EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I think it was last month that we read in the newspaper that there are 26 Inuit who were going to harvest muskox but the federal government denied the inspection.
So therefore I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Department of Sustainable Development, I know that they have Federal inspections statutes that we have to follow.
But I was wondering if the Department of Sustainable Development can tell me if we were not eligible or did we not pass the inspection or did we break some rules or regulations.
Is that why we were denied?
Yes, I understand his question and yes, this was a concern that was raised by people over there.
Yes, annually the Ikaluktutiak HTO works on the muskox hunt and for commercial hunting the community Hunters’ and Trappers’ Organizations are the people that must ensure they are abiding by the commercial hunting statutes or if they are following or abiding by the rules that are given to them.
The HTOs at the community level are responsible for dealing with the muskox hunt and they have to know the by-laws or statutes to make sure that they are abiding by them.
I thank the minister for his response, because they were checking to make sure that they were abiding by their criteria.
The closing or opening hunting seasons, whether it is commercial or not, I am getting tired of it.
In the Kitikmeot, there were twenty-six individuals that were going to go muskox harvesting and the government stopped them.
Even though they were disappointed, they did not show their disappointment.
Is the government going to keep stopping us from hunting and harvesting?
I don’t agree with that.
We have to work together, so we can encourage people to work together in Nunavut.
The only reason we don’t go ahead with such things is when we are not prepared for it.
I would like to ask the Department of Sustainable Development when they can re-open the commercial hunt for muskox harvesting.
I would like to ask the minister here, when are you going to re-open the harvest?
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Puqiqnak, for that lengthy preamble.
Yes, his question is good.
As a government we will work closely with the HTOs on the harvesting of muskox to make sure that we are abiding by the federal statutes so that this project can go ahead and so that next year’s muskox hunting season will not be stopped again.
The minister stated that he would like to work closely with the HTO so that we can do things properly, but when can we re-open the meat plant facility in the Kitikmeot region?
Next year prior to the harvesting season we will deal with that, because this year’s harvesting season is almost over.
We will work closely with them next year.
Question 049 – 1(6): Update on the Analysis of Leases
I am quite happy that he is back in the House, so I can ask him some questions.
I missed his answers.
The minister indicated earlier that his department is doing an analysis of the lease or purchase or build options of one particular lease that they’re looking at here.
I know it was also a commitment made by the minister and the department to the Auditor General to evaluate these leasing options more carefully.
I’d like to ask the minister what process he’s using, or his department’s using in the analysis of such leases.
Well Mr. Speaker, as it stands now, first of all I should for the record state that we’re in the process of finalizing a leasing policy that can be brought forward for the cabinet to consider, to put in place so we have guidelines around our leasing of our planned leases that we might introduce.
Included in that obviously, would be what would be acceptable from the perspective of a reasonable return or premium I guess on having a facility provided outside of direct government contributions.
So, that’s obviously a factor, how much of a premium is it to have it done by the private sector versus having it done internally by a government, fully by government resources.
So that’s one of the important factors.
I guess it probably wouldn’t be too hard to figure out what the premium is. You just take the lease cost over whatever the term of the lease is and figure out what your construction costs are.
But what other criteria and what is the process that the department is using in evaluating those leases.
I know you said there is a developing policy but I know that the leases that they’re looking at right now and he had indicated this one here is looking at being on the go for this summer.
If the policy hasn’t even been made yet, how are they going to evaluate those leases with a non-existent policy?
So, I’d just like to ask the process and exactly what the department is exactly using to evaluate those leases other than the premium.
Mr. Speaker, the main factor right now in the evaluation is quite frankly the cost and how expensive is it going to be to enter into a lease arrangement, a lease to purchase arrangement, versus the cost of expending current capital dollars from the government and the cost of having that money out of use.
So, those are the factors that are being used.
Having said that, let’s not forget that we have entered into lease agreements since this government came into office, we inherited as members know, a lot of lease agreements that have come over.
So, the main factor obviously is the cost.
