EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
That’s the only response I can give the member. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
The minister just stated that if the information is wrong, it goes back and forth.
After spending $4 million, is this going to be corrected where the information does not have to go back and forth and it’s corrected at the source before we have problems?
It is for these reasons that we have been working on a new system.
I regret if I haven’t been answering to the satisfaction of the member. Mr. Suvega can elaborate on that. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
That is the hope and the intent. Of course, with any regular application process, there is an occasional hiccup.
We do our best to respond to any errors made, whether it’s by an act of the applicant or by our staff and/or by our contractors producing the cards.
We are on Economic Development and Transportation. Branch Summary.
Transportation. Total Capital Expenditures. $81,426,000. Do you agree?
Page K-5. There aren’t a whole lot of numbers here. Are there any questions on this page?
Your department’s five-year capital plan indicated that it would spend approximately $7.45 million to construct a new Kivalliq regional visitor centre in Rankin Inlet.
Although your department’s [substantiation] sheet for this project states that procurement and construction will commence in the 2015-16 fiscal year, your department’s five-year capital plan indicates that funding will not be included for this project until the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Why has the timetable for this project been delayed?
Chairman: (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Sammurtok.
I’m looking at the question here and perhaps Mr. Suvega can elaborate better on the cause of the delay.
Mr. Suvega, please elaborate on that.
Given the funding pressures in terms of capital projects, that basically was deferred by another fiscal year to allow time for, perhaps, the government to catch up on things like capital carryovers and other capital funding pressures.
Mr. Sammurtok: In June of 2014, the Legislative Assembly approved a $577,000 capital carryover for this project.
What is this funding currently being spent on?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like Mr. Suvega to continue. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
A lot of that is for preplanning and design work.
One thing I notice with this budget line is that there is no budget associated with it.
One of the things that really concerned me over the last period of time is communication and data as far as Internet access goes.
If the committee will indulge me, I’ll just read a couple of quotes.  In the Prime Minister’s message, speaking to Digital Canada 150, he is quoted as saying, “Recent years have offered us a glimpse into the incredible power of digital technologies to improve the quality of our lives, the productivity of our businesses and the strength of our economy.”
Mr. Chairman, also, I’ve got a quote from the ACIA report, quoting on page 88, “No matter how you slice it, delivering affordable bandwidth to Arctic communities is an expensive business, that cannot be borne by the purchasers of service alone, nor by private sector providers that require a return on their investment to stay in business.”
Mr. Chairman, I’ve got a number of newspaper articles in here that go on to state a number of different challenges that the north and the Arctic in general experience. The title of one is “Fast, affordable Internet? The North is still waiting.”
Mr. Chairman, I have looked up a number of different packages that are available across Canada, for one, but into the three territories as part of it as well.
A comparable in the NWT, a fairly basic commercial package is approximately $80 a month, which is about 25 gigs of download at 5 megabytes per second download speed.
In Nunavut, we have a 1.5-megabyte per second download speed and only 20 gigs of bandwidth available and it’s at $260, exponentially higher than other jurisdictions. In Ontario, an unlimited, slower speed, only 10 megabytes per second is $46 a month.
One of the questions to me is: why is there not any work from the Department of Economic Development to assist Nunavummiut, business, commercial, small business, and major industry in enhancing our Internet access to actually develop our economic development department and our economic status across the globe?
Relating to the computer system, cellphones, telecommunications, bandwidth, and those kinds of things, it is obvious that the system in the Arctic can be slow and more technical glitches develop in the kinds of things they have to use like satellites and uploading and downloading.
They have better systems down south.
We don’t have specific responsibilities and so on, but we could provide some funding in partnership with others and we will continue. We understand that these things can slow businesses down compared to operations in the provinces where there are fibre optics and all those other kinds of things that could be used.
We are restricted in what we can do up north. We do have a partner and our partner in the Arctic would be what we would work with to develop the improvement of these kinds of systems.
One of the things that I’m trying to get at is that it’s not so much… . Maybe there is an opportunity for a program to assist small business and industry with bandwidth. I also understand that the major responsibility lies with the Department of Community and Government Services.
The Government of Nunavut’s presentation to CRTC in 2011, from what I understand, highlighted the high cost of Internet and basically telephone and all communication methods across the territory.
At the same time, the government has done very little to encourage access to other bandwidth methods.
I realize we are limited to satellite access to bandwidth, but there are options that I’m aware of in the last four to five years that require some infrastructure spending to adapt our systems to be able to access other bandwidth through access points from different satellites.
