EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I think it would be better if we have emergency measures organizations in the communities to ensure that whenever someone is in a dangerous situation, these are the guidelines and resources that we can use.
However, there is no funding available and there is no protocol.
If the Department of Health received a call, then who in the community would be responsible? If Family Services receives a call, then who is responsible? If the RCMP receives a call, what would they do with that information?
Some of them are urgent matters.
Mr. Speaker, I want to say that the communities don’t know what the protocols are. Sometimes they have to call another community.
So I think we should ensure that the communities are prepared for an emergency.
They have to work together and the government should provide leadership within the communities like mental health, for example. It’s not all pertaining to laws.
There are leaders.
There are some bureaucrats in the communities. Also, there are church leaders and some counsellors in the communities. They can be available if they’re encouraged.
Mr. Speaker, let us have more dialogue about this.
Member’s Statement 478 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut Staff Housing (Ugyuk)
I became an MLA in June 2010 and I have been given a mandate.
This is pertaining to Government of Nunavut staff housing.
The teachers have a shortage of housing in Taloyoak.
In past years to date, I have often posed this question. The government employees in Taloyoak don’t have adequate staff housing.
John Ningark, my colleague, mentioned that he wants the people of Repulse Bay to have adequate housing.
I want to ask the minister of housing about this housing issue.
Question 616 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut Submission to the Canadian Competition Policy Review Panel (Aupaluktuq)
In January of 2008, the GN’s Minister of Economic Development made a formal submission to the Canadian Competition Policy Review Panel concerning foreign ownership restrictions in the federal Investment Canada Act regarding the uranium mining and nuclear power generation industries.
Mr. Speaker, copies of this submission are publicly available on the website of Industry Canada.
The GN’s 2008 submission to the federal competition review panel stated, and I quote, “The Government of Nunavut respectfully submits that the Canadian Competition Policy Review Panel recommends the removal of all foreign ownership restrictions pertaining to uranium mining activities contained in the Investment Canada Act.”
Can the minister indicate to the House today if this is still the GN’s position?
Mr. Speaker, the letter was initiated in January of 2008 by the previous Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to production of uranium, it’s considered a sensitive sector, but as you well know and as everybody in Canada knows, Canada is one of the largest producers of uranium, so it’s hardly a sensitive sector. It should be on the downstream side of uranium production, meaning fuel rod production, fabrication, nuclear development, and whatnot.
The Government of Nunavut has a uranium policy and it was put out last year. Every individual project that may be out there is based and looked at through all the regulatory processes, including the land claims process and the Nuclear Safety Commission, who has the ultimate authority on uranium production.
As the member is well aware, there is a series of regulatory processes that we go through and each individual project is looked at on a case-by-case basis.
The minister had indicated in the House here, for the record as well, it is a sensitive sector and it’s case by case.
It is very special and unique to the people of Baker Lake, Kivalliq, Nunavut, and all of Canada.
There are a lot of pros and cons with the potential investment of uranium mining.
I will not elaborate on that, but in this position, I want to ask the minister: can the minister inform the House today what the federal response was to the GN’s submission?
Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information in front of me and I’m assuming, even though I’m not supposed to assume, it’s because that 49 percent restriction is still there.
I imagine that there is no positive outcome for the letter that was submitted to the review committee.
I appreciate the response as well from the hon. minister.
Can the minister inform the House today if the GN has made any other submissions to the federal government concerning foreign ownership rules in such key sectors of our economy as mining, oil, and gas?
Mr. Speaker, Nunavut is a young jurisdiction and our economy is still growing. We take every opportunity that we can to bring our economic development up within the territory.
Mr. Speaker, one of the disadvantages of having some restrictions like that, knowing that Canada is one of the biggest producers of uranium and affecting a young, small jurisdiction from preventing our economy moving forward, it is a hindrance to our economy.
Therefore, I know that my position has been to move forward on this, to have the federal government take a look at the foreign ownership restrictions specifically for mining.
That’s one of the things that we, as a department, will continue to push forward on.
Mr. Speaker, as the member is well aware, there is no real economic activity around the governments within our young jurisdiction and we have to try and take advantage of any economic activity that does come our way.
Mr. Speaker, that doesn’t mean that it’s a free-for-all.
We do have a set regulatory process that is understandable through our Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. Everybody is a participant in that.
Our government is a participant in that; all the Inuit organizations, the community members. It’s a very thorough regulatory process that we go through.
Mr. Speaker, one of the other things that I have indicated in the past is that every submission and every concern is posted on a public website under the Nunavut Impact Review Board.
