EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
There were a number of contests held during the event which were enjoyed by all but mostly won by individuals from the south. They had much more practice than us from the North. Modesty, Mr. Speaker, prevents me from naming the winner of the “Most Honest Golfer” but the award, I will tell you, went to an individual from Nunavut, and I think that individual represents Iqaluit Centre.
So I want to make it clear that that honour goes to the highest score; it doesn’t mean that I did very well, or whoever it was did very well.
I would like to acknowledge the work of the 20 volunteers who travelled from Nunavut, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and the United States to help make the event a great success.
Specifically, I would like to recognize the stellar contributions of Iqaluit residents: Melanie Abbott, Jennifer Hayward, Al Hayward, Dave Fox, Deenah Kelly, Glenn Cousins and Don Sinclair-Chenier, who was the original event organizer.
Mr. Speaker, the funds raised by the Third Annual Habitat for Humanity Golf Classic will go towards building another home here in Iqaluit next summer.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask all my colleagues to join me in congratulating the members of the Iqaluit Habitat for Humanity program on their good work.
Member’s Statement 508 – 2(4): Joint Task Force North (Picco)
Hon. Ed. Picco: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and welcome back to all of our colleagues.
At this time, I would like to say our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Kilabuk at home with his family.
Mr. Speaker, Joint Task Force North held military exercises here in South Baffin again this summer. Not only do operations like these assert Canadian sovereignty, ready and prepare our armed forces for arctic engagement, and test our readiness and capability by providing economic spin-offs, Mr. Speaker, the logistic and administrative preparations brought the expenditure of large funds to local businesses and people.
The Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence staff were also here in Nunavut and we had an opportunity to meet with them. It is the second time in the past four years, Mr. Speaker, that we’ve had the top-ranking military and civilian leadership here in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, increased federal interest in Nunavut is well welcomed. We need to translate this interest by engaging all sectors of Nunavut’s economy and people.
My personal opinion, Mr. Speaker, is that the best sovereignty of northern Canada is having a self-governing, democratically elected, constitutionally recognized jurisdiction, consisting of a population, Mr. Speaker, of which 85 percent have been here for over a millennium.
Mr. Speaker, it is this message, this signal, this Government of Nunavut, recognized nationally and internationally, that is part of a sovereign Canada, that is enshrined in legislation, Nunavut, our people, our Canadians, this is the greatest asset, this is the greatest point and plus, Mr. Speaker, on the ongoing international sovereignty debate and control, that we see about in the national and international media in Arctic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, having 85 percent of a population governed, democratically elected, recognized nationally and internationally, Nunavut, Mr. Speaker, is Canada’s best asset as sovereignty for Canada in the Arctic. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 509 – 2(4): Arrival of Son Cooper (Aglukkaq)
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I would also like to welcome my colleagues back and as well, offer my condolences to our Speaker’s family in Pangnirtung.
I want to take this opportunity to announce the arrival of my son, Cooper.
His Inuktitut name is Aglukkaq after my late father.
On behalf of my husband, Robbie, and my son, I want to take the opportunity to thank Laurie Barber at Public Health Clinic for guiding us through the nine months.
At the same time, I would also like to thank the nurses in Gjoa Haven and in Taloyoak that I saw during the process over the nine months and thank them as well.
I would also like to thank the hospital staff, Dr. Allen, for all her support during the delivery, and all the staff at the Qikiqtani General Hospital for making the experience a wonderful experience for me and my husband.
I also want to thank my mother. (interpretation) Mom, if you’re listening, I would like to thank you for being at the hospital with me for the birth of my son. (interpretation ends) I would also like to thank my friend, Sheila Higden, and my cousin, Joey, and my brother-in-law, T.J., for helping us through the process.
Today, my son weighs over 14 pounds and has covered more miles in Nunavut, as well as through southern Canada.
In fact, one of the members on the flight Tuesday, who is sitting in the Gallery, made the comment that he was a very well-behaved traveller.
At the same time, I also want to say that I’m so privileged to have experienced what all mothers experience and that is to have experienced the miracle of creating a little human being and the instant love one feels towards a little stranger the moment you lay eyes on your child.
So I feel honoured by that and I just wanted to share that experience with my colleagues here, as well as with all the other mothers that have experienced this and for the first time, to have known what I have been missing for so long. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Members’ Statements. (interpretation) If there are no more, we will move on. (interpretation ends) Item 4.
I know everybody sitting behind me, but I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Namen Inuaraq from Pond Inlet.
I would like to welcome you and all the people in the Gallery.
I would like to welcome Mr. Gordon Rennie to the Gallery.
He is well known everywhere and he used to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company in a lot of communities. Please feel welcome as you are part of the family here.
