EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Earlier in this session, the minister tabled an executive summary of a report that he had commissioned on Arctic College, and there were some pretty significant issues raised in that report. He has since then assured the members of this House that they are working on those recommendations, rectifying some of the problems that were identified at the college.
My question to the minister is, would he commit to providing the members of this House what someone in the education field would call a report card, or some kind of a formal update or a progress report, on the actions that the college is taking to rectify some of the issues identified in the report for our fall sitting?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Education, Mr. Picco
During the budget debate on the Department of Education, I said that at that time almost 50 percent of the recommendations that were in the report are either being dealt with or have been dealt with.
At some point, I could update the House on that process, how the recommendations are going.
Again, the board of governors of the college accepted the recommendations; indeed, there were 75 within the report.
Action is taking place on those recommendations.
I am looking for more of a formal response or a report on the issues that were identified in the report.
As the minister indicated, there were 75 recommendations.
I wonder if he would be willing to instruct the board of governors and senior staff of the college to prepare a report that he can table in the House in the fall that outlines the issues, recommendation by recommendation: what the issue was and what actions, corrective measures, have been taken to rectify those.
Yes, we would be able to facilitate that report.
I think it is a good suggestion by the member, and it is something that I would, as the Minister of Education, commit to do and table in the fall.
Question 268 – 2(2): Update on 24-hour Care Facilities – Alzheimer’s Disease
Last November’s throne speech included an important commitment to our senior population. It stated, “In partnership with communities, the government is committed to opening one new 24-hour elders’ facility and care facility in each year of its mandate, beginning next year.”
I understand that the minister has already initiated the evaluation process to determine when these 24-hour elders’ care facilities will be established.
However, my question addresses what specific aspect of elder care?
Can the minister update this House on what specific initiatives her department has been considering to address the needs of persons who are suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementias?
I am sure that all of us are concerned about individuals like that; we have family members with various illnesses.
In regard to Alzheimer’s Disease, we hear of it from all over the place in Nunavut.
Because we don’t have any care facility for Alzheimer’s, we usually send them down South.
I do believe that in upcoming years, we will be able to provide services to Alzheimer’s patients and other various diseases.
We will be able to care for these individuals with these diseases; I will look into that further.
One of my constituents found space in a home in Baker Lake recently, for three months, for her mother, but it’s short-term.
She will have to come back to the community if she can’t continue to stay there.
My question for the minister: Parliament is at present debating a motion to establish a national strategy, in consultation with provinces and territories, to ensure a nationally coordinated comprehensive approach to Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.
Can the minister inform this House what her department’s position is on this issue?
I appreciate my colleague for bringing this up because there are Nunavutmiut who have Alzheimer’s Disease.
I forgot to mention earlier that home caregivers are very busy at this time and we’re initiating that and promoting home care.
In regard to the member’s question, we are now seeing more and more of that kind of disease in the South.
Once I hear of any Nunavutmiut having that kind of illness, I will let you know right away.
In the Northwest Territories, our counterparts have recently noted a projected increase in the number of seniors in their territory, and the possibility of building a dedicated dementia facility is being reviewed.
Can the minister update this House on whether similar studies and considerations will be looked at here.
Yes, I appreciate the member’s question.
Yes, we will look into that and find out more about it.
I expect to see more cases occurring in Nunavut.
There are other illnesses that are occurring in Nunavut too; there are approximately 755 illnesses.
The Department of Health and Social Services is working really hard to make sure that there are caregiving services.
Yes, I will look into the member’s question, and I will look into that matter. I appreciate him for asking those questions.
I would like to thank the minister for appreciating my asking questions; it’s good, healthy debate when we get these things out in the House on behalf of our constituents across Nunavut.
Can the minister tell us if the government of Nunavut keeps records of Nunavut residents who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.
Yes, we all want to provide support and assistance to people with illnesses and we want to inform the public about these possible illnesses.
Yes, Alzheimer’s disease is very important, and I’m sure that once they diagnose people at the local level, we’ll hear about it.
Question 269 – 2(2): Safety of Service Drivers
Can the minister tell me or the House how his department has responded to the problem occurring in the High Arctic in regard to fuel truck drivers.
My officials were going to go up to the High Arctic to actually look into this matter, and if they found any problems occurring, then they were going to deal with them and rectify the problems.
