EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The plan is for the introduction of quarterly financial reporting later in the fiscal year and restructuring of my department’s financial reporting and operational functions to enhance reporting efficiency.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that my staff is making good progress towards timely reporting of the government’s finances.
I shall provide updates to the Assembly as and when appropriate.
Member’s Statement 098 – 2(3): Member Arreak Absent from House (Evyagotailak)
Good afternoon to everyone here and this is just for information for each member here.
I’m sorry Mr. Arreak is not here and I’m sure he’s coming in tonight from his settlement.
Member’s Statement 099 – 2(3): Prohibition of Polar Bear Hides to the U.S. (Barnabas)
Mr. Barnabas: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in regard to a letter that I wrote on February 15 to the Minister of Environment.
This is in regard to the United States, who is going to be preventing our polar bear hides from being exported outside of the country.
As you are aware, on February 6, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it’s initiating a status review of the polar bear to determine if the species should be listed as threatened. Under that country’s (U.S. Legislation) Endangered Species Act, a 60-day public comment period has now commenced.
This is a concern from my community and, if you recall, I raised concerns in the House on November 28, 2005 concerning this very same issue.
If the United States Government were to prohibit the importation of polar bear trophies into the U.S., this would have a potentially serious economic impact in my community and on my constituents.
With that Mr. Speaker, and at the appropriate time, I will be directing questions to the minister.
Member’s Statement 100 – 2(3): Canada Winter Games Mascot (Netser)
Olympic fever is in the air. The Arctic Winter Games will start in less than two weeks. In 2007, the Canada Winter Games will draw athletes from across Canada to compete in Whitehorse, Yukon.
I rise today to congratulate young Timothy Pooka, a grade four student from my home community of Coral Harbour, for naming Nunavut’s mascot to the Canada Winter Games. The mascot, in the form of a traditional Inuit dog dressed in sealskin, will be called Uqila, which means ‘fast and light on your feet.’
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the Yukon’s willingness and support to ensure that all three northern territories are able to participate and compete fully in these games.
Mr. Speaker, I feel that Timothy has captured the spirit of the Nunavut team with the naming of our mascot. I am proud of his participation and I ask members to join me in congratulating him.
Member’s Statement 101 – 2(3): Congratulate the Arviat Search and Rescue Team (Alagalak)
I would like to make a short comment. I am very pleased and I congratulate the people of Arviat and their search and rescue parties.
I thank the participants very much; they worked extremely hard.
I would also like to congratulate my son and my brother who went out there to search for the people during extreme conditions. They were the ones who found the equipment and that was the focal point when they were looking for the people who were lost.
It gave the other participants encouragement who found the individuals and I would like to send my condolences to the families who lost their relatives.
I am extremely proud of my sons and my younger one who was delegated to get the bodies out there and bring them back to the communities. I never thought that he would do such heroic things when he was a little boy, but it’s a sign of him growing up to be a man from a boy; that’s my indicator.
I didn’t participate in that, but he did things that a young man or a little boy would never do. I’m very proud of him.
Member’s Statement 102 – 2(3): Passing of Elisapee Karlik (Curley)
Just last month, the people of Rankin Inlet went through hard times because, of course, that happens in every community.
On February 8, in Rankin Inlet, we lost an elder, Mrs. Elisapee Karlik, who was sick for a brief time and died very shortly after. She is the wife of Pierre Karlik, they have children, and they are a family that the people of Nunavut should envy.
They have relatives in all of the regions in Nunavut. Pierre Karlik can’t walk, but he’s a very wise man. I usually go and see him to consult on various issues.
Mrs. Elisapee Karlik had six children, both men and women, and 13 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. I think there are seven siblings. She was the oldest in the family and when we lost her, the whole community of Rankin Inlet felt the loss, and not only our community of Rankin Inlet, but also the other communities.
We have lost a beloved one and usually the husband or wife used to give advice to the young people on family issues and advice before they get married on what to do.
Mr. and Mrs. Karlik at one point stated that once they are married, now we have to help them so that they can stay together.
This is a very strong family and we send our condolences to the family of Mrs. Elisapee Karlik.
Member’s Statement 103 – 2(3): Lack of Support for Disabled Persons (Tootoo)
I welcome all members back to our beautiful capital City of Iqaluit and to the chambers here.
I’m sure all of us look forward to a very busy and productive sitting this time around again.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address a situation that unfortunately seems to occur on a regular basis.
Even more unfortunate is the fact that we hear about it once the situation has become desperate.
Mr. Speaker, on a number of occasions over the past few years, the stories of parents with children who need help and support to overcome their disability has appeared in the media.
These are not late breaking news stories.
