EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
This program has enabled these experienced teachers the opportunity to work together to enhance their skills and share their experiences.
Congratulations to the graduates and I encourage potential Nunavut educators to look into the next Master of Education Leadership in Learning Program which is scheduled to begin in 2010.
Member’s Statement 052 – 3(2): Further Support for a Child and Youth Advocate (Elliott)
I rise today to speak about an issue that has been discussed and studied in depth. It has been tossed around within government departments since division from the Northwest Territories. It has been adopted by almost ever province and territory in Canada in some form or another.
It provides protection and security for those most in need and supports our youth in the pursuit of their dreams.
Mr. Speaker, I am speaking about the need for an independent child and youth advocate for Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, children and youth make up more than 50 percent of our population.
Of a population of 31,500 people, almost 11,600 are the age of 16 or younger.
Every year, over 300 Nunavut children are placed in foster homes. Every year, Nunavut children have to cope with poverty, domestic violence, homelessness, and other social difficulties.
Children and youth are one of the most vulnerable groups in our society.
They do not vote and they rarely have a voice in determining their lives and their future.
Mr. Speaker, in order to establish an independent child and youth advocate in Nunavut, we would not need to reinvent the wheel.
We have a wide array of models to choose from across Canada.
Just over two months ago, the Yukon territory established its own child and youth advocate office.
The design and planning work has been done.
Mr. Speaker, at least seven Members of Nunavut’s Legislative Assemblies have expressed their interest in seeing a Nunavut child and youth advocate.
The foundation has been laid.
Mr. Speaker, since division, legislative proposals have been drafted and briefing notes have been written regarding the establishment of a Nunavut child and youth advocate. The framework has been built.
Mr. Speaker, several Nunavut-based and national organizations have expressed their support for the establishment a child and youth advocate in Nunavut.
These include the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Canadian Council of Provincial Youth Advocates, and the Canadian Paediatric Society.
The supporting walls are in place.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleagues.
As I mentioned, the support walls are in place. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is time to put the roof on this structure and give the child and youth advocate a home in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I have recently raised this issue with a number of government officials.
Expressed in many of these discussions is the fear that establishing a child and youth advocate office would open up a huge can of worms.
I agree, establishing such an office may very well do so, but how long can we continue to ignore issues and avoid coming up with viable solutions?
If we are ever to address our deep-rooted social problems, then we need to move forward.
One important step in the right direction would be to create an independent child and youth advocate for Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, for our 10th anniversary as a territory, wouldn’t it be nice to give the gift of an independent child and youth advocate to our young people and live up to Nunavut’s promise to children.
Members’ Statements. (interpretation ends) Member for Arviat, Mr. Shewchuk.
Member’s Statement 053 – 3(2): Best Wishes to Constituents during Summer (Shewchuk)
I would like to rise today and wish all of my constituents in Arviat a great summer.
Many of them are on the land right now fishing and drying caribou meat.
I would like to also extend my best wishes to all of the students, especially to the graduates of this year’s grade 12 class, and encourage them to further their education in the future and to contribute to Nunavut in the development of Nunavut.
Member’s Statement 054 – 3(2): Concerns with Capital Planning Process (Ningeongan)
I would like to talk about the government’s capital planning process.
As the House is aware, I have asked questions and raised concerns about capital projects in my communities of Coral Harbour and Chesterfield Inlet.
I believe that our communities should be provided with realistic information from the government with respect to what projects will be included in the five-year capital plan.
For example, the government’s 2008-09 capital estimates indicated that a new senior school would be constructed in the community of Coral Harbour. The five-year capital plan indicated that work would begin in 2010.
However, the project subsequently fell off the capital plan. As members will recall, I raised a number of questions on the matter at our last sitting.
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that it is fair to raise the expectations of communities and then cancel projects without a good explanation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the government to keep these concerns in mind over the next few months as departments prepare next year’s capital estimates. This is an issue that I will be raising again in our fall sitting.
Member’s Statement 055 – 3(2): Best Wishes to Constituents and Thanks to Assistants (Tapardjuk)
At this time, I rise to give thanks to the communities of Igloolik and Hall Beach. They will be going out on the land and I’m sure that they’re starting to go out there now.
My two employees, Johnny Ilupaalik from Igloolik and Lenny Curley from Hall Beach, have supported me throughout the whole time that we have been sitting here.
I would like to thank them both.
The day after tomorrow, I will be going to Igloolik to participate in the graduation of the grade 12 students and I look forward to seeing everybody.
I would also like to thank during this spring sitting my employees, Eileen Kilabuk-Weber and Diane, who have helped me throughout this whole process.
