EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When you inspect these tanks, do they go inside?
I would think that rust is what weakens these tanks and water would sit at the bottom. Do they physically go inside and check, for lack of a better word, the floor of the tank?
The minister has identified to defer to Mr. Green.
They are following the five-year cleaning schedule for the tanks themselves.
They would have to physically go into the tanks to clean the tanks.
They usually weld open a section of the tank and go in and do their cleaning.
On to a different matter, my counterpart talked about fuel truck maintenance and inspections. I think most of the contractors probably don’t have a licensed mechanic on staff. A lot of the smaller communities don’t have any private garages with licensed mechanics on staff.
How does the department know that the inspection was done by a certified mechanic?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, Mr. Sammurtok.  My apologies.
The minister deferred it to Mr. Green.
As part of the contract that we sign with the fuel distribution contractor, part of the requirements under the contract is to ensure that there is a licensed mechanic available that meets the requirements to service fuel delivery vehicles.
In order to ensure this, it is the responsibility of the regional project officers, when they go into town, to check the records and make sure that the repairs are done by a certified mechanic.
I’m not sure how often this was done in the past, but as I mentioned earlier, certainly one of the things that I will be working towards is improving the contract management of PPD fuel contracts just going forward.
I certainly want good recordkeeping and I certainly want my staff to be in those communities on a quarterly basis to actually make sure that the proper maintenance and any other responsibility for fuel distribution is being done.
According to that, then, when a company is bidding on the fuel delivery contract, when it comes up, they must state a licensed mechanic as part of the bidding process. I assume that that is checked out, that this person is actually a licensed mechanic.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) The minister has deferred it to his official.
Once again, it’s the responsibility of PPD, as part of their contract management, to ensure that the licence is done by a certified mechanic.
Going on to a different topic, in prior years, the department’s business plans have indicated that there has been concern regarding compliance with federal regulations with respect to fuel resupply lines.
What is the status of this issue?
Let the record show that the minister has deferred it to the deputy minister.
Right now, we have funding available to fix communities where the resupply pipelines are not meeting the regular requirements.
We are working with Environment Canada and they’re developing a plan to bring forward for consideration in the GN’s capital plan to get funding to address the remaining upgrades that are required for the resupply pipelines.
Mr. Savikataaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank them for the response.
Following the list of names, Community and Government Services.
Information Item. Petroleum Products Division. Mr. Enook.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a brief question on this item. As we are all aware, global fuel prices have continued to drop and the current price is quite low.
Perhaps this was already enquired about in a question, but I have two related questions that I want to ask, with your forbearance, Mr. Chairman.
First, in the approaching fiscal year 2015-16, has your department already purchased the petroleum products for next summer? Further, based on the actual prices, how much does your department expect to save due to this drop in oil prices?
If I can be allowed to ask two questions, Mr. Chairman.
Yes, we have all the petroleum products ordered while their prices are low. They are just waiting for delivery. I answered the second question during my opening comments in Committee of the Whole where I stated that our department had realized a savings of $32 million from this early purchase.
Now with that sizeable amount being saved through this early purchase by your department, can our communities have the expectation that this fall when the tanker ships offload the petroleum products, fuel prices will be lower based on the huge amount of funds that were saved?
Once the petroleum products we purchased have been offloaded to the community tank farms, it will become clear as to the actual costs of shipping the fuel to the tanks.
After the fuel has been delivered to all communities and we know the final costs, we can work on a plan to determine the price.
I just have a couple of quick questions here.
In the business plan and priorities from last year, this year, and next year, it talks about the Point of Sales System software. In the 2014-15 status, it says that “The Terms of Reference for RFP has been completed for the system” and “the RFP will be issued by the end of this fiscal year.”
Maybe if we can get an update on that, Mr. Chairman. Has that RFP been issued?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Again, with your permission, I would like to defer that to my expert.
The RFP was issued in December 2014 and is currently now closed and we are doing the evaluation.
We expect to have that awarded very shortly.
In the scope of the fuel delivery system agreements, it talks that “It will streamline contractor operations and therefore result in more competitive commission rates.” How much of an impact are commission rates upon the fuel costs to residents of Nunavut?
The minister has, for the record, deferred to his official.
Based on my knowledge, I think the annual commission rate for the fuel distribution agreements for 24 communities is around $8 million.