I guess I would like a commitment on the minister’s part that he will work with his colleagues in cabinet to maybe revitalize that exploration.
I notice that the Minister of Community and Government Services is looking across from me at the floor here and I may have some questions for him in the House at some point later on this sitting.  At this point, I would like a commitment from the Minister of Economic Development to really work to enhance economic development opportunities in Nunavut.
I think one key component of that is communications. Could I get a commitment from the minister that he will work with his cabinet colleagues to work towards improvements on that matter?
Our department and other departments will continue to work for improvement in the telecommunications area and we will also work with the service providers in this area.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister. (interpretation) I don’t have any more names on my list. We will go back to page K-2.
Department Summary. Economic Development and Transportation. Detail of Expenditures.
Total Capital Expenditures. $81,426,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Does the committee agree that the Department of Economic Development and Transportation is concluded?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, (interpretation) we finished suddenly.
If you have any closing remarks, you may now proceed.
The person, I suppose, is really anxious to come here, and we don’t have any more things to talk about. I would like to thank my officials. We want to tell you that we have noted all of your questions and comments.
Chairman: Qujannamiiktauq, Hon. Minister. (interpretation) Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out.
While they’re setting up, please remain here and we will take a short break until we prepare for the next departmental review and the witnesses have been escorted out.
We will wait for the anticipated minister to go to the witness table.
We will be reviewing the capital estimates of the Department of Education.
Bill 08 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2015-2016 – Education – Consideration in Committee
Chairman (interpretation): Welcome, Minister Quassa. As we commence our review of the capital estimates for the Department of Education, I would first like to ask if you have witnesses that you would like to bring to the table. Minister Quassa.
Yes, I have witnesses that I would like to bring to the table.
Minister Quassa, for the record, please introduce your witnesses.
With me today to my left, who is probably well known by now, is my Deputy Minister, Kathy Okpik, and to my right, who is now well known, Barry Cornthwaite, Manager of Capital Planning for the Department of Education.
Chairman: Qujannamiik, Hon. Minister. (interpretation) Welcome to the House, Ms. Okpik and Mr. Cornthwaite.
Minister Quassa, as we proceed at this time, if you have any opening comments, you may proceed.
I am pleased to be here today to present the proposed 2015-16 Department of Education capital projects budget.
Under our current government definition, capital projects are any improvement that increases the value and life expectancy of a building.
With 43 schools throughout Nunavut, this represents a significant capital investment.
Our schools host a total of 9,329 students from kindergarten to grade 12: 1,681 in the Kitikmeot region, 3,057 in the Kivalliq region, and 4,591 in the Qikiqtani region.
We know that children begin learning long before they start school.
My department is committed to providing space dedicated to early childhood programs in any renovated or new Department of Education building.
We have planned for space for early childhood programs in the Arviat, Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Repulse Bay projects.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Education’s proposed capital budget for 2015-16 is $37,755,000.
The majority of $37.5 million for this upcoming fiscal year will be allocated to a number of existing projects.
I’ll be speaking in English, Mr. Chairman.
(interpretation ends) Capital projects across Nunavut that will continue during the 2015-16 fiscal year include:
The new middle school in Arviat is tender-ready, with a plan to tender during the fall of 2015.
We have allocated a budget of $250,000 for project evaluation before the project is tendered to be used if necessary.
Work is continuing on the planning of the new middle school in Baker Lake with a budget of $100,000.
Renovation of the Qiqirtaq School in Gjoa Haven will continue with a budget of $11.5 million.
Work is continuing on the design of the new high school in Igloolik with a budget of $250,000.
The new high school project in Repulse Bay is in the construction stage with a budget of $18.5 million.
The Inuksuk High School renovation project has been completed and we have budgeted $100,000 for the second year of a three-year warrantee review.
The IT Infrastructure Project will continue with a budget of $800,000.
This project involves replacement of Internet-capable devices that require regular replacement to ensure they are capable of working with updated software, such as computers, modems, routers, SMART Boards, and printers.
In an effort to develop a more cost-effective and cost-efficient school design, my department is working with the Department of Community and Government Services to develop a standardized school design that meets the needs of the students and staff.
(interpretation) Beginning in 2010-11, we initiated a program to assess our schools.
Mr. Chairman, now that the assessments are done, my department has action items for repairs and upgrades for each school. This year, we have budgeted $125,000 for this work and together with Community and Government Services, we will act on the items identified in the action item list.
We have budgeted $5 million for the ongoing lifecycle repairs initiative.