We’re hoping to firm up some of the other factors around the assessment of leasing with the policy, but as it stands now, the main factor or criteria is costing.
Speaker: Oral Questions. Supplementary. Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, can the minister indicate what range, I know in the Auditor General’s report, she had indicated one, it was a fifty percent premium paid on a lease.
If he could inform the House as what he considers to be an acceptable premium to pay, or that the government should have to pay for such an option.
Mr. Speaker, I’m reluctant right now to make any commitment or even to speak about that because quite frankly, it hasn’t been resolved yet.
In respect of my cabinet colleagues and what they would deem as an acceptable premium to be paid, a lot is going to depend on the factors of weighing the cost of that premium versus what economic developments might be stimulated and depending on the project and depending on the community of where that process is.
So those are the factors that a lease policy will develop.
It will set criteria based on possibly economic conditions in a community, the level of activity, economic activity in that community.
So there are different factors that have to be taken into consideration: whether the business community itself is developed in that community or not, and if we want to stimulate some additional support for a community because it may not be a decentralized community.
So there are various factors and it is not a simple matter of 5%, 10%, 20% for every community.
So I guess those are the kinds of factors that have to be looked at.
Mr. Speaker would the minister commit to providing this House once those analyses have been done, what the premium is and the terms of the lease whether it is going to be a 10 year lease, 20 year lease, 30 year lease.
And things like who is going to own the building, what happens at the end of the lease?
Once these things or his department has finished analysing that, would he provide that information to the members of this House?
Mr. Speaker, again right now I couldn’t tell you quite frankly whether I could do that.
In respect of what constraints there may be out there legally as far as privacy of information for developers or individuals.
I can say and I know this question has been raised in Standing Committee reviews of some of the budgets of the department that we are in right now.
We are getting a legal opinion on what is able to given out and what isn’t.
But I can say that whatever is able to be provided publicly that we will do that.
But if there are issues that are identified that may be more sensitive then we would have to take a look at how we would handle that situation.
Question 050 – 1(6): Minimum Wage for Nunavut
Mr. Speaker my question today is to the Minister of Justice.
Back in this House in the early days I think it was three years ago, I asked a question in the House and I still haven’t seen any perks to this question come forward to the people of Nunavut.
I asked a question, would the then Minister of Justice review the minimum wage for Nunavut, review it and increase it to reflect the true cost of living in Nunavut.
Has the current minister looked at this yet?
I have directed the department to review this seriously.
It will take a bit of time.
But we have been dealing with other legal matters in the last little while.
So it is not for the lack of trying.
But we are trying to look at it perhaps by the fall where we can introduce changes if there needs to be change.
If there are no further Oral Questions we will move on to Item 7.
I believe Mr. Clerk has a document that he would like to table.
Tabled Document 005 – 1(6): Return to Petition 006 – 1(5), Baker Lake Elders’ Facility
I wish to table a return to a petition made by the Honourable Ed Picco, Minister of Health and Social Services to a petition filed by Mr. McLean.
Petition 006 - 1(5).
Bill 10 – An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act – First Reading
I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hudson Bay, that Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act be read for the first time.
Bill 9 – An Act to Amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act – First Reading
Mr. Speaker I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Baffin South, that Bill 9, An Act to Amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act be read for the first time.
If there are no items in the Committee of the Whole we will proceed to the next item on the order paper.
Meeting of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit at half past three at the Nanuq boardroom.
Orders of the Day for Tuesday April 30th, 2002:
Just a notice to members that there is coffee and bannock in the Members’ Lounge
This House stands adjourned until Tuesday April 30th at 1:30 p.m. Sergeant-at-Arms.
