this gymnasium.
We will work closely with the minister assigned to Sports Canada to see where we can come up with funding or appropriate funds for gymnasiums.
We have to keep pushing for this.
The reason I mentioned that there might be a changeover in minister is because of the impending elections.
That person who is assigned to Sports Canada or the Minister Responsible for Recreation in Canada will have to be briefed on all the problems or requests from our government.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker for your response.
We said that we would be looking at reviewing this together, as the minister has kept saying there would be a review.
Yesterday the Member for Amittuq or Tunnuniq said that their gymnasium is too small and that could become a safety issue if there is overcrowding and going over the proper capacity.
I think that is the same in most of the Nunavut communities.
So with that in mind I would like the minister to respond to my question.
I would like the minister to say whether there are any plans in the 2000/2001 budget.
Mr. Speaker, we can make plans we can set up all these plans but of course there is a cap to the capital funds.
We have set a priority on schools and housing.
That is the statement that the Government of Nunavut made and I can tell the member, I do know that the people of Uqsuqtuq and Pangnirtung and Igloolik, Pond Inlet, these larger communities and all the Nunavut communities, for example Pelly Bay needs a gym, which is urgent.
But if we are going to be doing a review on how we can build gymnasiums in the Nunavut communities faster, I can tell the member that yes we are prepared to do plans, we could look for additional funds for this year, and if we can access additional funds we can review this issue. Because of course it could become a safety hazard and a health issue, especially around Christmas time when there are a lot of people that are in the gymnasium
We could do a review on the communities that I mentioned and we could also look at obtaining additional funds.
Speaker: Oral question period is now over.
Moving on to item 7. Written questions.
Returns to written questions. Item 8. Returns to written questions.
Item 9. Replies to opening address. Replies to opening address.
Item 10. Petitions. Petitions.
Item 11. Reports of standing and special committees. Reports of standing and special committees.
Item 12. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of committees on the review of bills.
Tabled Document 009 – 1(4): National Post Newspaper Article - Fuel Prices
I would like to table a document which is about the increasing fuel prices, and it is inaccurate.
Tabling of documents. Tabling of documents.
Members I have a few documents that I would like to table on behalf of the Speaker's Office.
Tabled Document 010 – 1(4): Annual Report of the Official Languages Commissioner
Tabled Document 011 – 1(4): Annual Report of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut
Tabled Document 012 – 1(4): Conflict of Interest Commissioners Report
Tabled Document 013 – 1(4): Rankin Inlet Session Incremental Cost Report
Tabled Document 014 – 1(4): Audited Statements Retirement Allowance Fund
Pursuant to section 23 of the Official Languages Act, I wish to table the first annual report of the Language Commissioner of Nunavut for the fiscal year March 31, 2000.
Second document. Pursuant to section 68 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, I wish to table the first annual report of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut for the year ending March 31, 2000.
Third document. Pursuant to section 79(3) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the Conflict of Interest Commissioner's report for the year ending March 31, 2000.
Fourth document.
I wish to table the Legislative Assembly's report on the incremental costs of holding the February 2000 session in Rankin Inlet.
The final document.
Pursuant to section 21 of the Legislative Assembly Retiring Act, I wish to table the Audited Statements of the retirement allowance fund for the period ending March 31, 2000.
Notices of motions. Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, in reference to the annual report of the Languages Commissioner to the Standing Committee of Culture, Education and Health.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday October 31, 2000, I will move the following:
Whereas, the first annual report of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut has been tabled in the Legislative Assembly; and
Whereas, the Assembly desires that the report and recommendations be considered;
Now, therefore, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member from Akulliq, that the annual report of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut be referred to the Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health and that the Committee report back to the House at the earliest opportunity with its findings.
Item 14. Notices of motions. Notices of motions.
Mr. Speaker, notice of motion in reference to the annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Services for review.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday October 31, 2000, I will move the following motion:
Whereas, the first annual report of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut has been tabled in the Legislative Assembly; and
Now, therefore, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nanulik that the annual report of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut be referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Services for review and that the Committee report back to the House at the earliest opportunity with its findings.
Item 16. Motions. Item 16.
Item 17. First reading of bills. Mr. Ng.
Bill 7 – The Legislative Assembly Members Removal and Disqualification Act
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Kugluktuk, that Bill 7 – The Legislative Assembly Members Removal and Disqualification Act be read for the first time.
Speaker: Thank you Minister Ng. The motion is in order.
Bill 7 has had first reading. Item 17. First Reading of Bills.
Item 18. Second reading of bills. Second reading of bills.
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Pangnirtung that Bill 2 – An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Board Act be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Board Act is to retroactively reinstate the terminated pension of any surviving spouse who remarried after April 17th 1985 and to provide for a one time payment to any surviving spouse who remarried prior to April 17th, 1985.
Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the bill will increase the yearly annual income in remuneration for those who are receiving WCB benefits to 63 thousand 350 dollars.
In addition this bill proposes to increase the membership of the board's appeals tribunal so that they can hear appeals more quickly.
Bill 2 has had seconded reading, and accordingly the bill stands referred to the committee.