Sadly, in most cases, it’s the latest chapter of a long and drawn out struggle to access the appropriate services for a disabled individual from Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad time when our government seeks not to save those in need of support, but instead seeks to push them through the cracks and out the door.
It is a sad time when individuals travel to another jurisdiction to receive vital services that are not available in Nunavut only to be told once they have done so that they are no longer eligible for health benefits in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, just before Christmas, Nunavut’s Disabilities Society held its first annual meeting here in Iqaluit.
I would like to commend the individuals who spoke at that meeting for sharing their stories of the difficulties they face living with a disability in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, it is a sad reflection on our government that after being in existence for almost six years, that there is still no coordinated effort by the government to address the needs of people with disabilities across Nunavut.
This task is left to other organizations such as NTI or to selfless and dedicated individuals, or their parents.
Mr. Speaker, on November 26, 2004, our Premier tabled Pinasuaqtavut, the Government’s commitment to building Nunavut’s future.
That document lists four guiding principals.
Mr. Tootoo, if you would proceed please.
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and colleagues.
That document lists four guiding principals including: Pijitsiniq, Serving and Providing for Family and Community; and, Qanuituniq, Being Innovative and Resourceful.
Mr. Speaker, in the past, Inuit had to continually seek new ways to survive. Inuit had to look after each other. Inuit had to be adaptable.
It is time our government started taking these principals to heart.
Our government must strengthen the safety net. Our government must make sure that its policies can adapt to the challenges faced in delivering services to those in need.
Mr. Speaker, our government cannot afford to neglect or reject a distinct group of Nunavut residents. The problem will not go away; it will just get worse.
Member’s Statement 104 – 2(3): Cambridge Bay Wellness Centre (Peterson)
I am pleased to rise today to report on the good work that the Cambridge Bay Wellness Centre is doing in our community.
Our wellness centre is a vital facility; it provides counselling services to our resident to help cope with alcohol, drugs, and violence problems. The centre also operates the Cambridge Bay Crisis Shelter, which provides shelter for women from violence.
There is overwhelming evidence that a number of Nunavummiut of all ages do not enjoy a high standard of living, or even a decent quality of life because of problems of alcohol and violence.
In Cambridge Bay, the wellness centre has been working for many years, with the support of the hamlet council and the community, to help people heal.
For the most part, the work has gone unnoticed, except for the people of Cambridge Bay.
Last year, the wellness centre established a successful 28-Day Alcohol Treatment Program for women. There has also been a similar successful program for men.
In addition, the wellness centre offers anger management programs that have been particularly helpful to our men. Some members even visited the wellness centre in Cambridge Bay by themselves.
Recently, a Nunavut judge and one of the lawyers said that the wellness centre is making a difference to the court dockets. This meant that the court docket has the lowest number of scheduled trials in many years.
We are fortunate in Cambridge Bay to have dedicated staff and facilities to help our people. The same cannot be said for all Nunavut communities where wellness centres do not exist. How will those communities help their residents?
Mr. Speaker, our wellness centre relies almost 100 percent on government contributions to deliver its programs. They also rely on the governments involved to provide a temporary building to deliver those programs.
Our centre would also like to offer programs and services to other communities who need help and support.
I encourage the Government of Nunavut to work with the Cambridge Bay Hamlet Council and the wellness centre to investigate the feasibility of a permanent regional facility based in Cambridge Bay that offers counselling programs.
I would like the Members of this House to join me in congratulating the hamlet council and the Cambridge Bay Wellness Centre for the success of the programs in helping improve the lives of our residents.
Member’s Statement 105 – 2(3): Congratulations to Aglaktiit Tusaajiit Members (Mapsalak)
I rise today to talk about a new entity that arose last year in Repulse Bay; called Aglaktiit Tusaajiit.
They work to support the individuals who would like to go visit relatives that are no longer capable of travelling.
I would like to say how proud I am of this new entity. Last year, they were able to provide $49,000 to those in need that wanted to go visit their families outside of their communities, or if the family members were ill.
I would like to also congratulate the chair, who is an Inuk, who can’t even read and write in English. She is Alicee Nanugaq; she is the chair of the board, but Margaret Siusangnark was recently selected.
Along with my colleagues, I would like to congratulate this entity in my community for supporting the whole community of Repulse Bay.
Member’s Statement 106 – 2(3): Polar Bear Issues and Climate Change (Kattuk)
I wish to welcome you back to Iqaluit.
Under Members’ Statements, we talk about various issues.
This is not a new issue that I want to speak to. I would like to talk about polar bear issues.
We have been talking about climate change for quite time here in the House.
I would like to make my statement on that issue because we are now becoming quite concerned about the polar bears.
According to our traditional knowledge and according the advice that is given to me by the hunters, you can see the polar bears are a lot skinnier now and they’re not as healthy as before.
We hear that it is due to climate change.
