EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize several individuals.
The first two are former constituents who have been recognized.
They are Mr. Nick Carter, and Ms. Leona Aglukkaq.
And lastly, I would like to recognize a friend of mine, a well-distinguished cultural performer, and a long-time resident of the community who has now become one of the respected elders of the community, and he is also a golfer of limited ability, and that is Mr. Atiima Hadlari.
I would also like to recognize the individual who has been recognized already who is from Sanikiluaq.
I’m sure that the individual will be working very hard for the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit, Rynie Nowdluk.
They provided lunch for us that was good.
I also recognize one of the individuals and I think it was in 1970 the people of Coral Harbour became a hamlet and Sanikiluaq people wanted to do the same thing.
So what they did was travel to Coral Harbour to find out how the hamlet ran and when I got to Coral Harbour, I boarded at their house and I’m sorry that I didn’t recognize him but I would also like to recognize Jackie Napayok.
Speaker: Are there any further recognition of visitors in the gallery?
I’m sorry Mr. Speaker I forgot to recognize the people who are working for the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth I would also like to recognize Jonah Haulli and I forgot your name, those are the people who work for the department and they live in Igloolik.
Members you’ll have to excuse me but we will have to get back to Item 5.
It appears that Mr. Picco would like to be on the list.
Mr. Speaker you left me behind there.
First of all I want to welcome to the gallery two people; first is with the Arctic Coop, a good friend of Mr. Kelvin Ng, Mr. Nick Carter, a long time government employee and now with the Coop.
And leaving us right now is Metuq Nowdluk.
Metuq is a constituent of ours, and Mr. Iqaqrialu is a good friend of the people here.
Do we have any oral questions today?
Question 607 – 1(6): Age Requirement to Pay and Rent
Yesterday I was asking about the income support division in the Department of Education and I said that I would be directing my question to the Minister responsible for Housing.
Young people have to pay rent when they have an income, and they usually have seasonal jobs such as in the summer when they are out of school and they make a contribution to pay the rent during that time.
It was mentioned earlier, where one of my colleagues stated that as soon as they are 15 years old, they have to pay rent.
My question to the Minister is how old do they have to be?
Speaker: Minister for responsible for housing. Minister Ng.
There is no age limit on that, on the issue of generating income, and for youth in a new rent scale, for the first five thousand eight hundred dollars worth annual income, which we assess, anything over and above that would not be assessed.
And, again, based on a new rent scale we’ve done once a year, and come into effect the following year after they’ve started working.
Speaker: Oral Questions, supplementary.
As an elder, if I was sixty years old, and I have grandchildren living with me, if my grandchild had a seasonal job, he or she would have to pay the rent, and the Minister has stated that there is no age requirement, so possibly if I was still 12 years old and had a summer job, I made over five thousand two hundred dollars, would that mean I would have to pay rent on the house?
Mr. Speaker, based on the new rent scale, yes, it would mean, in the following year that you would be assessed, that individual would be assessed that portion into that household but having said that, circumstances change, and the individual wasn’t working at that time, and that would be a factor, that wouldn’t be assessed.
It seems like we have to make changes to the rent scale because young people do not have the incentive to go to work or to get employment because the rent increases dramatically.
If I paid thirty-two dollars a month, up to from thirty-two dollars to ninety dollars, my grandchild would have to make a contribution and the rent would jump up from thirty two dollars to ninety dollars.
Is it possible for your Department to review the rent scale or is that the responsibility for the Nunavut Housing Corporation?
Mr. Speaker, earlier a couple of days ago, I believe the Member was still in transit, I indicated that local housing authority association are in town right now, for a workshop on the new rent scale and there were some problems identified and they will make some adjustments on that new rent scale.
But having said that, I want to clarify, I am speaking now on the new rent scale, and the former rent scale before a few months took place, had all income generated being assessed immediately.
And the youth category is based on the age of 15 to 25, which is what we are using right now, so this current rent scale takes a lot more into consideration and taking away this disincentive to work, if you started to work this year, you wouldn’t be assessed.
Those individuals, not just youth, but any individual wouldn’t be assessed for a year, but it would take place a year down the road.
And having said that, there is also a cap on it, like I said the amount of $5,800 for youth.
Anything over and above that it would not be assessable income.
