EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
There is a plan developed, I believe it was 2011, to cost out infrastructure or increase capacity for bandwidth in addition to the strategic plan that I outlined in my original question.
I was wondering if the minister would be able to update me on the progress of adapting existing infrastructure to increase bandwidth availability to assist in costing.
We are concerned about this, especially when we hear the communication plans in the north.
We have to review it fully as we progress with this because Nunavummiut need the best possible bandwidth. As a government, we have to review it along with the impacted entities.
We can work together and make sure that we can increase the bandwidth.
I can only respond to your question that way.
I’ll look forward to seeing further progress.
Mr. Speaker, in the past, I brought up a Canada 150 document that was put out by the federal government, acknowledging the need to access not just urban high-speed Internet but rural areas as well, of which Nunavut, I would consider, is probably the most rural of rural.
The impact that it has, as I have brought up in the past, on education, economic development opportunities, the Department of Health, specifically with eHealth and telehealth technologies, hinders a lot of the different programs and a lot of the momentum going forward in Sivumut Abluqta.
I would just like to ask the minister what communications he has had within his cabinet colleagues and with other entities on accessing funding opportunities to increase the IT capabilities of Nunavut.
With respect to communications, we need proper equipment and I know that, as the member had stated, the lack of bandwidth can have a negative impact on the Department of Health and other communication aspects of this.
At this time, we’re aware that the private companies are responsible for taking care of communication equipment.
As I had stated, we will work with them. Once we know the exact plan and how we can provide better bandwidth, I’ll be able to provide an adequate response to the member. As I stated before, we want to consult with everyone.
Question 538 – 4(2): Program Review (Angnakak)
I would like to follow up on the statement that the Premier made last Thursday concerning the government’s “operational audit” or “program review.”
In his statement, the Premier indicated that the “request for proposals for this operational audit was awarded in April.”
Can the Premier indicate which company or individual has been awarded the contract to perform this important work?
The work was awarded to Matrix Consulting.
In the Premier’s statement of last Thursday, he indicated that “auditing the Government of Nunavut’s 258 departmental programs and 68 corporate programs is not a small task.”
I couldn’t agree more, and it’s obvious that 300 plus programs cannot all be audited at the same time.
Can the Premier clarify which departments’ programs will be prioritized for review?
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my ministerial statement, we are doing the first phase of the work that will determine the second phase of the work where there are complete, detailed audits on the programs that we may or may not continue or discontinue. That work is still quite a ways away and that work is to be done at phase 2.
Perhaps I’ll ask for a follow-up in the fall. Maybe by then, it will be clearer.
Mr. Speaker, as all Members of the Legislative Assembly are aware, the elimination of the Department of Human Resources resulted in some of the department’s programs and responsibilities being transferred to the Department of Finance while other programs and responsibilities, including management of the government’s Inuit employment strategy, were assumed by the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Can the Premier confirm whether the effectiveness of this new structure will be looked at as part of the government’s “operational audit”?
Mr. Speaker, of course, we’re looking at all our programs and how we could best improve our programs and services to the people of Nunavut.
Some of these initiatives that she indicated, of course, we will be updating the House in the fall to determine the number of improvements we want to make and possibly some discontinued programs that aren’t working for Nunavummiut.
Once we have made that determination in the fall time, I’ll certainly update the House on that.
Question 539 – 4(2): Patients Receiving Care Outside of Nunavut (Sammurtok)
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s Statement, I talked about the sad and tragic circumstances of individuals who are receiving medical treament outside of Nunavut and who are finding it increasingly difficult to support themselves due to lack of funds.
Can the minister clearly describe what kind of financial support is provided to individuals who are in southern jurisdictions to receive specialized medical care and need to pay their rent and feed themselves and their families while they are there?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) From what I understand, for those that we cannot care for in our territory and we do not have the technology or the expertise in caring for those individuals, fortunately there are not that many that have encountered this problem.
We cover them for up to 365 days and thereafter, they’re presumed to be residents of the other jurisdictions, like any programs that are covered in any part of our country. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is quite clear that the amount of financial support provided by Nunavut’s Department of Health to patients receiving long-term health care outside of Nunavut is not enough.
What steps has the minister taken to review and address the needs of patients in the situation that I described?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) We have looked at accommodating those that require treatment outside of our territory on a chronic basis and in some situations, we have allowed for family visits and that will continue.