I myself have seen it, so I believe it.
At the appropriate time, I will be asking the minister questions in regard to this concern and how or what the progress is at the Department of Environment.
Lastly, I would like to state that last winter, a polar bear grabbed the seal I was in the process of butchering.
My father said, “The polar bear is hungry, it wants to eat the seal.” I have to provide my father with country food, but the polar bear took the seal that I was butchering.
For that reason, I believe that we do need to have research done in Nunavut on polar bears because the concern is rising.
Member’s Statement 107 – 2(3): New Role as a Regular Member of the Legislative Assembly (Kilabuk)
I guess Mr. Speaker, in my humble way it is a special day for me to speak for the first time as a regular member.
(interpretation) And also Mr. Speaker, I’m not going to be just listening to the people asking questions. That’s the first thing I would like to state to you Mr. Speaker.
First of all, I would like to thank my wife, Rosie.
I would like to thank her very much, also my daughters, Lynne, Jenna, and Alice, and Joseph.
I apologize that they’re not able to be here in the House today, it was because they have given me so much support that I was able to be a Member of the Executive Council.
I’m sure, with my family’s support, they will be able to help me as a Member of the Regular Members’ Caucus.
I’m sure that my constituents are in support of me.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to especially thank Mr. Okalik because he supported and helped me as a Member of the Executive Council.
Also, for the Members of the Executive Council and the regular members, I would like to thank all of you equally.
(interpretation ends) As I said earlier, today is a special day for me. I feel like I have a new sense of desire and direction to finally bring forward to this House issues that will and have affected, concerned, pleased, recognized, acknowledged, rewarded, and now, especially with this opportunity, I will now get to ask questions on their behalf; my great constituents of Pangnirtung.
Mr. Speaker, I will do this without fear, without being intimidated, and as the newest member of this so called regular members, I want to do this to try and achieve the most I can for Pangnirtung and it’s residents because I know Mr. Speaker, I joined and add my voice to what is undoubtedly already a force to be reckoned with.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I will be a Member of the Regular Members’ Caucus and I will be sitting right across there.
Mr. Kilabuk, please proceed to complete your statement.
Yes, I just want to point out that I will have expectations from the Executive Council in representing my constituency. Mr. Speaker, my expectation is that to be honest, to be truthful, open, and treat me equally the same as the regular members.
The issue, as a Member of the Executive Council, the foundation I was a membership of was that to be honest and truthful.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, overall, I look forward to trying to contribute to this great legislature and to the Nunavut Territory as a whole.
I can say this with some relevant confidence that I have gained a considerable amount of experience as a Member of Cabinet with the issues and matters that we dealt with. I also look forward to doing this work through the standing committees, special committees, or just through the opportunities my job may allow.
So with that, Mr. Speaker, I humbly look forward to my new role as a Regular Member of this Legislative Assembly, most mindful of my constituents in Pangnirtung.
I want to do this in an accountable way that is acceptable to my constituents.
So to that end, Mr. Speaker, I, like other Members of this House, look forward to being part of the important Midterm Leadership Review of Cabinet Members as a regular member as I am sure everybody else is looking forward to that time and opportunity.
I would like to recognize today, and I am very pleased to acknowledge our Pages for this week. First of all, to introduce my daughter, Marie Barnabas, please rise, and also, her friend Becky Qaqqasiq-May. They are from Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay.
I would like to welcome my wife, Jean, who is sitting in the Gallery and she has been here for a few days.
At this time I would like to recognize a couple individuals in the Gallery. The first, Mr. Speaker, is a well-known resident here in Iqaluit and a great friend of Mr. Picco’s, and that’s Mr. Kenn Harper sitting in the Gallery. I would like to welcome him to the Gallery.
And sitting next to Mr. Harper, Mr. Picco’s close friend, I would like to also acknowledge the presence of Mr. Graham White, who worked with the Members of the First Assembly during the first Midterm Leadership Review. Mr. White is a professor in Toronto, teaching political science, so hopefully he’s up here adding another chapter to teach in his classes down there.
According to the new rules that we adopted before Christmas, we’re not allowed to recognize people who have already been recognized, so I won’t do that.
I would like to begin by saying very quickly that Mr. Harper is such a good friend of mine that maybe he would help us with a financial contribution to the Nunavut Power Corporation.
I won’t recognize him Mr. Speaker. I won’t recognize Mr. Graham White, the professor who I have had some debates with about consensus government, of the University of Toronto.
Mr. Speaker, I will recognize Ms. Rosemary Cooper, a constituent of mine, a senior member of the Government of Nunavut with the civil service. I should probably say and point out that when I became the Minister of Health, Rosemary and Mr. Ken MacRury, and I believe we had six staff members at that time in the whole Department of Health, so Rosemary put in yeoman service with the department.