Lifecycle items are the major components of a building, such as foundations, boilers, generators, roofs, siding, flooring, wall finishes, windows, and air-handling units, which need periodic replacement based on the length of time these items should last in a building.
With the assistance of the Department of Community and Government Services, this initiative allows us to prioritize issues within our schools and prepare a repair or replacement program in a proactive manner. These projects are approved by the deputy minister.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, my department has a minor capital budget.
This budget covers projects that are primarily health and safety related, as well as small projects not identified in the capital planning process. We have budgeted $700,000 to cover repairs, renovations, and upgrades to be approved under the minor capital budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year. These projects are approved once again by the deputy minister, or should I say “my deputy minister.”
We also budget for special needs assessment to ensure that students with special needs are able to access our schools.
This year, we have budgeted $100,000 for this very important initiative.
Through our comprehensive facilities database, we are able to analyze school utilization, building physical condition, and planned program requirements to determine our ongoing and future capital requirements.
Each year, we review requests for school buses and departmental vehicles. In 2015-16, we have budgeted $250,000 for approved vehicle requests.
This past fiscal year 2014-15, my department bought new buses for Taloyoak, Hall Beach, and Clyde River.
I look forward to your questions, comments, and discussion as we review the Department of Education’s capital budget for 2015-16 and the subsequent four years.
I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness as the Committee of the Whole begins its consideration of the proposed 2015-16 Capital Estimates of the Department of Education.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Education’s capital estimates for 2015-16 include six community-specific projects which are ongoing from capital plans of previous fiscal years and six projects which will be allocated to meet the department’s Nunavut-wide capital needs during 2015-16.
Mr. Chairman, members have noted that a number of projects listed on the government’s 2015-19 five-year capital plan, which was included with the 2014-15 capital estimates that we approved earlier in January of this year, are no longer listed as future projects in documents accompanying the department’s 2015-16 capital estimates.
While members recognize that funds need to be realistically allocated within any given fiscal year, it was felt that the government needs to be more transparent in providing information regarding the status of future projects that may have been realigned or deferred.
Members would appreciate regular updates and notifications of any progress or changes to plans for building or renovating educational facilities in their constituencies.
Members have noted that some projects have been underway for many years and ongoing delays have had a negative effect on the final costs.
Members encourage the minister to work closely with his counterpart, the Minister of Community and Government Services, to ensure that projects proceed in the most timely and cost-effective manner possible.
Mr. Chairman, during the minister’s appearance before the committee to discuss his department’s draft capital estimates for 2015-16, the minister and his staff indicated that the assessment of all Nunavut schools has now been completed, and that a list of departmental assets and action items has been prepared.
Members look forward to reviewing the relevant documentation in the near future.
Mr. Chairman, the lack of adequate housing for education staff is a longstanding issue.
Members remained concerned that in some communities, the ability to hire and retain staff has been greatly affected by the availability of adequate housing, which in turn has had an impact on the quality of programming that can be delivered to Nunavut’s students.
While it is recognized that the government as a whole faces many pressures with respect to housing needs, standing committee members encourage the minister to establish a long-term housing strategy for education staff across Nunavut.
Mr. Chairman, the standing committee appreciates the minister’s commitment to dedicate space within any new or renovated school facility towards the Early Childhood Education Program.
Members encourage the minister in his efforts to provide support and assistance to ensure that early childhood programs can be delivered in a safe and effective manner in all communities, whether they are located in schools or other facilities.
Members further encourage the minister to work closely with district education authorities and other community representatives to ensure that there is adequate space for the delivery of programming, such as adult education, community recreation, or even to provide shelter in the event of a community emergency.
Mr. Chairman, computer technology is becoming a standard for the delivery of educational courses across Canada.
Members are in full support of the minister’s plans to update the necessary equipment across Nunavut’s schools as technology evolves.
Members note that the Department of Community and Government Services will play a significant role in this process, including the disposal of old and surplus devices.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2015-16 Capital Estimates of the Department of Education.
As we proceed, are there any general comments to the opening comments?
We will move on to the Department of Education’s capital estimates on page G-3.
I’ve just got a couple of quick questions.
Mr. Chairman, earlier this year, information provided with the 2014-15 draft capital estimates in the Department of Community and Government Services had a preplanning section which included projects in Resolute Bay, Iqaluit’s French school, and Taloyoak.
What is the current status of these projects?
I would like to thank Mr. Hickes for his question.
At this time, we are still in the preplanning stage.