We are also continuing to look for ways to improve what we cover under the program. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is very sad that Nunavut residents feel that they have to resort to asking members of the public to help them with paying for basic necessities, such as shelter, food, and supporting their families.
Will the minister commit to reviewing the amount of funding and support that is provided to medical patients who are required to stay outside of Nunavut for an extended period of time?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I have formed a committee to try and find the best solutions for some of these problems. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 540 – 4(2): Update on Clyde River’s Municipal Garage (Keyootak)
Mr. Speaker, the state of Clyde River’s current mechanical garage is inadequate for municipal services to complete necessary repairs to its mobile equipment.
In November 2012, the Legislative Assembly approved $200,000 in capital funding for the design phase of a “Mechanical Garage” project to replace Clyde River’s existing garage.
The most recent information provided by the department indicates that the design and tendering phase of this project would take place in the 2013-14 fiscal year and that the construction phase is scheduled for 2016-18.
Can the minister indicate if his department has completed the design for Clyde River’s new mechanical garage?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Community and Government Services, Mr. Mike.
The mechanical garage for Clyde River has been deferred at this time. It was not in for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
I can state that right now, it would be looked at. As you stated, it is going to be in there.
Can the minister indicate when his department will be placing this project out for tender?
We know that it will be part of 2016-17 and at that time, we will be preparing this for 2016-17. That will be the time that it will be looked at.
I would like to note that the department has not requested any capital funding for this project since November 2012.
Can the minister indicate when his department plans to begin the construction of Clyde River’s new mechanical garage?
I thank the member for that question. As I stated before, we will be planning this for 2016-17. We will begin the planning in that fiscal year.
Question 541 – 4(2): Update on the Replacement of Kimmirut’s Runway (Joanasie)
Mr. Speaker, on March 11, I asked about the Kimmirut Airport. The minister stated that she would take the question as notice.
I would like to know if she can answer that question that I asked, if her department has looked at it regarding the Kimmirut Airport.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for asking that question.
With respect to the Kimmirut Airport, the hamlet has been asked to plan it and we know that in Kimmirut, right now, we can’t make any plans to construct this year with the capital expenditures of the government.
Right now, this is all that I can provide as a response.
I appreciate that you have been looking at the Kimmirut Airport.
I would like to know if the minister could go to Kimmirut with me.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for welcoming us to his constituency community.
Yes, I can go to Kimmirut with him during the summer.
Mr. Joanasie: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, minister, for your response. I look forward to seeing you in Kimmirut.
The government’s 2015-18 business plan states under ED&T’s Policy and Planning Division that one of the priorities for 2015-16 is to “Update 20-year capital needs assessment for Nunavut airports.”
I believe that assessment has been done. I’m asking the minister to commit that assessment into the legislature before the end of this spring session.
The 20-year capital needs assessment is complex and we have to negotiate with many departments, including the finance department.
This takes a long time. We will be looking at this again in the fall session.
Question 542 – 4(2): Departmental Positions (Enook)
My question is for the Minister of Community and Government Services, my angajuksakuluk.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Finance tabled the government’s most current employment report.
This report indicates that the Department of Community and Government Services has a total of 30 positions located in the community of Pond Inlet.
However, there are nine positions that are vacant.
Can the minister tell me how many of these nine vacant positions the department is currently advertising to fill?
I also thank the Member for Tununiq for the question.
I’ll have to look into it and I’ll have to get back to the member. I don’t know exactly how many vacant positions there are to date.
I will have to look into it.
It is my understanding that one of the department’s senior management positions in the area of project and asset management remains vacant.
This position is located in Pond Inlet.
Can the minister tell me when his department will be advertising to fill this vacant position?
Like I said, I will have to look into it and I will get back to the member.
I’m not sure if I should ask this question since he will probably have to look into it as well. I will ask it anyways.
In December of 2013, I wrote a letter to the minister of the day concerning the issue of his department’s vacant positions in Pond Inlet.
At that time, there were eight vacancies, and I was assured that the department would be working to fill these positions “in the timeliest manner possible.”
As I noted in the preamble to my questions today, the number of vacancies has actually increased since that time.
Can the minister explain why these vacant positions are increasing instead?
For that matter, I have to look into this again.
I cannot really answer the question that you have now.
Question 543 – 4(2): Residential Care Services (Angnakak)
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to note the tabling of government’s response to the standing committee report on its review of the Auditor General’s Follow-up Report on Child and Family Services in Nunavut.
One component of the government’s response is the Residential Care Report, which focuses on the quality and management of residential care services inside and outside the territory.