Again I appreciate the member’s question, but in every situation we look at, when it comes to mineral development and resource development, it is looked at on a case-by-case basis and the merits are based on that.
Question 617 – 3(3): Tuberculosis Nurse Replacement for Cape Dorset (Schell)
Yesterday, I received a call from a concerned constituent that there is no TB nurse in Cape Dorset.
Has this position been cancelled or is there a replacement nurse on the way?
Mr. Speaker, there are a thousand positions within the Department of Health, but I have not heard that that particular position is… .
It’s a position that was funded through the 2012-13 main estimates and, I believe, it was staffed on a casual basis.
It hasn’t been cancelled, to my knowledge.
As Mr. Ningark had mentioned yesterday, TB is a serious situation in Nunavut, especially in the Baffin and in Cape Dorset.
So I would like to ask the minister: when will there be a TB nurse assigned for Cape Dorset?
Yes, Mr. Schell is certainly correct that TB is a serious issue in the Baffin region, as we talked about yesterday.
I will assure Mr. Schell that I will speak to my deputy minister to see where that position is at.
Question 618 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut Staff Housing (Ugyuk)
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I would like to direct my questions to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, it has been brought to my attention that there are currently 14 Government of Nunavut positions that are vacant due to a shortage of staff housing in the community of Taloyoak.
Can the minister explain what the Nunavut Housing Corporation is doing to increase the number of staff housing units in Taloyoak?
Mr. Speaker, there is a shortage of staff housing throughout the communities of Nunavut and Taloyoak is no exception.
At this time, we’re trying to resolve some of these issues, the prevalent issues that affect retaining key, critical government employees, such as teachers.
At this point, there is a five-plex being tendered out there for Taloyoak, which initially was there several years ago but wasn’t completed by the contractor. At this time, we’re expecting construction to start in the early summer in Taloyoak for a five-plex.
Ms. Ugyuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The minister stated that there is going to be a five-plex that is going to be built, but there are more houses that are needed for staff of the GN, which is inadequate.
(interpretation ends) The Nunavut Housing Corporation’s 2013-16 business plan indicates that “The Nunavut Housing Corporation is co-chairing with the Department of Human Resources an interdepartmental committee to review the GN Staff Housing Policy.
The committee is tasked with improving the administration of the program by separating the responsibility for property management and recruitment and retention policy between the NHC and the HR by March 31, 2013.”
Can the minister provide an update on the status of the Nunavut Housing Corporation’s work with the Department of Finance, who is now responsible for human resources, on the GN’s Staff Housing Policy?
Mr. Speaker, I don’t have intimate knowledge of how far the discussions are with our officials between the departments of Human Resources, Finance, and my officials at the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I’m not aware of exactly how long that’s going to take, but once I get that information, I’ll make it available to the member.
Mr. Speaker, creating policy doesn’t necessarily alleviate the huge shortage of staff housing, including public housing, but it’s one of the things that we want to try and make more efficient to retain our key employees within the government.
The people who are working for the government usually have a number listed on which person gets priority for staff housing.
The minister stated that he will be building a five-plex in Taloyoak. Which staff will occupy this five-plex?
Is it for the probation officer? The probation officer got a job in Taloyoak, but they don’t have housing.
Are you looking at listing priorities of whom those houses will be given to?
As the minister responsible for the housing corporation, I do not involve myself in making priorities for who gets the units out there.
Within the Nunavut Housing Corporation, we do have corporate services that act as management personnel to determine, through priorities, in consultation with other departments, such as Human Resources, Finance, and whatever other departments that are necessary to consult with.
They make that determination and their determination is usually by needs rather than wants.
Question 619 – 3(3): Public Housing Shortages (Curley)
I think it has been almost two months since the federal government’s budget was announced.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, communities in Nunavut are experiencing overwhelming housing shortages.
Earlier this week, the minister referred to the recent federal budget, which allocated $100 million for new housing in Nunavut. For the benefit of the listening public, can the minister provide more detail on this new federal funding for housing and how many housing units will be built?
Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the fact that we are being allocated $100 million over a two-year period, $30 million this year and $70 million for the next fiscal year.
Mr. Speaker, as the member indicated, there is an acute shortage of public units throughout Nunavut.
There’s work already being done to get the process started in allocating the units to the communities.
Mr. Speaker, the allocation process is done through data that exists within our local housing authorities and local housing organizations, and at the Nunavut Housing Corporation through the participation of our district offices within the three regions.
Mr. Speaker, these allocations are going to be based on units being allocated to the communities that are most in need.
For the information on the $100 million itself, we do not have that detailed information that is yet to come through CMHC. The details are yet to get to us at this point.