I thank them both and just in case we conclude our sitting today, I would like to express my thanks ahead of time.
Member’s Statement 056 – 3(2): Sylvia Grinnell Bridge (Okalik)
I tabled a report yesterday on a new set of proposals.
What we have been hearing from our government is the document Tamapta.
I, for one, would like a full proposal instead of the much smaller and inadequate plan that has been prepared.
As I have been told, the proposed bridge across Sylvia Grinnell is apparently going to be for pedestrians only.
Hunters have been looking forward to getting a bridge that can be crossed by snowmobiles and four-wheelers.
Hearing this, I urged the federal government to revise their plans so that the bridge that is constructed will be more adequate and be something that I can seek public support for.
Now, when I came here, it has been changed.
The people of Iqaluit, hunters especially, urge the government to review this matter again.
We have to accommodate the people that we represent, not only part of the population but the whole population of Iqaluit. They do want the support from the government and not be forgotten.
So I’m urging the members on the other side to listen to the people out there and keep their eyes and ears open. The river has broken and the hunters can’t cross it anymore, and we’re going to have the same situation in the fall.
So I urge this government to listen to the people.
Member’s Statement 057 – 3(2): Thanks to Members (Tootoo)
As my colleagues indicated, this could possibly be our last sitting day of this sitting.
I would like to just take this opportunity to thank all of the members for what has been a very healthy, constructive session.
Some good issues were brought forward and raised, and I must say some great answers as well from this side of the House.
I would like to thank everyone for doing a good job representing their constituents and bringing their issues forward.
I know I echo my colleague from Coral Harbour’s comments in saying that issue he just raised in his Member’s Statement is something that I believe is an issue that I raised in the past.
The government as a whole has to make a decision on projects.
I think that we need to be realistic and I would like to think that this government is doing that.
I just think that that’s important to get out there.
The other thing that I would like to do also, Mr. Speaker, is to thank all of the interpreters who have put up with us and listened to us.
I’m sure they’re going to have a nice break not listening to us for a while.
I thank them for all of their hard work and everyone else involved in the time that it takes to make a session run smoothly.
So with that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank everybody and hopefully everyone has a very safe and good summer.
Member’s Statement 058 – 3(2): Message to Constituents and Family (Ningark)
As we are starting to conclude the session, I usually don’t make any comments or ask a lot of questions.
However, there has been a virus and of course, we’re homesick and thinking of our loved ones. I think about all of the people in Kugaaruk.
I don’t have much but I say “I love you” to the people of Kugaaruk.
Return to Oral Question 033 – 3(2): Status of GN’s Review of Business Development Centres (Shewchuk)
I am responding to a question asked by Moses Aupaluktuq, the Member for Baker Lake, on behalf of Hon. Peter Taptuna, the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
The question was asked on June 9, 2009. The question was: “Last September, a copy of the report An Evaluation of Business Development Centres in the Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Qikiqtaaluk Regions was tabled in the Legislative Assembly. This was of August 2008.
The department’s business plan indicates that one of its priorities is to ‘implement the recommendations’ of this assessment.
… I’m particularly interested in the Kivalliq.”
The response: The department chairs the working group made up of representatives from each of the department’s three community operations with offices, which includes the general managers of each of these three business development centres.
The working group assessed each of the recommendations from the evaluation of business development centres in the Kitikmeot, Kivalliq, and Qikiqtaaluk. Recommendations have been implemented in the regions.
This work was completed May 25, 2009.
Many of the report’s recommendations have been implemented and the working group has prepared an implementation plan for those recommendations that will require more time to complete the required actions.
This plan will be submitted to each of the boards for business development centres for approval. I expect that the approved plan can be tabled in the Legislative Assembly in the fall.
Follow-up question: “One of the observations in the assessment of the business development centres was that the Kivalliq Business Development Centre is ‘not fully operationally engaged at the present time.’
Can the minister indicate how this concern is being addressed?”
The response: The business development centre in the Kivalliq region uses the name Keewatin Business Development Centre.
The Keewatin Business Development Centre has been operating in its current form since 2002. It is fully operational in 2009-2010. The centre is receiving and processing applications for small business loans.
To date, in the current fiscal year, the centre has received five loan applications and staff are currently preparing the documentation for decision by the board of directors.
The Keewatin Business Development Centre has a small portfolio of 17 active loans, each of which is in good standing.
The centre is currently reviewing its by-laws to ensure appropriate governance structures are in place.
In January 2009, the manager, who is an intern in the position, began a training and mentorship program in the areas of management, lending practices, governance, and policy development under the supervision of the First People’s Fund of Manitoba.