If we are looking at last year’s, the last numbers I have, not including avgas, about $115 million, we’re talking just a little over 5 percent of the overall cost.
That seems to be correct.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Community and Government Services.
I have no more list of names. (interpretation) If you can raise your hand beforehand, I would appreciate it.
An Hon. Member: We need a flag.
Mr. Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I’ve got one quick question.
In your three regional offices, are all the positions filled?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) We don’t have that information right in front of us; however, I would be happy to provide it to the member. (interpretation) Thank you.
Mr. Sammurtok: Yes, I sure would like to have that list. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: I’ll just repeat what I said, that I would be happy to provide that information.
Chairman (interpretation): My apologies. (interpretation ends) I have no more names on my list.
We will go back to J-3.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $230,969,000.
Closing comments. Hon. Minister, Mr. Sammurtok.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Thank you very much.
I wasn’t expecting to finish today; I even brought my camping gear.
However, thank you very much. I think, over the last couple of days or three days, you have expressed your concerns and thoughts, and we will certainly work as a department to ensure that we will try and meet your expectations. (interpretation) Thank you.
Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please escort the officials out of the witness table.
We will now take a 10-minute break before we proceed to the next item. We will be dealing with the Department of Education.
>>Committee recessed at 17:43 and resumed at 18:01
Bill 16 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2015-2016 – Education – Consideration in Committee
Chairman: I would like to call the committee meeting to order. (interpretation) I say “good afternoon” to the people of Baker Lake and Nunavut.
(interpretation ends) I would now like to ask the Minister of Education if he has officials that he would like to appear before the committee.
I have two people that I want to sit with. (interpretation) Thank you.
Chairman: Does the committee agree to let the minister’s staff go to the witness table?
Thank you very much, Sergeant-at-Arms.
To my left is well known, my Deputy Minister, Kathy Okpik, and to my right is Mark Rose, Comptroller.
You may now proceed with your opening comments, (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, Mr. Quassa.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Good evening, my colleagues.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to meet with the committee to discuss the 2015-16 main estimates and business plan for the Department of Education.
As stated in our mandate document, Sivumut Abluqta, education is the government’s top priority. Our goal is the development of self-reliance and education is the key to realizing this goal. As you may be aware, we are working to provide a vibrant learning environment that encourages academic success, guided by Inuit culture and values.
Mr. Chairman, this learning environment begins with early childhood education, continues with high-quality, consistent kindergarten through grade 12 programming, and adult learning opportunities that are targeted to meet workforce demands.
(interpretation ends) Our proposed 2015-16 budget focuses on providing schools with the teaching and learning resources they need to provide effective instruction in schools from kindergarten to grade 12.
This instruction will focus on the important topic of literacy as we work to ensure that our graduates have the same level of capability as their counterparts across the country.
This budget will also support a key departmental priority: the development of resources and learning materials for early childhood education that reflect Inuit language and culture as well as other critical topics, such as health and safety and career choices and opportunities.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, the department has included $8.7 million in its 2015-16 budget to allow for this important work on literacy to be undertaken.
This funding will allow the department to develop the required Inuktitut guided reading resources and hire and train the learning coaches it needs to provide consistent, effective literacy instruction.
(interpretation ends) Research identifies underdeveloped literacy skills as the number one reason why students fail to graduate from high school. We are beginning to see that low levels of literacy are correlated with poor attendance, lack of motivation, and high dropout rates.
Mr. Chairman, we know that teaching and learning resources alone are not sufficient to ensure student success, which is why our proposed budget also includes substantial new funding for additional positions to support literacy instruction in every school.
We call these positions learning coaches and see that these are a key component in our strategy to support school staff and students to improve learning outcomes. Learning coaches will help keep the focus on literacy skills and will provide support to Nunavut educators.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, the Government of Nunavut has identified increasing literacy outcomes of Nunavummiut as a key priority. The Department of Education intends to help schools increase the literacy outcomes of students through the planning, implementation, and monitoring of a strategic, phased-in, territory-wide literacy initiative.
(interpretation ends) Our approach to literacy instruction is based on balanced literacy.
This is a comprehensive approach to literacy development that uses guided reading, guided writing, and word study through teaching by showing. Teachers will model good reading and writing skills and word comprehension.
Students will practise what they have been shown and move on to independent learning when they are ready. This approach to instruction is more structured than ever before and it will complement the benchmark assessment system that will enable teachers, students, and parents to track and monitor the progress of students and adapt accordingly.