So it is to show really what the housing managers, and housing board of directors, in developing a new rent scale, really show that people wanted to contribute to the operations of the house, to the operations of the social housing programs.
So that is why this was put into place and I think there have been positive amendments in the new rent scales to reflect that.
The youth have to contribute to the monthly rent.
If they make $5,800 or over.
Do you have an age requirement that have to be factored in if youth wants to apply for housing?
Or do they start from fifteen years old and on?
Is it possible for a fifteen-year-old youth to get a house because they have to make a contribution to the rent?
Mr. Speaker, no, a fifteen year old is still deemed a minor and a dependent of their parents, so they would not be eligible to put in an application for public housing.
I believe the age is either eighteen or nineteen.
I will clarify exactly which one of those two it is.
Question 608 – 1(6): Department of Fisheries and Oceans in the Kitikmeot Region
My question is for the Minister responsible for Sustainable Development.
I wanted to suggest that while we were in Kugluktuk they wanted to know about how the Department of Fisheries and Oceans operates.
I know that the Minister works with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans; I am just wondering, do they have a DFO presence in the Kitikmeot region?
I would like to find out if the Minister has that information for me.
Are you working with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in the Kitikmeot region?
I cannot respond to his question, because we are not informed where the DFO is situated.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has an office here in Iqaluit, so it would be better if you asked for the information from there.
I would like assistance from the Minister, because I know that you work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans here in Nunavut.
If we had a Department of Fisheries and Oceans office in the Kitikmeot region, I think that it would be more beneficial for Kitikmeot residents.
Perhaps they can approach the DFO head office in Ottawa if they could set up an office in the Kitikmeot region.
If the Minister maybe perhaps can ask the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to have offices in the region.
I would probably write to the Minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
As the Nunavut Government, I could probably see what I can do and write a letter to my counterpart and make that request.
It is reassuring that the Minister is willing to help out in this matter and will be working with the Department of Fisheries in order to help us out in Nunavut.
When will you be writing a letter to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to see if they can have more offices up here in Nunavut?
My staff will have to look into the matter and see how they can proceed.
There will have to be a review, so at this point I cannot tell you when I will be writing that letter.
I can initiate the process and if I should meet up with my counterpart we can initiate the discussions on this matter.
Question 609 – 1(6): Number of Vacant Staff Houses in Nunavut
Mr. Speaker my question is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, who I stated earlier in my Member’s statement, is responsible for the sometime chaotic housing situation that we face here in Nunavut.
And I know this is an issue that I have brought up on numerous occasions over the years with the Minister, but I’d like to ask the Minister if he could inform us as to the number of vacant staff housing units that we have here in Nunavut and where they are.
Yes, we have 38 vacant units out of approximately 1100 units throughout Nunavut and of that 9 of them are here in Iqaluit, 10 are in Pond Inlet, 3 in Igloolik, 8 in Pangnirtung, 2 in Cape Dorset, 3 in Arviat and 1 each in Qikiqtarjuaq, Arctic Bay and Clyde River.
Mr. Speaker I know for the ones here in Iqaluit, I’m wondering why we have vacancies here in Iqaluit, there seems to be a shortage of staff housing.
Could the Minister indicate why are they vacant and don’t have staff to put in them?
Or what.
Like why do we have vacant staff housing when most ads that are going out there in the paper saying these positions don’t qualify for staff housing.
So can he provide us with an indication as to why the units that are vacant throughout Nunavut are vacant?
I should clarify the numbers I quoted was as of September 23 and obviously things change day by day, week by week in any organization.
I can’t say it’s more or less as a result of people moving in and people moving out, it’s rare to have 100 % occupancy, unless they have a turnover that is not, that’s stable I guess that isn’t there.
But anyways having said that Mr. Speaker we will find out the details of that and report back to the Member.
First thing I guess is hopefully that it’s turning quickly, that that happens.
Mr. Speaker I know it’s been raised in this House before by Members where they have staff housing in their communities that people don’t want to live in because of the state of the unit.
Can the Minister indicate if we have any staff housing units that are vacant because they can’t be lived in?
I do know that there are 10 units that we have in our inventory of 1,100 that are under repair right now.
Mr. Speaker I’m wondering if the Minister could indicate the information he is getting to us, one where those units are and how long they have been vacant, whether they are just under repair for minor things or if they have been vacant for a long time.