>>House adjourned at 3.08 p.m.  Nunavut Canada
Tuesday April 30, 2002
Pages 159 - 207
Opening Prayer 159
Budget Address 159
Ministers’ Statements 178
Members’ Statements 179
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 183
Oral Questions 185
Tabling of Documents 204
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills 205
First Reading of Bills 206
Second Reading of Bills 206
Orders of the Day 207
Tuesday April 30, 2002 159
015 – 1(6): Congratulations AWG (Anawak) 178
057 – 1(6): M’Clintock Channel Polar Bear Count (Puqiqnak) 179
058 – 1(6): Spring Camping – Unpredictable Weather – Nunavummiut to be Cautious (Alakannuark) 180
059 – 1(6): Training Skills for the Mining Sector for Nunavummiut (Havioyak) 180
060 – 1(6): Congratulate Arviarmiut for Successful Science Fair (McLean) 181
061 – 1(6): Medical Air Transportation (Arvaluk) 182
062 – 1(6): Thank Health & Social Services and Finance Minister for Hospital Project in the Keewatin (Anawak) 182
051 – 1(6): Assistance for Buying Units (Nutarak) 185
052 – 1(6): Musk Ox Harvesting – Inspection (Arvaluk) 186
053 – 1(6): How Many Outpost Camps Are Utilized For Correctional Facilities (Williams) 188
054 – 1(6): Tax Cuts (McLean) 190
055 – 1(6): Social Issues in the Budget (Iqaqrialu) 191
056 – 1(6): Possible Children’s Group Home in Kugluktuk (Havioyak) 193
057 – 1(6): Student Financial Assistance – Summer Students (Tootoo) 194
058 – 1(6): Nunavut Arctic College Core Funds (Tootoo) 196
059 – 1(6): Any Plans to Provide Pensions for Elders (Arvaluk) 196
060 – 1(6): Total Budget of Akitsiraq Law School (McLean) 198
061 – 1(6): Minister to Visit Kugluktuk Re: Mining (Havioyak) 199
062 – 1(6): Management Studies Program Offered Again This Year (Tootoo) 200
063 – 1(6): Health Centre Renovations – Start This Summer (Puqiqnak) 202
006 – 1(6): Hamlet of Repulse Bay Motion Re: Medical Travel (Alakannuark) 204
007 – 1(6): Hamlet of Coral Harbour Motion Re: Medical Travel (Arvaluk) 204
Bill 6 – Appropriation Act No. 2, 2002 – 2003 – Notice 205
Bill 6 – Appropriation Act No. 2, 2002 – 2003 – First Reading 206
Bill 6 – Appropriation Act No. 2, 2002 – 2003 – Second Reading 206
Bill 10 – An Act to Amend the Land Titles Act – Second Reading 206
Speaker (Mr. O’Brien): I will say the prayer.
Orders of the Day. Item 2. Budget Address.
Mr. Speaker, Honourable colleagues, Nunavummiut.
The creation of our territory, just over three years ago, gave the people of Nunavut a new sense of purpose and a profound belief that each of us could make a difference.
Our future would be shaped by our people and our land.
Mr. Speaker, we have risen to the task of creating a new territory and functioning government.
While we still have much to learn and many challenges remain, we are making a difference.
Increasingly, we are determining our own destiny.
Today, I have the privilege of setting out the Government of Nunavut’s fiscal plan for the 2002-2003 fiscal year, which charts our path for continued progress.
This fourth budget reflects the growing maturity of our government.
As with the previous three, it supports our commitment to manage the territory’s fiscal resources in a prudent manner.
It demonstrates our determination to be accountable for our decisions, and open to Nunavummiut.
And it reinforces that, with the new powers Nunavummiut have assumed in governing our own affairs, come personal and collective responsibility.
Mr. Speaker, this budget presents a realistic view of our fiscal situation and major challenges.
It outlines our spending initiatives and priorities for the coming year.
It presents a well balanced overall plan that will benefit every resident and business in our territory, a plan that will enable us to take another major step forward in realizing our potential, in order to build a secure future for our children and ourselves.
Fiscal Update
Mr. Speaker, I will begin by briefly reviewing our fiscal results for 2001-2002.
I am pleased to report that, since our last budget the government’s short-term fiscal situation has improved.
On the expenditure side, total budgeted requirements have increased to $745.3 million.
That is $65.8 million above what we initially allocated to spend.