I am very pleased that we’re going to be seeing each other again during this sitting.
I would like to recognize a few individuals today.
I don’t often get an opportunity to recognize people in the Gallery, so I would like to recognize two individuals who work for the Department of Community and Government Services and they are: Aseena Allurut and Liz Kingston, who is one of the MTO officials.
Mr. Speaker, there’s an individual who was recognized already, but since he is an elder, I would also like to acknowledge Gordon Rennie.
He used to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company in the Keewatin area and he knew my father and the Voisey family.
I would like to thank him for being in the Gallery today.
I would like to recognize two individuals from Igloolik: very well-known Mr. Ike Haulli, who is in the Gallery, and Elijah Evaloakjuk.
I used to envy his late father, Mr. Mark Evaloakjuk as he was a role model for me as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, and I am trying to continue his work he started.
I would like to welcome these two individuals from Igloolik.
It gives me great pleasure, as I’ve done when the opportunity arose in the past, to recognize an individual who is seriously involved with Canadian North, a representative for Canadian North here in Iqaluit, and that’s Ms. Eva Onalik. I would like to again welcome her to the Gallery.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome to the Gallery also a person that needs no introduction to the members and indeed, is becoming well known across Nunavut with her work on behalf of and as an advocate for women and that’s Kathy Hanson. I would like to welcome Kathy to the Gallery.
We’re only allowed to welcome someone once in the Gallery, so I would like to take this opportunity not to welcome them but invite them, at the end of the session, to come visit me, and that’s Aseena Allurut, who is sitting right behind me.
Aseena worked for me for many years and I would like to take this opportunity to invite her to my office to talk about the situation.
I, too, would like to recognize our visitors.
It is my pleasure to recognize in the Gallery today Mr. Norman Pickell, our Acting Integrity Commissioner.
Mr. Pickell is joined by his wife, Nancy.
Welcome to the Gallery, Norman and Nancy.
They’re sitting over there.
Question 615 – 2(4): Help for Homeowners to Address High Cost of Energy (Mapsalak)
Mr. Speaker, on June 27 of this year, the government announced increases to the price of fuel as a result of the high world price of oil.
Homeowners in my constituency understand that the government cannot control the world price of oil, but they are worried about the cost of heating their homes this winter.
Mr. Speaker, the minister has spoken publicly on the need for the federal government to provide additional assistance to the Government of Nunavut to help us address the high world price of oil.
Can the minister update the House today on his discussions with Ottawa on this issue?
In early June, we actually had an opportunity to meet with all the members in caucus and discuss the issue with the increasing cost of the price per barrel of fuel.
And indeed, at that time, Mr. Speaker, the cost of a barrel of fuel was over $140, which caused some concern for us. I believe the government was proactive in moving aggressively on July 1 to increase the price across the board, for all fuel products, by 22 cents a litre.
At the present time, I can update the House and say that right now, Minister Brown, through CGS, has been very proactively and actively working on the resupply issues for Nunavut. We have only received about 46 percent of all of our supplies to date, which means, Mr. Speaker, that a majority of our fuel now is being purchased over the next few weeks.
We do see that the price per barrel of oil in the world is now about $110 and again, that’s a fluid figure, it continues to move. If the number of $110 per barrel stays around that amount, then we will be in a better position to see where we are on our fuel expense bill by the end of October or the first couple of weeks in November.
At that time, the government of the day would have an opportunity to discuss and see what initiatives to take place. We aren’t at that point right now because we have only purchased and delivered approximately 46 to 50 percent of our fuel.
I know that the Department of Education has a program to assist seniors aged 60 and older with the cost of heating their homes.
Further, will the government be reviewing this policy in the coming year to ensure Nunavummiut are benefiting from these policies, rather if they will be adapting these policies this coming winter?
The government, again, I think, realizes the high cost of energy to heat our homes, especially for the most vulnerable people in Nunavut.
So the government, and I’m glad the member has raised the issue, has actually increased, per household, if an elder owns their own home and their income is less than $100,000 a year, Mr. Speaker, then the government has moved very quickly to be able to subsidize the total fuel expenditures for that family.
So in that case, Mr. Speaker, if the family, if a homeowner owns their own home, if they’re an elder and they make less than $75,000 a year in total household income, Mr. Speaker, then that family receives 100 percent of their fuel costs covered.
If that person has over $100,000 of income, then they can receive up to 50 percent of the coverage.
So again, Mr. Speaker, that’s to help out our elders, the most vulnerable in our society, with a subsidy, especially when you look at the issue, as the member has raised, on home heating fuel.
Is the government considering introducing any new programs for this coming winter to assist homeowners in Nunavut to pay for their home heating fuel?