With that, welcome to the Gallery.
Mr. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to recognize my wife Rosie Kilabuk.
Mr. Speaker, just to say briefly, I am very happy that my wife is here with us today. She is on her way down to Ottawa tomorrow to see her mother who is in the hospital.
So I would like to recognize and welcome my wife.
I would like to welcome the members.
I would also like to recognize the individual behind me, Jay Redfern. When I was campaigning for the first elections, he assisted me and I would also like to recognize our Sergeant-at-Arms as well.
Question 118 – 2(3): Update on the Management of Polar Bears (Barnabas)
I spoke earlier under Member’s Statements about polar bears.
The people that I represent do not have a very big population and there are not many jobs available and the only source of income most of the time is big game hunting.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, recent news reports indicate that the United States Government is considering adding the polar bear to its threatened species list. The United States Fish and Wildlife Services is gathering scientific and commercial data to determine if climate change and other threats are diminishing the bears’ chance of survival, as my colleague indicated earlier in his statement.
This could result in the United States Government prohibiting the importation of polar bear trophies into the U.S. This would have potentially serious impacts on my communities and constituents.
Mr. Speaker, my question is: what is the status of the department’s communication with the U.S. Government on the issue of polar bear management?
What my department is doing, at the present time, with the United States Government is we have been talking with them. We will be working on this and we will hear from them in the near future around April 10 as to what kinds of problems there are and how we are going to be working together with the United States Government on this issue.
What information has the minister’s department provided to the United States Government and will the Government of Nunavut’s submissions to the United States be tabled in the Legislative Assembly so that all members will know what the government’s position is?
What we have done so far in regard to the polar bear issue is there’s an agreement in place with the United States Government and the communities are involved in the decisions of those agreements to deal with the polar bear boundaries. The agreement is in place that deals with the boundaries of the polar bear. That’s the agreement that we have with the other countries at the present time.
Will there be any changes in the polar bear quotas in 2006-07?
What we have to do is review the quota that is presently set and have an agreement, working along with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, what they do is they suggest to us whether there should be quota changes or not.
The communities that are going to be impacted, where it may mean less quota, we will be going to the communities first to notify them, but we would like to be viewed in the world as managing our wildlife properly.
So we would like to get the assistance of the communities when we do make any changes to the quota.
My question was I think it was last year, or the year before that, that there was an increase in the polar bear quota in the communities.
Is there any impact from the response of the United States Government?
I am sure that there is an impact, but in the Nunavut communities, we understand our wildlife because we have been here for a long time.
I am sure that there is an impact on the communities; to the Inuit hunters. They have also known for a long time the ways of the wildlife.
We have to make it clear that the management of our wildlife is done properly and to fight to be recognized by the people in the world.
Question 119 – 2(3): Housing for 26 New Positions for Health and Social Services (Tootoo)
My question is for the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation. Last month, the Minister of Health made an announcement, I believe it was the 26 new positions at the Hospital here, to address some of the major deficiencies which ended up with the Baffin Regional Hospital losing its accreditation.
I know last fall, there were teachers that were living in hotels because there were no units for them.
My question to the Minister of Housing is: do they have allocated housing units for these new positions?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation, Mr. Akesuk.
The staff housing, because there is going to be an increase in the staff, what we are doing is we are doing our best to try to house them properly.
What we are going to do is to try to lease more housing for our staff.
Staff housing has been an issue that has been brought up over and over again for the last six years.
It always seems to be…I’ve talked to people that have put in tenders and had submissions with proposals of units, houses to rent, whether it be here in Iqaluit or throughout the territory, and the response that they get back from the Housing Corporation is that they don’t have the money to lease any more units.
There are new positions, in a case like this where there are 26 new PYs added in one community, not just here, it happens in other communities as well.
Are there additional allocations that the Housing Corporation gets to secure units for those positions?
Is there a process that the Housing Corporation goes through with the sponsoring department, or whoever has the new positions, in determining whether or not the resources or the housing units will be available for those new PYs?
We are doing our very best to ensure that we are monitoring the housing situation. We’ll need more houses for staff. Not all 26 positions that he mentioned need housing, but there are some that need housing and we’re closely monitoring it to make sure that we have proper accommodations for our staff in the future.
We have a working group in our government that is working to find ways to ensure that we accommodate the staff that we’ve just hired.
Again, I would ask the minister: there is a working group that he had mentioned; is that working group consulted prior to any announcement of new PYs being added, as to whether or not housing will be available for them?
I’m just wondering if he could explain the process that it goes through to make sure that we’re not just saying we’re going to fix the problem by hiring all these people, but when the time comes, we can’t hire them because we don’t have any place to put them.
Could we get him to explain that process for us?