These additional expenditures were set out in the three supplementary appropriation bills approved by this Legislature during the past year.
Additional funding was provided for such measures as increased health care spending and the new collective agreement with the Nunavut Employees Union.
As in previous years, we are projecting that some departments will not spend all of the monies allocated to them last year.
This includes approximately $15 million in planned operations and maintenance expenditures, along with about $16 million in capital spending of which most will be carried over into the current fiscal year.
On the revenue side, we are now projecting total revenues for 2001-2002 to be approximately $765 million.
This represents an increase of about $95 million over our budget estimate.
Of this, approximately $92 million is anticipated from higher Formula Financing Grant payments from the Government of Canada.
Included is a one-time adjustment of around $46 million, relating to previous years.
As a result of these changes, on a cash flow basis, we anticipate an operating surplus for the 2001-2002 fiscal year of $50.7 million.
Mr. Speaker, I will now present our 2002-2003 fiscal plan.
I am proud to inform Members of the Legislature that we are projecting, on a cash flow basis, an operating surplus of $1.6 million for the coming fiscal year.
This will be accomplished, even though there will be more than an 11 percent increase in spending over last year.
Mr. Speaker, total expenditures in this budget are $759.9 million.
Of that, we will be allocating more than $689 million for operations and maintenance expenditures.
In November more than $70 million was approved for capital projects for 2002-2003.
This marked the first time that Capital Estimates were tabled during the fall sitting of the Legislature.
This change was introduced in response to requests from Members of this Assembly, municipal leaders, and Nunavut’s business community.
The move will improve our capital planning process and ensure the timely and cost effective delivery of projects.
Our total revenues for 2002-2003 are projected to be $745.5 million.
We are estimating $70.3 million for own-source revenues.
Our largest own-source revenue is personal income tax, which we expect to bring in around $10.2 million.
Mr. Speaker, sometimes a Minister of Finance is faced with the difficult task of informing taxpayers that income taxes must be increased.
Happily I am not in that situation today.
In fact, I am delighted to announce, that for the first time in our short history, we will be implementing a number of tax measures that will see all Nunavummiut pay less personal income tax starting this year.
Mr. Speaker, last year we adopted the tax-on-income approach to determining the territory’s personal income tax.
This method allows us to establish a unique income tax system for Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, I will introduce changes to our Income Tax Act to significantly lower the territorial tax rates on all income brackets.
As well, the amounts of a number of territorial tax credits will be increased.
The lower territorial tax rates and enhanced credits will apply to the 2002 tax year.
These measures will greatly reduce the overall tax burden on Nunavummiut.
I will now summarize the rate and credit changes to be implemented –
For taxable income up to about $31,700, the territorial personal income tax rate will fall from 7.2 percent to 4 percent.
For taxable income between $31,700 to $63,400, the rate will drop from 9.9 percent to 7 percent.
For taxable income between $63,400 to $103,000, the rate will decline from the current rate of 11.7 percent to 9 percent.
For taxable income over $103,000, the current rate of just over 13 percent will now be set at 11.5 percent.
The basic personal credit will increase from $7,634 to $10,000.
The spouse or common-law credit will increase from $6,483 to $10,000.
The credit for those Nunavummiut over 65 years of age will increase from $3,728 to $7,500.
The long-term disability credit will be increased from $6,180 to $10,000.
Mr. Speaker, the cost-of-living tax credit, an important element of our personal income tax system, also will be modified to ensure that all Nunavummiut taxpayers receive an increase to help address the high costs of living in Nunavut.
The maximum amount of the credit will be raised from $645 to $750.
Taken together, these major changes will mean more disposable income and a higher quality of life for each and every person living in our territory.
These changes will mean that a tax filer who has income of $16,400 or less will pay no Nunavut Personal Income tax in 2002.
Similarly, a single tax filer with either a dependent spouse or child who has income of $27,180 or less will pay no Nunavut Personal Income tax in 2002.
Individual Nunavummiut will see their Nunavut personal income taxes drop substantially in all income tax brackets.