When will the Government of Nunavut formally act on the recommendations made in the coroner’s jury’s report?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Some of the recommendations from the coroner’s report have already been acted on and some of them are being considered, to make sure that the majority of the recommendations could be implemented as soon as possible.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Recommendation number two of the coroner’s jury is to increase the number of training courses for the operation of heavy equipment and heavy trucks in Nunavut.
Can the minister tell this House what additional training will occur in response to these recommendations?
A majority of the staff are trained in air breaks, heavy equipment operating, and this training program will continue in the municipalities.
They are also following the coroner’s recommendations, and the needs of the communities are acted upon, especially when our communities request a certain type of training. Yes, that will continue.
There is a contract in place for fuel delivery in the High Arctic, so what will happen to the contractors or the contract that they are holding once they find out that they have to follow the rules?
The heavy equipment operators and the fuel and water delivery truck drivers have to have an adequate licence.
So, if they find out that they don’t have a proper licence, the contract will have to continue.
Question 270 – 2(2): Medivac Contract to Provide Washroom Facilities
The lack of washroom facilities on medical travel airlines, especially in the Keewatin region, has been a long standing issue of concern in our territory.
I have raised this issue in the House a few times, and I have written letters to the Minister of Health and Social Services on this very issue.
Even the KPMG medical travel review tabled last week by the minister states, on page 14, that “Washroom facilities on small aircraft are problematic.”
That was written in 2002, and nothing has been done.
Can the minister tell this House why medivac contracts are negotiated with airlines that don’t meet the RFP specification stated for flights over one hour in duration: “The contractor shall provide washroom facilities on all aircraft on which patients will be flying.”
Yes, this has been ongoing for some time, especially in regards to the medivac aircraft that don’t have washrooms.
I understand that if there’s going to be a one-hour flight, then they don’t need to have the washroom facilities, but if it’s over an hour, then they would have to provide them.
So, that is the reason why we have hired those medivac planes that don’t take an hour to fly.
That’s the response that I can give him at this time.
Back in about 2002, when the government issued a tender for expansion of our water reservoir in Coral Harbour, I was then partners with a local contractor and I put in a bid. It turned out my bid was the lowest of the four bidders, and they turned my bid down because I did not qualify for one item on the specified tender. They, in turn, awarded the contract to the next-lowest bidder who in turn hired my company to do the work, which was not qualified in the first place.
Now, the RFP states that any flight with a duration of over an hour is supposed to have a washroom, and she just mentioned that the RFP does not say that. But I can show the minister that particular, where the RFP says that there is supposed to be a washroom facility on the aircraft.
Can the minister tell me why that has not been followed?
Although we don’t have anything to do with the specifications of the airlines, because of our responsibility at the Health and Social Services, I have to respond to those types of things. The member’s question is very important and I will do my very best to try solve that, along with my colleagues.
What we would like to do is ask the airlines why they don’t have the washroom facilities in their airplanes.
Those companies approach us, and we know that they can do their best to try to provide Nunavutmiut with medical travel.
Question 271 – 2(2): Arctic College Student Family Accomodations
I should have thanked the Minister of Education yesterday for making a statement on the carpenter-framers.
I would like to give my appreciation to him now.
I would like to ask the minister, because he didn’t state this in his minister’s statement in regard to the Nunavut Arctic College accommodations: what is going to happen with those people who are married and going to Nunavut Arctic College with their children and their wives?
What kinds of payment are they given?
As I said earlier last week, in the House: when a student is accepted at a program at one of our three campuses, in those cases, the regional campuses, and we bring students from outside the community in… .
For example, in Rankin Inlet, if we’re running a program there, a student would apply and they would go to Rankin Inlet for the course.
In this case, we have two units available in Rankin Inlet, which are actually leased on the open market from individuals, which provide family accommodations. If a person has a family and they’re taking a program in Rankin Inlet, they are told immediately that there may not be housing available; if those two units are gone, there may not be family housing available.
If the person still chooses to take their family to Rankin Inlet, then under FANS there are monies available for those types of accommodations, if they’re billeted with a private family; within that allowance there is money to pay the billeting family.
Again, it is up to the student how much that student pays the family and so on.
So, that’s how it’s handled right now in Rankin Inlet specifically.
I certainly appreciate the minister’s clarification on some of the information that is really quite important to those young people that have an interest in taking courses in Rankin Inlet, because the campus in the Kivalliq has been in existence in almost or over 20 years, in my view.
I remember recommending capital expenditures for that project.
Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the young people with families that are going to take courses really don’t have accommodations available.