(interpretation) Mr. Chairman, in 2014-15, considerable work on the development and training of resources to support the department’s literacy initiative has been undertaken.
Such work included the production of Inuktitut books for the guided reading series.
We have invested over $1 million with a local Inuit publisher to produce an extensive series of levelled books in the Inuit language.
While the training provided to staff in 2014-15 was an important step towards realizing the goals of the literacy initiative, the department believes that additional ongoing support and training is needed directly at the school level. (interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, the department proposes to provide this support by hiring and training 43 learning coaches, one for each school in Nunavut. The department also proposes to hire six regional literacy coordinators to train and support learning coaches.
The learning coaches will work with teachers and principals to improve literacy achievement in a bilingual setting.
A key focus of the initiative will be the development of the resources needed to implement a balanced literacy approach to reading, writing, and word work. English and French guided reading resources, English and French benchmark assessment, and English levelled literacy intervention resources have already been provided to schools. (interpretation) Mr. Chairman, work has also begun on developing Inuktitut guided reading resources and Inuktitut benchmark assessment tools to ensure that the guided reading resources being developed in Inuktitut are equal in quality to those available in English and French.
The development of Inuktitut guided reading resources and benchmark assessment tools involve substantive costs to the department, costs for which there was previously no funding within the department’s budget.
These resources will be developed in Nunavut with experts in test design and validation, as well as Inuktitut language development. They will be shared with Nunavut Arctic College to train students in the Nunavut Teacher Education Program.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, the desire of this government is to ensure students leave school fully bilingual and have literacy proficiency rates comparable to the rest of Canada. We believe that supporting literacy instruction will help ensure that this is the case.
We know that children begin learning long before they start school. We also know that the benefits acquired in the early years through early childhood programs that provide well-structured, consistent, and culturally relevant surroundings help to inspire confidence and build personal strength. (interpretation) Mr. Chairman, this positive experience improves the young child’s sense of well-being. The associated benefits stay with them throughout the school years and beyond.
In support of this, our proposed budget includes $300,000 of new funding each year for the next six years to develop resources and learning materials at the early childhood education level. It is our expectation that such resources will be instrumental in the development of our youngest learners, helping to ensure that they are adequately prepared for the transition to school and lifelong learning.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, since 2007-08, the department has covered the costs associated with many program and service enhancements, many of which included additional school staff positions, by funding them from within our existing budget.
The cumulative amount of costs related to program and service delivery funded from within the department’s existing 2014-15 budget is $10.3 million.
Mr. Chairman, it is important that the department has the financial means it requires to develop the resources needed and hire the staff required to deliver effective instruction.
With this in mind, the 2015-16 budget includes $5 million in new funding to offset the costs associated with programs and services that have been funded from the department’s existing budget over the last several years.
In order to deliver consistent, quality education to Nunavummiut, we have put forward a budget of roughly $202.9 million for the 2015-16 fiscal year.
This represents a $14.9 million increase over last year’s budget. This increase is largely comprised of the three components I discussed above.
The great majority of our proposed budget is allocated towards compensation and benefits, just as it has been in years past. (interpretation) Mr. Chairman, we are confident that the 2015-16 budget will give the department the financial resources it needs to ensure that all aspects of the department have the financial capacity to provide its programs and services.
I look forward to working with the committee and my colleagues to improve education outcomes so that we are able to provide Nunavummiut with the best possible opportunities for the future.
Mr. Chairman, I am happy to respond to questions from the committee.
Chairman: Ma’nalluavik, Hon. Minister, Mr. Quassa, Minister of Education. (interpretation) Does the Chair (interpretation ends) of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness have opening comments?
(interpretation) You may proceed, Mr. Joanasie.  Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
As the Chair of the Standing Committee on Social Wellness, I am pleased to make opening comments as we begin deliberations on the proposed 2015-16 budget of the Department of Education.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Education’s 2015-16 operations and maintenance budget is almost $203 million, which is almost $15 million more than its 2014-15 budget.
The standing committee notes that the department is proposing to focus considerable effort and resources on literacy-based initiatives as well as increasing resources and staffing in the area of early childhood learning.