The $100 million still has to be approved through the federal cabinet and we expect that in June. It still has to be approved.
We expect that in June and shortly after, we will get the final details from CMHC after the approval of the $100 million.
Assuming that the federal cabinet announces the budget’s intent through the allocation of the submissions to Parliament, surely they don’t have to duplicate approval of the cabinet.
What I’m trying to get at is exactly for $100 million worth of investment for housing in Nunavut, surely, we must have an idea and may have learned from the past, as an example, which mode of investment is going to be used.
Is it going to be similar to the 2004 projects that were allocated for Nunavut that involved labour-only contracts which, I believe, escalated tremendous costs?
So the question to the minister is: what options are the Nunavut Housing Corporation looking into to maximize this new federal funding investment for Nunavutmiut?
Absolutely, in the budget presented by the federal government, it indicated 250 units.
We’re hoping it would get close to that.
As the [member] is well aware, in the past, there have been some major issues that were brought because of the contracting.
This time around, through lessons learned from the previous funding allocations, we’re going to be using a supply, ship, and erect method of contracting. I believe there’s a potential of maximizing the number of units built for Nunavummiut rather than having the previous difficulties we faced the last time.
Mr. Speaker, the allocation of units is going to be allocated on a needs analysis basis.
I said I had three.
I think it’s the right approach.
I agree with the minister that the supply, ship, and erect is the mode to go because you are now going to be dealing with real estate companies that have expertise instead of just taking advantage of the labour-only provision when you can’t really deliver the time constraints and everything else that is required.
My last supplementary is that there have been a number of strategic plans that the government has adopted involving ten-year plans and that kind of stuff with all the other various organizations throughout, including local organizations, NTI, and the federal government.
Has the minister considered whether or not this concept that was approved once upon a time, the ten-year plan, has been updated or not?
I can put your name on the docket again if you want to ask more questions.
With the rule changes, we only get two supps now, not three.
The housing corporation, with the assistance of various departments within the government, we come up with the framework, the housing strategy plan, and the implementation of the housing strategy plan.
At this time, we’re working on the action part of it and hopefully, once that part is complete, I’ll be able to table it some time this fall.
Question 620 – 3(3): Pangnirtung Fisheries (Oshutapik)
My questions today are for… .
I’m not intentionally asking the same minister and I appreciate the fact that he responds to the questions. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, today my questions are for the Minister responsible for NDC.
I would like to follow up today on some issues that I raised during the winter sitting.
As the minister is aware, the Nunavut Development Corporation holds 51 percent of the voting stock of Pangnirtung Fisheries.
Mr. Speaker, I recall the questions about that. I do not have current information on the status of the processes of the negotiations.
Mr. Speaker, the member is well aware that some of these negotiations do take place in confidentiality.
I do not have that information with me, but once I receive the current status of where the negotiations are, I’ll certainly let the member know.
Many of my constituents would like to participate in this sustainable sector of the economy.
Can the minister indicate how the Nunavut Development Corporation, which is the majority shareholder of Pangnirtung Fisheries, works with the Department of Environment to develop funding programs to help Nunavummiut purchase equipment that will allow them to participate in the fisheries?
Mr. Speaker, within our Department of Economic Development and Transportation, we do have funding programs for initiatives such as that. They’re available on the website.
Mr. Speaker, most communities do make use of the economic development officers that are retained at the hamlet offices.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll make an effort to speak with my colleague here at the Department of Environment to maximize some of these initiatives that Pangnirtung commercial fishermen are looking at.
Export markets are an important source of income for our fishing industry.
Can the minister indicate how the Nunavut Development Corporation is working to identify new export markets for Nunavut’s seafood?
The Nunavut Development Corporation is always at work trying to maximize and find other alternate markets for the economic activities that are happening within the smaller communities. They participate in some of these conferences, such as the Boston Seafood Conference, of course, in Boston.
They’re reviewing some strategic initiatives through their board to come up with alternate ways of looking at maximizing the market potential that’s out there, not just in fisheries but in arts and crafts and other various initiatives that are out there in the smaller communities.
Question 621 – 3(3): Award of Contracts for Dental Services (Enook)
Mr. Enook: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Good afternoon to the people of Pond Inlet and my fellow Nunavummiut. (interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health regarding dental services here in Nunavut and mainly (interpretation) in the Baffin region.
(interpretation ends) On January 7 of this year, the department’s request for proposals for dental services for the Baffin region closed.
Can the minister confirm today how many dental practitioners who are currently practising in Nunavut have been awarded contracts with the department under this request for proposals?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I don’t have that information with me today.