I appreciate that response. Thank you.
I just have more of a comment. I don’t think I have any other specific questions. I’ll let my colleagues get to it.
One of the things I noted is that the budget lines for minor projects, the Nunavut school assessments and the ongoing lifecycle repairs, have somewhat similar characteristics to the budget line.
I’m just wondering if it would not be more feasible for the department to propose those budgets lumped together to give them a little bit more flexibility to deal with some of the lifecycle and ongoing repairs, especially in light of the Office of the Auditor General’s report on safety in schools and child care facilities.
I also thank you for asking that question.
In the Department of Education, once we get to the 2016-17 fiscal year, we want to put them together into a budget called minor projects. (interpretation ends) Education will be combining the budgets for the 2016-17 capital plan for consideration into the minor project budget. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
In your opening statements, you said that you have planned for space for early childhood programs in Arviat, Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Repulse Bay.
What are the total needs for space for early childhood programs in Nunavut?
To date, the larger communities are still on the waiting list.
I don’t have the numbers in front of me at this time. I’m sure they hear about them. Every time we are planning to build a new school or if we are going to be renovating a school, we are always going to be installing daycare centres into them.
Up to now in Nunavut, we have many names on the waiting list. Right now, there are 863 names on the waiting list.
If we can divide that up, there are (interpretation ends) 228 infants, 382 preschoolers, and 253 school-age children. (interpretation) That is the breakdown of the waiting list. These are children who haven’t gone to school yet that are planning to go to school.
The majority of them are in Iqaluit. Right now, in Iqaluit, (interpretation ends) 162 infants, 308 preschoolers, and 253 school-age children are on the waiting list. (interpretation) That’s just in Iqaluit.
With that great number in mind, not every community is going to get a new school any time soon; some are.
How are we going to meet the needs of those that are not receiving new schools?
What is the plan? What are the plans of your department to address that need if a school is not being built any time soon?
That is a good question and I thank the member for asking the question.
It’s very true in saying that there are many communities that still need to get daycares. Some communities have a daycare, but it is not enough. They need more and we are aware of that.
The education department has available funding to start up daycares and also everything that the daycare centre would need like the resources.
However, we don’t have any funding to construct the actual daycare building for them. Let’s be aware that… . How should I put this?
We are also encouraging the communities to get more daycares started because we have funding support available.
We do that to all the communities.
What we do as a department is explain to the communities. The local education authorities promote this as well.
With these communities that are going to be told this year that they are going to get space for early childhood programs, Arviat, Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Repulse Bay, which communities are next on the list after that?
As I stated earlier, there are many communities that need daycares. Even though they have a daycare, they still need more.
To date, Arctic Bay’s daycare really needs to be renovated or fixed up.
In Iqaluit, the Nakasuk School needs further renovations, including the schools in Taloyoak and Whale Cove.
Those are the communities that will be looked at next.
Perhaps I will also state that in Arctic Bay, the kindergarten to grade 12 school, the Inuujaq School, is going to be renovated.
Including Taloyoak and Whale Cove, those are the four communities that will go next.
In the opening comments, you talked about the Inuksuk High School renovation project. What was the total cost of the renovations to date?
We have spent $22,000 on that school project.
Chairman (interpretation): Pretty inexpensive, isn’t it?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): My apologies, I didn’t see the rest of the zeros. We have used $22 million to date on that project.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Minister, for your clarification.
Ms. Angnakak.  Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
During the renovations, were any contaminants such as asbestos found?
Hon. Paul Quassa: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for asking that very important question.
There was remediation on mould and asbestos.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Ms. Angnakak.
When asbestos was found during renovations, were parents informed?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Whenever we work on buildings that were built in the 1960s and ‘70s, the older buildings generally have those things.
We also know that the Nakasuk Schools is one of the older schools.
The district education authorities in Iqaluit were kept well informed and they found the asbestos in the crawl space.
Let us be aware that as long as you don’t touch the top crust of asbestos, it can be safe.
However, it can be dangerous if you disturb it.
I just wanted to add that, Mr. Chairman.
In your opening comments, you also talk about developing more cost-effective and cost-efficient schools.
How much money do you think you will save by going this method?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Chairman. Thank you for asking that question.
We always have to consider the price because schools were built with very different costs.
Right now, we are trying to see if we can build middle schools or high schools at around the same cost as a standard, for example, the siding, flooring, and the building materials. I know that other departments are looking into that as well.
How can we build it cheaper? That’s what we try and think of and that is our objective.