The standing committee was very pleased to receive updated copies of the department’s action plans which were developed in response to the Auditor General’s 2013 reports on education in Nunavut and the safety of schools and child care facilities in Nunavut, as well as correspondence describing and clarifying departmental progress in specific areas of concern noted in these reports.
Mr. Chairman, the Department of Education’s ongoing focus on early childhood education is very welcome.
Members agree that education begins well before children enter the school system and support initiatives to provide additional training for early childhood education staff.
In many communities, the lack of daycare spaces or the high cost of daycare, especially for individuals who are themselves still students in the education system, remains a concern.
The standing committee was pleased to note that the department is reviewing options to increase kindergarten hours across the territory, although members acknowledge that consideration must be given to the availability of classroom space and staffing limitations.
Members look forward to reviewing the results of the Child Day Care Act review.
During the minister’s appearance before the standing committee to review his draft main estimates for 2015-16, members were pleased to receive details on the department’s initiatives in the area of language of instruction.
The committee fully recognizes the need to develop a full complement of Inuit language material for schools and noted the department’s recent contract with a Nunavut-based company to develop a series of levelled books in the Inuit language.
Members appreciate the minister’s commitment to Inuit language standardization for use in Nunavut’s schools and look forward to updates on developments in this area.
Members note further that the department faces a number of challenges in the area of bilingual language instruction and anticipate that the ongoing review of the Education Act will also address this issue.
Over the years, several Members of the Legislative Assembly have raised concerns with respect to the quality and standard of education that Nunavut high school graduates receive.
Concerns have also been raised and discussed in the media and other public forums regarding the commitment to inclusive education within Nunavut’s education system.
The standing committee appreciates that the department is currently undertaking a review of inclusive education and looks forward to the minister providing the results of that review once it is complete.
Mr. Chairman, the department proposes to add a number of new positions as additional supports and resources for teachers and principals across Nunavut’s schools.
While the standing committee recognizes that learning coaches and literacy coordinators will supplement the programs and services offered to Nunavut’s students, members caution the minister to ensure that efforts focusing on the recruitment, hiring, and housing of teachers remain a priority.
The standing committee recognizes that district education authorities have a wide range of roles and responsibilities with respect to the delivery of education in their communities.
Members have noted that there is a lack of clarity with respect to the role of the Coalition of Nunavut District Education Authorities in supporting district education authorities.
Mr. Chairman, standing committee members were very pleased to learn of efforts made by the minister and his staff, in conjunction with representatives from the federal government, to provide funding for breakfast programs in Nunavut schools.
Members were also pleased to note that funding has been allocated to a number of communities under the Healthy Children’s Initiative and would be interested to receive further detail on how these funds are allocated and spent.
The Department of Education offers a number of programs aimed at supporting adults who wish to improve their educational qualifications, such as attaining a High School Diploma under the new PASS initiative.
Members encourage the minister and his officials to work closely with their counterparts in Family Services to ensure that all adult Nunavummiut requesting or receiving services related to furthering their education or career opportunities are supported.
We are on general comments. (interpretation ends) Do members have any general comments?
You may correct me if you feel I am in the wrong category.
I just wanted to ask a brief question to clarify the issue.
Let me ask and if the Chairman feels I am in the wrong, you may stop me.
Hon. Minister, welcome to the House.
In the Inuktitut version, I couldn’t find the corresponding item as I am not as fluent in English and can’t find the item.
I just want some clarification on page 4 of the English version.
The wording in the sentence (interpretation ends) “guided reading and guided writing” (interpretation) doesn’t have an Inuktitut equivalent or maybe I just can’t find it and this is for the benefit of the Inuktitut-speaking audience.
I just want some clarification from the minister or perhaps the Chairman can identify where this area is as I can wait until we reach it.
I need to understand this part, either now or shortly thereafter.
He would like clarification. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister (interpretation) of Education, Mr. Quassa.
Yes, this is a very important aspect of our priority plans and we have commenced work on it.
I will try to present an overview in language that is clear and understandable.
This (interpretation ends) guided reading and guided writing (interpretation) are the terms used in English.
It is trying to speak to cases where a teacher, for example, has to work with a student (interpretation ends) on a one-on-one (interpretation) basis. The student would work with the teacher.
Firstly, the teacher would read the sentence and then the student would read the selfsame sentence.
That is what is meant by that, not all at once with the entire class, but it is specific to individual students that require (interpretation ends) guided reading.