Can the minister indicate whether a “Residential Care Report” will be updated and tabled on a regular basis along with regular updates of the Quality Protects Action Plan?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague for the question. This is a very important question.
There are 330 individual children and youth and 57 Inuit children down south as of April 27, 2015, so there are 17 percent that are outside Nunavut in residential care. They have to be close to children’s hospitals and if they have mental disabilities or any kind of sickness.
We will be getting this report this summer.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for the response.
Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate the amount of work that has gone into addressing the issues raised in the Auditor General’s report. The Residential Care Report demonstrates the effort towards improving staffing, creating a database to track and monitor placements, and ensuring that client needs are reviewed. Can the minister clarify how her departmental staff work with the family members of clients who are placed in residential care?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to thank the member for asking that question. We usually have meetings with the parents or the foster parents regarding these issues.
We have meetings with the parents on a monthly basis and we usually look at the agreement and see their progress. As the Department of Family Services, we are looking at whether we can repatriate some of those patients back to Nunavut. That is going to be our priority, if the patients do have the services available up here.
Thank you to the member. Mr. Speaker, while the Residential Care Report provides some numbers and dollar figures, it does not address placement types. The children’s group home in Iqaluit was recently repurposed.
Can the minister provide an explanation of where the former clients of the Iqaluit children’s group home have been placed and what is this facility now being used for?
Hon. Jeannie Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard more than one question.
However, the children’s group home in Iqaluit is being used for young women.
The children who were in the children’s group home have been sent south. I’m not exactly sure which facility is being used and we can’t talk about personal information in the House, but my staff and I will be going to Winnipeg some time this month to look at a facility that is being utilized by Nunavut.
The staff also went to Chesterfield Inlet to look at the Naja Isabelle Home. It’s a 10-bed facility used for children’s group home, children who are sick or who have disabilities. We are looking at updating the status of the services that are provided to children of Nunavut.
It’s something that’s very important for our department.
Motion 026 – 4(2): Extension of Question Period (Mikkungwak)
Pursuant to Rule 39(7), I move, seconded by the Member for Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu, that the time allotted for oral questions be extended.
Before we proceed, we shall have a 20-minute break.
>>House recessed at 15:36 and resumed at 16:03
Question 544 – 4(2): Cancellation of Observer/Communicator Training Program (Sammurtok)
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, on March 4 of this year, I asked questions to the minister concerning the cancellation of the Observer/Communicator Training Program that has been offered for many years in Rankin Inlet at the Kivalliq Campus of Nunavut Arctic College.
This program was being moved to Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories as one of the consequences of the ending of the contract with NAV Canada for the administration of CARS services.
In response to my questions, the minister stated that the government was, and I quote, “reviewing how we can proceed with the training in Rankin Inlet.”
Although the GN insisted that the Observer/Communicator Training Program funded by NAV Canada and offered by Nunavut Arctic College in Rankin Inlet would be maintained and continued, NAV Canada has chosen to discontinue the training program.
It is my understanding that the equipment which was used as part of this training program remains located in Rankin Inlet.
Can the minister describe how she is working with the Minister responsible for Nunavut Arctic College on this issue?
Although Nunavut Arctic College, the Kivalliq Campus, remains capable of administering the observer/communicator training from its Rankin Inlet classrooms, because NAV Canada has chosen to support only one northern-based training facility which is located in Fort Smith, we will still play the same role that ED&T played for ten years and that is to bring the administration of CARS services on behalf of NAV Canada, that’s the ATS, and we are still working with Nunavut Arctic College on the future of the training possibility.
Mr. Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Many questions have been asked by my colleagues and me concerning the impact of the government’s new approach to the provision of CARS services in Nunavut.
Will the minister commit to tabling a comprehensive report in the Legislative Assembly during our upcoming fall sitting on the status of this issue, yes or no?
Because what he is asking for is partly with negotiations with the federal government, I will have to look into that.
Question 545 – 4(2): Lot Developments for Social Housing (Mapsalak)
I will direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, the public housing units are under the control of the housing corporation and when they’re planning construction of new housing units, they have to put in the planning and get the land ready for construction.
It is only after the land has been zoned that they can finally start construction.
In the spring when the snow is melting, there are a lot of puddles around the houses.
I would like to ask the minister if there is going to be money made available or if there’s any money available so that there’s proper drainage around the public housing units.
Mr. Speaker, with regard to the public housing units that are under the control of the housing corporation, the land is usually developed after they have identified the lot.