Follow-up question: “But the supplementary question that I would like to use in the meantime, Mr. Speaker, is as the minister is aware, under the department’s Program Partnerships Policy, the Kivalliq Partners in Development Corporation used to deliver business development programs in the region. However, this relationship ended in 2005.
Will the minister commit to me that he will review the idea of renewing his department’s relationship with Kivalliq Partners in Development Corporation?”
The response: Yes, the Business Development Centre working group will be reviewing all recommendations from the report, including the recommendation that the department consider extending third party program delivery to all business development centres. As part of this process, I will ask that the working group include consideration of third party program delivery through the Kivalliq Partners in Development.
Return to Oral Question 046 – 3(2): Income Support Levels (Tapardjuk)
This question was asked by Mr. John Ningark, who was my Angajunnguaq in Chesterfield Inlet.
The question was that when Mr. Ningark was in Repulse Bay, he was told that these individuals who required income support would receive $500 a month to pay for their home heating fuel.
To date, they receive only $250 a month, which is insufficient, so they end up using the money that they would have spent on food in order to pay for fuel in the winter.
He wanted to know the status of that to date.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to Mr. Ningark’s question asked in the House on June 10, 2009 regarding income support levels, specifically the amount that income support pays for home heating fuel.
Income support workers carry out monthly income support assessments to determine the amount of assistance that an applicant may be eligible to receive.
If an applicant is deemed eligible for assistance in accordance with the social assistance regulations, the income support worker issues an amount that may be used to help cover the cost of household needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, and home heating fuel.
The program does not issue a specific amount for home heating fuel. The amount of assistance that an income support recipient receives is based on the income support assessment and may change from one month to the next.
Mr. Speaker, the department recognizes the high cost of home heating fuel for homeowners in the north.
With that in mind, the Senior Fuel Subsidy Program helps to offset the high cost of home heating fuel for seniors who are 60 years of age or older and who own their own homes.
Benefits for this program are determined based on the community in which the applicant lives and the combined net income of the homeowners. Eligible seniors are reimbursed full costs up to a maximum number of litres of fuel allowed under this program.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. (interpretation ends) Returns to Oral Questions.
I would like to recognize my partner and her daughters, who are here as well, Penina Mosesee, Geela Mosesee, and Shuvenai.
Question 083 – 3(2): Spread of H1N1 Virus (Schell)
Yesterday, he had mentioned that the cases of H1N1 virus were going down in Nunavut. But unfortunately, as of ten o’clock today, there are 25 more cases and believe it or not, all of a sudden there are cases in the Baffin. There are three or four cases in the Baffin, which I kind of figure was going to be happening eventually.
So my question is: what is the minister going to do? This is obviously spreading, we had 164 on Saturday and now we’ve got 189, including three or four cases in the Baffin. Is he going to take it seriously and do something about preventing the spread of H1N1?
I would like to thank the member for giving us the figures.
It’s obvious that there are over 80 nations in the world that have been infected with the H1N1 flu virus, including Nunavut and other regions of Canada. So we are just going to stay status quo; we have a flu plan and we are going to make sure that the information gets out to the public about how to avoid getting the H1N1 virus.
We heard today from some of the communities that they had been given information on how to make sure that the flu virus doesn’t spread and they were incredibly thankful for the medical teams which included public health and Dr. Sobol, who will continue to ensure that the information is out there in Nunavut.
Of these cases, apparently, there have been 16 patients with confirmed cases that have been hospitalized, and there are quite a few other ones that had flu-like symptoms and were hospitalized.
If this increases at the rate that it is, in another month, we’re going to have a serious issue in Nunavut with people going to the hospital and we’ve got, I think, 10 beds in the hospital here in Iqaluit. I think we’re going to have a serious issue.
So my question is: what is he going to do to make sure that he tries to prevent any large gatherings or any other chance of spreading this disease?
I would like to thank the member for asking those questions.
We have influenza planners and the plan is being worked on as we speak, especially concerning children.
They are currently going through examinations of suspected children and have ordered the medication.
We have made all of the medications available, but the current medication that we have is just for a flu-like virus since there is currently no cure for this new H1N1 virus.
But we can say that we do have influenza planners and they have to speak to each other before it becomes a pandemic.
At this time, we can’t say exactly what we’re going to do and what will happen.
I guess I would just like to suggest to the minister that maybe he could look at different options to do here in the Baffin region because obviously, when it started in the other regions, there were only two or three cases and it ballooned to 180.
So I think if we start early, we can maybe mitigate the issue of having as many cases as they have in the other districts.
I can tell the member that the plan we have is being utilized and it is preventative.