To give two examples:
A single tax filer with no dependents with income of $40,000 will have Nunavut income taxes reduced by about $865.
A single income family with two dependents with income of $70,000 will have Nunavut income taxes reduced by about $1,670.
Mr. Speaker, recognizing that it is the private sector which generates the incomes of many wage earners and that the business community plays a crucial role in strengthening our economy, I am also introducing changes to Nunavut’s corporate income tax rates.
These changes will provide a lower general income tax rate for all corporate income allocated to Nunavut and a lower tax rate to small business.
Effective for 2002, the territorial general corporate income tax rate will be reduced from 14 percent to 12 percent.
The territorial small business rate will be reduced from 5 percent to 4 percent.
Mr. Speaker, this will mean that, as of this budget, Nunavut will have the lowest corporate and lowest average personal income tax rates in Canada.
These tax measures, Mr. Speaker, have been introduced for many reasons, including:
to provide additional benefits to those in greatest need;
to support individuals entering our workforce;
to stimulate economic development;
to strengthen our tax base by ensuring that we become more competitive from a taxation perspective; and
to attract and retain people with the skills we need to continue building our new territory.
Mr. Speaker, there is one tax increase to be announced.
As we all are aware, Nunavut has the highest tobacco use in Canada. Equally, it is well known that use of tobacco poses a serious health risk to individuals, and overall, places large demands on our health care system.
Mr. Speaker, Nunavut’s tax on cigarettes will increase from 12.6 cents per cigarette to 15.6 cents effective midnight tonight.
This will add $6.00 to the price of a carton of cigarettes.
We hope that this price increase will make many individuals reconsider their use of this harmful substance.
Mr. Speaker, federal transfers represent a vital contribution to our government’s total revenues.
Our government recognizes the important role that these transfers play in the lives of Nunavummiut.
For 2002-2003 we are projecting $681.8 million in federal transfers.
Approximately $632.6 million of this will be provided through the Formula Financing Agreement.
The Formula Financing Grant is both our largest transfer and revenue source.
The grant is influenced by a number of national factors such as growth in provincial government expenditures and the economy.
As well, factors specific to Nunavut such as our relative population growth and tax revenues also impact our entitlement.
During the past year Canada’s economic growth slowed considerably.
Consequently, over the last year most provincial governments introduced restraint measures aimed at offsetting lower revenues.
These factors will impact future growth in our Formula Financing Grant entitlements.
In the near term we expect our formula transfers to grow at rates below that of recent years.
Despite this, Nunavut’s fiscal outlook for the short-term is stable.
With current fiscal projections, we will be able to maintain programs and services, and even make modest improvements to some priority areas.
However, we do not have the means under these projections, Mr. Speaker, to address the full range of challenges we face.
In future years, expenditure growth pressures will likely outstrip our revenue growth.
And this is where the point I made earlier, about increased responsibility being the natural consequence of increased authority comes into play.
If we are to prove to ourselves, and other Canadians, that we are capable of managing our own affairs, and if we are to gain the confidence of potential investors, we must demonstrate our ability to make the right choices in shaping our future.
We must be prepared to tackle our significant challenges.
Addressing Our Challenges
Mr. Speaker, the creation of our new territory has resulted in increased economic activity and has brought new jobs to many of our communities.
These recent economic improvements, however, are not enough and we must develop a more diversified economy across Nunavut.
The recent release of The Naujaat Challenge: Working Together, an economic development strategy framework, is a signal to all Nunavummiut that we recognize that a new approach to economic development is needed.
The foundation for this new approach must be the understanding that government, the private sector, Inuit Organizations and agencies, must work together, toward common goals.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to improving economic opportunities across Nunavut while protecting our traditional values and culture.
As our economy develops we will continue to consult Nunavummiut to be certain that our actions and priorities appropriately reflect our culture and traditional values.
We also will be mindful of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (IQ).
This year, under the direction of the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, we will be establishing an Elders’ Council.
This council will facilitate the operations of the IQ Task Force, and provide input regarding community wellness, learning, cultural, and social concerns.