Usually the land is approved and when the government asks the housing corporation to build some new units, for example, if we’re going to be building houses in Repulse Bay or if it’s going to be a five-plex, the hamlet and CG&S are the ones who prepare the lot following the land use plan of the hamlet council.
Once the lots are identified and if there is any need to work around the lots, then it would be the responsibility of the hamlet council and Community and Government Services. We are not responsible for the lots.
The reason why I’m asking that question is because there are a lot of questions, usually from the residents, about who is responsible for what part of the project.
Do I understand that if the housing corporation is going to be building a house, money is usually identified just for the lots?
As I indicated earlier, there are different types of houses. There are five-plexes, duplexes, and ten-plexes. We have to identify the lot that could be used for whatever size it is.
It is the responsibility of the hamlet councils and CGS. They identify the lots of where they’re going to be building the houses and if it’s a residential unit, then it would have to be in an identified lot.
The main responsible organizations are the hamlet councils and CGS.
Question 546 – 4(2): Status of Site Remediation in Baker Lake (Mikkungwak)
Last week, the minister tabled QEC’s response to our standing committee’s recent report on its hearings on QEC.
In its response, the Qulliq Energy Corporation indicates that the community of Baker Lake contains contamination that is, and I quote, “100% attributable to federal activities.”
Has the federal government acknowledged its responsibility for cleaning up this site, yes or no?
During our hearings last fall, the Qulliq Energy Corporation indicated that it has taken the position that the “polluter pay” principle should apply to contaminated sites in Nunavut that were inherited from the federal Northern Canada Power Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, I find it very interesting that the recent federal budget indicates that the Government of Canada, and I quote, “has enshrined the principle of ‘polluter pay’.”
In light of this, can the minister clarify what options the Government of Nunavut has at its disposal to ensure that the federal government lives up to its responsibilities in this area?
I thank Mr. Mikkungwak for inviting me and hosting me in Baker Lake and all the good people of Baker Lake.
It was a very nice visit. It’s a beautiful community.
Mr. Speaker, I have been reading through this file extensively for months.
I think there are three or four or five legal opinions that I have read through. I read through the various transfer agreements.
I have to say that it’s quite a saga, if I may use that word.
I can’t stand here today and tell Mr. Mikkungwak what options we have.
We are still continuing to take position that QEC is not responsible. Polluter pays, again it is all subject to legal opinions.
We could choose to pursue them in the courts, but that’s an option that I don’t know if it’s a fruitful thing to do because those things can take years to conclude and you never quite know if you are going to succeed or not or we can continue to speak to them.
I believe the Government of Nunavut, through the Department of Environment, is working on a process to identify all the sites in Nunavut that are contaminated, who owns them, and processes like that.
We are continuing to pursue that, how to best clean up the site.
It is a priority for QEC and I assured the MLA and the community last week that it is and will remain a priority for our government and for the Qulliq Energy Corporation to address that area.
I thank the minister for coming to Baker Lake to actually see the contaminated site.
Last week, the minister tabled the Qulliq Energy Corporation’s response to our standing committee’s recent report on its hearings on the Qulliq Energy Corporation. In its response, the Qulliq Energy Corporation indicates that “four remedial options could be considered” for the contaminated site in Baker Lake.
Can the minister indicate which of these four options the Qulliq Energy Corporation supports using?
Speaker: (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Peterson.
Mr. Speaker, at present, the site is contained through the Waterloo system that is in place and maintained annually by the government.
At this time, I can’t tell him definitively which of the four remedial processes that we favour.
Question 547 – 4(2): Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives (Savikataaq)
Today, my question is for the Minister of Environment.
On Friday, May 29, he tabled an F/P/T document on a meeting, on a conference that the minister went to in Lima, Peru back in December 1 ‘til December 12. One of the commitments out of that meeting or the government’s commitment says that the Government of Nunavut is committed to supporting climate change adaptation initiatives across the territory to ensure the reliance of our communities in the face of a changing environment.
I would just like to ask the minister what kind of support the government is giving to the people of Nunavut.
What I recently tabled in the House from the meeting I attended; the people who are working on climate change are not aware of the Arctic very much.
However, the Nunavut government has brought out their support to the rest of the world. Whenever possible, I try to convey the Inuit traditional knowledge about the weather. The other people in the world don’t know about the arctic weather.
That’s how we’re trying to support the progress and expressing concerns from Nunavut in those forums.