Also, we know that many people who have had the H1N1 virus and got the disease are now healing.
I can’t tell you what’s going to happen in the future, but once we get to that particular stage, the plan will be utilized by the medical team at Dr. Sobol’s office and they will be sending out public advisories on a regular basis.
We are still urging people to call their health centres as soon as they notice flu-like symptoms so that they can be treated by the doctors. We will continue on with our plan.
My understanding is that people who have H1N1 and get over it, in the fall, when the flu symptoms are going to come again, they’re more vulnerable to get it again.
So that’s why I’m asking if you can do something to mitigate it right now so they don’t have the more serious type of flu in the fall.
Yes, do we understand what he’s saying so far and that’s the reason why we have been sending out advisories to the public and urging people at homes to follow them.
We are asking people to practice good hygiene and to avoid going to public places as much as possible.
I believe that this is the best way to do preventative work, but I can’t tell even before we reach medical health reasons.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly, I don’t think we need to do that.
Out of the more than 180 people who were affected by H1N1 virus, the majority are now over their sickness and we are thankful for the help that they received.
Question 084 – 3(2): Spread of H1N1 Virus (Okalik)
I was going to ask a different question, but I would like to thank my colleague for informing us about H1N1 virus cases. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services as well.
Although he stated yesterday that it seemed like this virus was subsiding, we now hear otherwise today and that there are more than 20 new cases.
It seems like there’s no limit, so I’m urging the minister and the department to make some plans to ensure that the number of cases doesn’t increase further.
It seems like the cases are increasing every day and it seems to be spreading, so what are your exact plans?
I’m sure everyone is aware that during the first week, 40 or 50 new cases came out in one night.
They had to send the swabs out to the lab and diagnosed them all at the same time.
We haven’t heard about any new cases since Sunday and since today is Tuesday, this means that in the last four days, the increase of new cases has slowed down.
So that’s why we had made the statement that we were expecting to see the number of new cases decreasing.
Our plan is going to continue. We are not going to panic and we don’t want to cause panic to the public, but we want to continue to make sure that they follow the advisory of maintaining proper hygiene because there’s presently no vaccine for this flu virus.
We’re aware of many people realizing that it’s best to currently avoid large gatherings.
We are speaking to all of the mayors about what is being done when they are here in Iqaluit and we do, in fact, want to hear from all of the mayors so that we can work cooperatively with all of them while this virus is around.
It’s evident that this virus will start spreading around here for sure if we don’t do anything about it.
The minister talks about how they are working on plans.
Perhaps if you table the plan, it will be more helpful to all in finding out exactly what our government is doing.
It seems like this virus is spreading and it doesn’t seem to be subsiding.
So I’m urging the minister and asking him: what do your plans contain and what are you prepared to do?
His current question is the same as his first question.
I can tell you that we talk to public health officials daily.
We need to provide support to health professionals in all of our communities.
Health professionals are available for help and are involved in the continued effort to inform the public that if any of them have flu-like symptoms, they should call the health centre before they go there.
The health professionals also want to avoid getting sick and so they need to have a plan. If they know ahead of time, they can better protect everybody involved.
We will continue this way.
As the minister for the department, I respect our health professionals because they’re working hard.
The federal government is available.
They have given advisory on what we can do to prevent the virus.
We’re not just sending out the advisory to the health centres but to the entire public in the communities and the health professionals will continue to work on it while we’re on this area.
Down south, many people have died because of this virus and I don’t want to see people dying from the virus in Nunavut.
It’s crucial to ensure that the public knows the importance of this, especially the people who have concurrent health issues. These are the people who are going to be most impacted as they are the most vulnerable in our communities.
What can we do to do preventative work? In the past, we stopped large gatherings.
It seems like the department doesn’t have any plans.
Will you be making that plan so that people will not go to public gatherings?
We will continue to use our plans and we expect that the H1N1 virus will be declining.
We will continue to utilize our staff, ensuring that the appropriate people are being relieved of duty as deemed necessary.
Our staff are working very hard at the community health centres, and the nurses and doctors have made themselves very available for help.
However, I’m not going to say in the House to stop all public gatherings, all of the bars, and to stop going to church while we have this virus around.
We haven’t reached that stage yet.
Our committee, which is working on the emergency plan, has been discussing this matter with CGS and the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs to make sure that the staff know about the advisory, about keeping yourself clean, and will continue with that plan.
Our staff will not stop working on it.
In looking at the population of Inuit affected with this virus and comparing it with the number of cases in the south, you can see that the numbers are not even close.
The number of cases amongst Nunavummiut has surpassed the number of those affected in the south.
I believe that we should start considering to stop large gatherings.