Can the minister inform the House today how many proposals were received by the department in response to the request for proposals?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that RFP may be extended to June 1. I would have to wait until after that to provide that information.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Peterson. Your final supplementary, Mr. Enook.
Will the minister then confirm to this House that no contracts have been awarded under this particular request for proposals?
It’s my understanding that the contract was extended under that contractor. It was set to expire at the end of March and it was extended to June 1. That’s my understanding.
I would presume that that would be the only contract still in place until a new contract is awarded.
Question 622 – 3(3): Public Housing Plans (Rumbolt)
I just want to follow up with some more questions to the minister of the housing corporation in regard to Mr. Curley’s questioning.
The minister stated that the $100 million needs to be approved by the federal government in June.
He also stated that $30 million will be spent this year.
Can the minister indicate how his department will spend the $30 million this year, considering the shipping season will be practically over by the time the money is approved?
Mr. Speaker, in preparation for meeting our deadline of 2014, we do have to make preparations to acquire land.
We are in discussions with the Qulliq Energy Corporation, the hamlets and municipalities to check the availability of lots and that work is ongoing. We do have to make sure that we prepare everything to try and maximize the number of units that are to be constructed with the funds allocated to us.
The minister also indicated earlier that public housing will be built where there is most need.
Will the minister commit to ensuring that every community in Nunavut at least receives some public housing?
I also indicated that we’re trying to maximize the number of units being built.
In order to do that, certain communities may not have some units allocated to them.
As I have indicated earlier, this is going to be on a needs analysis basis. In order for some of these communities to catch up, maybe some of these communities that are out there will not have any units allocated to them.
Again, there are a number of reasons for that.
One of the main reasons is the needs analysis basis. That’s what the allocation is going to be based on and the number of construction companies that are out there in every community. It’s possibly not doable in most cases.
With a short construction season that we have up here, it’s not possible to try and allocate units to every community at times.
I stated earlier that the federal money wouldn’t be approved until June and I said it would be close to the end of the shipping season, but it’s not the end of the shipping season.
Will there be any construction of new public housing this fall at all or will there be nothing?
As I indicated, we’re expecting that the federal funding of $100 million is not approved until June.
Once we get the details from CMHC on how to start the process of making the money flow to actually start construction, that won’t be this year.
I believe the tenders for the units that are being built and constructed for next year are going out this fall.
Question 623 – 3(3): Contract for Dental Services (Curley)
I would like to follow up on a question my colleague from Tununiq asked the Minister of Health on the dental services for the Baffin region, which closed on January of this year.
I believe it is very crucial and important that we be transparent in the way that the services that are requested and offered and the contracts that are offered are open and transparent.
The RFPs were evaluated by the officials of the Department of Health. The contract was awarded to a firm not based in Nunavut but based in British Columbia, primarily to psychiatrics who had previously been in dental services.
So can the minister clearly indicate whether or not this contract is under appeal?
I thank Mr. Curley for the information.
He clearly has more information than I do about this contract.
I have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I believe it’s the mandate of the current cabinet that transparency is the No. 1 priority.
Can the minister clearly indicate why he is not informed about the crucial services that are important to the people of Nunavut?
Mr. Speaker, as a former Minister of Health, Mr. Curley should be fully aware that it’s not the position of ministers to interfere with the approved GN procurement process, awarding contracts, and evaluations.
It’s the continued position of this government that we follow the process and that’s openness, transparency, and accountability.
Mr. Curley: Mr. Speaker, I believe it is very important that the minister not allude to someone from this side that we’re asking the minister to get involved in the evaluation of the contracts.
That was not the question. The question was to provide information as to whether or not the contract has been awarded.
The RFP had been issued, the RFPs had been evaluated and awarded, and the information should be in the minister’s hands.
Now, the question, Mr. Speaker, is if Nunavutmiut are interested and we are.
This proposal, RFP, comes through this program that is important to a majority of Nunavutmiut, which is the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program.
Therefore, Nunavutmiut expect that if the services are requested, it is important to understand exactly who has been awarded the contract, whether or not he has the ability to provide the service.
I’m sure there are some Nunavummiut who are interested in getting some details on particular contracts.
Again, as I said to Mr. Curley in my previous answer, ministers don’t get involved in the RFP process, the tendering, evaluation, and awarding.
That’s what the people of Nunavut want from the government and that’s what we have committed to do.
Tabled Document 356 – 3(3): Government of Nunavut’s Nunavut Lottery Financial Statements, March 31, 2012 (Kusugak)