I appreciate the two units that are being made available from the private market, but will the minister commit to establishing a long-term capital plan to allow those young families to stay and have accommodations at the campus?
The issue around the accommodations in Rankin Inlet… . The member is correct, we do have the facilities for single student accommodations, and the need in Rankin Inlet is for family accommodations.
There are monies allocated within the supplementary capital plan, but they are not in the five-year capital plan. Those monies would have to come forward from that plan as a capital plan and be voted on here in the House.
Mr. Speaker, if there were support from all members in the House to do that, then that’s something I would be willing to advocate, on the behalf of the college, to move forward with those family accommodations. But then again, it has to be something that goes before the House first.
Again, I appreciate the minister clarifying these important initiatives. There are supplementary estimates included for housing, but I think the minister should also understand fully that the housing is not only important to the student… .
It’s important not only to the government staff that are applying for positions in Nunavut; there are many millions of dollars made available for staff housing of Government of Nunavut staff, wherever they are.
But the minister had stated, during the last few years, to make a recommendation to the cabinet or to this House that the housing for young people who are trying to make a living and earn their education through these colleges should be one of the priorities.
Will the minister commit that the housing needs of the young people of Nunavut will be one of his priorities?
I appreciate that the member from Rankin Inlet is very concerned with the issues around student accommodations.
Again, as the members are aware, the election was only a year ago in March.
I have only been the Minister of Education for a year, and at that time, what we have tried to do is bring forward and address the capital plan that has to be voted for in this House. If there was a motion from the members supporting extra dollars to be allocated and be found for student accommodations in Rankin Inlet, then Mr. Speaker, that’s something that I would advocate on behalf and for.
Right now, an example: when I look at the college, I have to look at the whole college.
Right now, there are over 30 units being leased, for example, here in Iqaluit, which is costing the college, on the open market, considerable thousands and thousands of dollars.
We are trying to move away from that.
At the same time, on the campus at Rankin Inlet, for the number of programs that are there, there are the single accommodations and they are efficient, but, there is a need for family accommodations. Again, I would say and suggest to the member that I am very supportive of the line of questioning that he has raised, and I support his premise that there is a need for family accommodations.
That’s something that I will advocate, with him, for.
But again, we have to move it from the supplemental plan to the capital plan.
That debate, Mr. Speaker, is not until this fall, when the next capital budget of the government begins, and at that time, I am sure the member can bring those issues forward; that’s something that needs to get the support of all of the House, to be able to move something from the supplemental plan into the capital plan.
I will be pleased to move such a motion to transfer one item from the Department of Education or whoever, or housing, for all that matter, to transfer to the Kivalliq region student housing needs of Rankin Inlet.
We do have ten units that are not occupied in Rankin Inlet, 80 percent completed, 80 percent paid for by the Nunavut Government.
I will certainly make a recommendation that they are made available if I can get the ministers’ support.
Will he do that?
I am just trying to explain the process.
The five-year capital plan is based on the priorities of the government and the department.
The supplemental plan are things that would move forward into the capital plan based on prioritization.
I am not sure the units that the member is talking about in Rankin Inlet, he says that there were ten units, they may already be allocated for staff housing.
They may be allocated for the new hospital that is being built in Rankin Inlet that will come on line very soon, that you will need to staff up.
It would be premature to say that we would move a motion to allocate those ten units, because then you would have to find ten units from nurses or doctors, if that is the case.
So, what I am saying to the member is that, over the coming weeks and months, is that the member… when we review the capital plan for the college, because we still have an ambitious capital plan for some of the other projects within the college itself, and within the whole framework of the government, if that is taken into consideration, then we could move forward.
As I said earlier, remember we are going to have to get the acquiescence and the support of the House to move an item from the supplemental plan, that is no different from any other member, to put in his community of Rankin Inlet.
So, that is all I have said.
I will advocate on his behalf because I believe that there is a need for family housing there.
We are only leasing two on the open market right now because that is all the funds we had at the time.
If we had the opportunity to lease more units then we could do that, because there is a need there.
The Member for Uqqurmiut, Mr. Arreak.
Question 272–2(2): Clarification on the Petition for a Mini Mall
I tabled a petition from those who wish to build a mini-mall in Clyde River and the response that I got from the minister was inadequate.
It is not adequate for what they proposed to get.
During the Northwest Territories days, as opposed to the bigger communities and the smaller communities, on how they can create jobs.