Again, we have to wait until all the fuel has been delivered, and that should happen in the next six weeks, to see exactly what our final costs are so that we can actually look at the amounts of subsidy that may or may not have to be put in place. And indeed, if there’s a reduction needed in the cost at the pump or out of the tank for families, it’s a bit early to be able to say that right now.
What I can say is that we have put numerous subsidies in place.
Right now, we’re the only jurisdiction in Canada, I think it’s important to point out, that almost 30 percent of our total budget, over $300 million, goes directly into the purchase of fuel, the sale of fuel, the storage of fuel, and the subsidies of fuel and electricity in Nunavut.
There is no other jurisdiction, Mr. Speaker, that even comes close.
When you’re doing over 30 percent in subsidies in cost of fuel, as an example, that’s money you can’t put into education and that’s money you can’t put into health.
So we need to be able to alleviate those costs and the government has moved in that direction with legislation before the House, as well as cost effective programs in energy.
I know here in Nunavut, we have the coldest weather in Canada.
(interpretation ends) Can the minister indicate to the House today whether more fuel price increases will be announced before the end of the sitting of the Legislative Assembly?
Unless the member wants to announce something on his re-election, I understand he is running and he made that public yesterday, unless he wants to announce an increase over the next two weeks, then I would suggest to him that that happen.
No, Mr. Speaker, there is no intention by the government to do any type of increase or decrease in the price of fuel by September 18, in the next two weeks. Again, we have only delivered and purchased almost 50 percent of our fuel supply at this time, so it would be premature to be able to make that type of statement.
Again, that will work and roll itself out over the next several weeks when the completion of sealift has occurred.
Question 616 – 2(4): Additional Guidelines Under the Integrity Act (Tootoo)
Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that the Premier is aware, and we are all aware, that our Integrity Act, under section 38, allows him, as the Premier, to set additional guidelines for his ministers on top of the provisions in the Integrity Act.
Can the Premier indicate if he has, in fact, set up any additional guidelines and when they have been in place since?
Yes, I discuss these issues with the Integrity Commissioners to resolve the problems we have encountered.
Any minister is able to discuss these issues with me to try and resolve the problems beforehand. So we try to be prepared prior to issues surfacing.
Maybe I need to clarify my question.
In section 38, it says that the Premier, in writing, can ask the Integrity Commissioner to review the facts of a given report as to whether a minister has contravened any additional written requirements established by the Premier.
So I’m asking: do those additional written requirements exist outside of the Integrity Act, as outlined in the section, and if so, since when?
I collaborate and work with all the ministers upon their appointment where we explore options and discuss any problems that the ministers may run into, and we try to be as prepared as we can beforehand. This also occurs when we reassign portfolios to the ministers, where we try to resolve issues prior to problems, and we work with the Integrity Commissioners as well as the ministers.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Your second supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
It’s difficult to get an answer. Maybe I would like to ask the Premier a simple yes or no question. Has he issued any additional requirements, as outlined in section 38, for provisions for his ministers to follow, yes or no?
We work with the Integrity Commissioners on those.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Your final supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
Then I guess if you work with them on those that they do exist. So what’s wrong with saying, “Yes, I do have them”?
I would like to ask the Premier: those additional requirements that he has outlined for his ministers, who is responsible for monitoring and ensuring that they are being followed?
The deputy ministers are given the opportunity to work with the Integrity Commissioner if there is going to be a conflict with the ministers.
Question 617 – 2(4): Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (Peterson)
Mr. Speaker, early today I rose to recognize Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what special activities have been undertaken by her department to acknowledge and celebrate this special day across Nunavut.
This is one file that we have been working very hard on to promote awareness in Nunavut. In the past, I had stated and I’m proud that Nunavut is part of a seven-province coalition that studies the impacts of alcohol to the unborn child and studies around how to treat children born with the disorder.
So it’s one that continues to function and provide advice to us on how we can treat people that are born with this mental illness, and of course, it was never the child’s choice to be born with an FASD, and how we can integrate them into the system.
So having said that, this month is, in fact, FASD, or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Month.
The department will be sending out information to all communities in Nunavut through media and through materials developed. The campaign includes posters, pamphlets, t-shirts, bumper stickers, coasters, and fridge magnets.
And the message of this new campaign is that everyone has a role to play in preventing FASD and features a variety of community members stating that they are helping to prevent FASD.
The department is also doing initiatives to train the trainer package that will teach employers and other community partners how they can support individuals with challenges in the workplace, similar to those of which may be encountered by adults with FASD, and will be piloted in November with the second phase to be introduced in January. The training package is to help educate men on FASD and the role they can play in this as well.