Clyde River, ever since it started, is still going.
When they asked for assistance for developing a mini-mall, maybe the minister can provide me with information who the contact people should be and their phone numbers.
Speaker (interpretation): Can you specify which minister you are directing this to?
Mr. Arreak (interpretation): My apologies.
I am directing my question to the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister for Economic Development, Mr. Simailak.
The information that I gave you is the contact people, because their community has to specify exactly how big it will be and what will be in there and how it will benefit the community.
Those are the things that you have to specify to those contact people that I have provided.
They can assist you with all of that, if they are going to be requesting some funding.
They don’t have very much money, either, to start off, especially when in a non-decentralized community.
Will these people be able to get assistance from Economic Development for designing the building?
The contact people that I listed can help you with those different phases of the proposal, if they’re going to put in such a request.
I have the phone numbers listed for those contact people.
I still have three members who raised their hands.
Question 273 – 2(2): Nanisivik Funding Cleanup of Fuel and Propane Containers
At this time, during the clean up in Nanisivik, there are old fuel containers and old propane containers abandoned between Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet. These were not included in the cleanup of the Nanisivik mine.
I’m asking the minister if the hamlet or the hunters and trappers organization can be provided with funding for cleanup.
Minister of Environment, Mr. Akesuk.
My voice is very hoarse because I have a very bad cold.
The people responsible for cleaning up, the mine owners, would be responsible. As a government, we’re more of a watch dog and we ensure the work is being carried out.
We’re making sure that they do the cleanup the way it should be done and seeing how they can work together.
The people who are doing the actual cleanup are those who own the mine. We, as a government, are more of a watch dog.
The Department of Environment, they have more jobs available for those people who are not working.
I wonder if the government, because they have to go a great distance in order to clean some areas, I wonder if they can provide funding for such a project.
Maybe these will have to be directed to the actual cleaning, because it’s quite dangerous to clean up.
We don’t have funds that are available for the clean up of a closed mine, but we can certainly look into this.
In the future, we will look into how we can get some more funding so the jobs will be available to the community.
At the same time, we still have to follow regulations, even if we’re going to give jobs to the local people, because we have to be careful about how it will affect them.
Local people will need to complete training programs.
Question 274 – 2(2): Justice Committee for the Smaller Communities
Before Nunavut, I used to be on a justice committee for people who were sent to jail or to BCC, even if their offence didn’t seem to be very serious.
I would like to ask the minister: if someone wants to set up an outpost camp, first of all, what training would they need to have?
Yes, I would be more than happy to assist him in his community if there were such a request.
Even if they can’t speak English, we’re more than happy to help them, but they have to be given training to be on the safe side.
We can assist them and help them with the training if they wish to do so.
If they require training, would they have to come to Iqaluit or would the people providing the training go to Sanikiluaq and provide training?
Yes, we can go either way, whichever is most appropriate.
A lot of times they have to do an onsite assessment, to be on the safe side, so they know what facilities are available in the community.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Second supplementary, Mr. Kattuk.
During Committee of the Whole when he was at the witness table, maybe I missed the information. Where can they get the funding if they wish to set up a justice committee? I wonder if they would be able to be paid from the Department of Justice.
Yes, we provide them with startup funds, especially if they need help towards purchasing snowmobiles or boats.
We pay different rates for inmates: for instance $145 per day for one inmate, and if it’s more than one, it would be $135 per day per inmate.
That’s how we pay them.
If the inmates are being handled in outpost camps, are there policies or regulations that the inmates have to abide by while they’re in the outpost camps?
The inmates are very carefully screened before they are sent to the outpost camps since we don’t want to put anyone at risk.
The more dangerous inmates remain at the correctional facilities.
Those who qualify, and, indeed, if they request to go to the outpost camp, they are taught what is expected of them.
Question 275 – 2(2): Liaison with Federal Government
My question is for the Minister Responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs.
I know that the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs is the lead role that liaises with our federal counterparts in Ottawa.
We know that Ottawa is a very interesting place to meet people.
A lot can get done if you have the right people knocking on doors for you to try and set up meetings and that.
My question for the minister is, do they have people that work for the government in Ottawa, that do that type of lobbying for the government, on it’s behalf, whether it be a staff position in our Ottawa office or through a contract with a consultant?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, Minister Okalik.
We do have an office in Ottawa and they organize everything from meetings to keeping track of any needs that any member or minister may have while they are down in Ottawa.
They provide us with support.