So there are a number of activities the department will promote, not only for this awareness week in September but throughout the year, and the department has been actively working with community organizations like the Qulliq Status of Women, the establishment that distributes alcohol to communities, and so on, to try and prevent a completely preventable illness.
I thank the Minister of Health for that answer.
I have a number of constituents in the Cambridge Bay riding who suffer from that disorder and it’s very difficult for them, on a day-to-day basis, to make a go of it.
Mr. Speaker, raising awareness of FASD and providing support for those individuals and families struggling with FASD is not just something that should happen once a year.
And the minister touched on ongoing activities.
I wonder if the minister can update the House on what specific activities are undertaken by her department throughout the year and across Nunavut to raise awareness of FASD.
First, the department is involved in the area of research with other jurisdictions just on this file. We have a Nunavut representative, a well-known individual, who is a member of the Canada Northwest FASD partnership, and that’s Helen Klengenberg. In that committee, there’s a research committee that specializes in the review of prevention and initiatives across Canada, not just in Canada but the United States and other jurisdictions, that we draw on in terms of their experiences and attend conferences.
Having said that, that kind of information feeds into our organization as to what some of the initiatives that we can undertake in Nunavut. One that we do is in the areas of prenatal classes and through public health, that when a woman is pregnant and then public health officials will explain the impacts of FASD to the expectant mother as well as the family.
In terms of getting the information out on prevention, it is also shared through the public health initiative and recently, this past year, we tabled in this House a Public Health Strategy and initiatives in keeping people well and just the impacts of alcohol to the unborn child, but not only that, it’s also smoking and eating well, and so on. There are a number of other factors.
But at the same time, the department is involved in trying to deal with the establishment of a Mental Health Strategy for Nunavut because many of the people that are born with FASD will face challenges throughout their lives.
So it’s not one particular file or initiative, it’s a number of files that we’re engaged in, along with our partners in Education and Justice.
I appreciate the minister’s very detailed answer.
I look forward to reading the Hansard tomorrow to fully digest the answer.
Mr. Speaker, my question for the minister: can the minister clarify what recent progress has been made in developing assessment tools and treatment programs for dealing specifically with FASD in Nunavut?
We have people in the front lines that are mental health workers or nurses that assess individuals with FASD or who have the possibility of having FASD.
Part of the partnership that we’re engaged with Canada Northwest FASD is also to learn, in other jurisdictions, what different assessment tools are in place that can help us guide and better assess our clients.
So there are tools in Nunavut that I am aware of, but it’s from the time the child is born to be seen by nurses, and so on, that that becomes known.
One of the things that we’re trying to do in the work with the Canada Northwest FASD working group is to learn ways to assess children at birth and at different stages in their lives.
I was encouraged when Nunavut became a member of the Prairie Northern Pacific FAS Partnership, a number of provinces and territories across Canada that address this important issue.
I wonder if the minister could update the House today on what activities Nunavut is discussing with the partnership and what information they are sharing with us that could help us address this FASD issue in Nunavut.
The Canada Northwest FASD Partnership consists of seven provinces where we have ministers from the seven provinces that participate in the direction of a research subcommittee that functions under that partnership.
That subcommittee is doing the actual clinical assessments and research in the areas of treating individuals with FASD, whether it is through special education or raising awareness of prevention, and so on.
They have also been partners in participating in an international conference, which was held in Victoria, where individuals born with FASD were leads in the discussions in trying to deal with and integrate individuals with an illness that is completely preventable.
So that work is ongoing and we use reports from those jurisdictions to try and develop programs for our jurisdiction.
We do not have the capacity, as a territory, to do the clinical research and rely on other jurisdictions to assist us in those initiatives.
By having a board member on that committee, it helps us to point out some of the challenges we face in the territory with our population that may have FASD.
Question 618 – 2(4): Status of Medical Staffing in Baker Lake (Simailak)
I, too, would like to direct my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I had asked the same question previously.
The community of Baker Lake has grown significantly over the past few years however the number of nurses providing services at the health centre has not increased. Earlier this year, I raised the issue of adequate medical staffing for the community of Baker Lake and the minister advised that her staff would be looking into the issue as part of the Public Health Strategy.
Can the minister provide an update on the status of the Public Health Strategy and whether or not new nursing staff positions will be allocated to the community of Baker Lake?
Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Leona Aglukkaq.
If I understand the member correctly, he is asking if we are going to be increasing the PY allocation for the Baker Lake Health Centre.
The listing that I have here so far does not indicate that there will be additional PYs and so on.
Having said that, I did commit to the member that I would look in to see where we stand in that through the regional office and I will commit to following that up today.
Mr. Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Minister.