And if they are, if they have been vacant for a long time are we continuing to pay for leases because if he’s indicated if they are under repair is that something that violates the lease that the government has with the owner?
And is it necessary for us to keep paying those lease costs?
Of the units under repair I can tell you there are 5 in Nanisivik, 2 in Resolute Bay, 1 in Arviat and 2 in Igloolik and yes we will provide that additional information.
Question 610 – 1(6): Other Plans to Improve Health Centre in Taloyak
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Sorry for the cracking noises Mr. Speaker.
My question is directed toward the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker last year the plan for renovating the health centre in Taloyoak was cancelled because the second floor couldn’t be added, as it was not structurally possible given code requirements.
Mr. Speaker, the current centre is small and crowded with a mixture of nurses and social workers.
In addition, the facility is so small, patients who are waiting can hear confidential conversation between other patients and staff including the telehealth worker.
Mr. Speaker can the Minster tell me what other plans have been made to meet the urgent need for a new health centre in Taloyoak and due to inadequacy of space for social workers and work of a confidential nature, what are the new plans for the Department of Health and Social Services regarding this health centre?
Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to say that the Member representing Taloyoak has been very vocal in his support of moving forward on the Taloyoak health centre.
The Member is correct we did complete some renovations on the facility; we had planned to do more but the structure and the integrity of the building did not lend itself to that.
At the present time, Mr. Speaker, the functional program for the renovations for the proposed addition to the Taloyoak health centre is currently under final review so the plan would be right now to move forward on the addition to the Taloyoak health centre as it is under final review.
So the plan would be right now to move forward on the addition to the existing health centre.
And thank you to the Minister for being aware of this problem.
However I’d like to ask, Mr. Speaker, in 2003-2004 the Department of Health and Social Services used $670 thousand for planning renovations to the health centre in Taloyoak.
Can these plans still be used and modified so that funds were not wasted.
Mr. Speaker are there additional funds in the budget to use an additional $670 thousand dollars for the planning?
Mr. Speaker I said earlier the functional program for the renovation as well as the proposed addition is under final review.
Once that is completed Public Works and Services will then issue a request for proposal for design services for the facility.
Mr. Speaker I want to say that this is moving forward as the Member has indicated through his excellent support for the community of Taloyoak.
We had requested supplementary capital of funds in the budget for 2004-2005.
However, based on the needs of the government as whole we weren’t able to get those monies at that time for the facility.
However, we are looking at putting it into the budget and we would hope that if the funds are forthcoming in the capital budget we could start construction on the renovations themselves as well as the addition if the functional program review is complete in 2005-2006 to move forward with the much needed renovations as well as the addition to the existing facility.
To my understanding 2006-2007 would be the start date for the construction of the renovation and I’m well aware that his department will be quite busy for a few years in the construction of new health facilities.
However as I stand here it is the year 2003 and what I’m trying to get across is that the residents of Taloyoak need the most understanding; I stand in representing the need of the inadequacy of space in their health facility.
2003-2004 can’t the department start then?
Or is it impossible at this point?
It is an urgent matter if you really think of it.
As I said earlier the problem was we had included the Taloyoak health centre on our supplemental request but there weren’t funds available and as the Minister responsible like many other Ministers for the government we can’t put in the budget something that we haven’t got the funds for down the road if it would be a multi-year project.
So, Mr. Speaker what I tried to do was access the money that is available, I think it’s a little over $70 thousand to complete the functional program and review to do the design for the facility and then, Mr. Speaker, try to be expeditious and try to put in the budget for 2005-2006 and move it forward.
So it’s not in the capital budget for this year unless there was extra funds that became available or if there were slippage funds in the other capital projects in the Department of Health, than I could reallocate those monies to Taloyoak.
Mr. Speaker that is something that I would be willing to look at in cooperation with the Cabinet to redirect funds if I had slippage to look at…as indicated by Mr. Ng, not very often there is slippage within the department.
Mr. Speaker, what I would try to do is to put the money towards the project in Taloyoak.
We realize Mr. Speaker, that there are concerns with the size of the facility.
I committed to the Member in the committee that we will have the capital planner to meet again with the hamlet and go in there.
This afternoon during the Capital Budget debate on the Department of Health and Social Services we’ll be able to get into some more detail on Taloyoak when the Capital Planner is here with us.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you to the Minister for his response.
As a government, and I’m quite well aware that the Bathurst Mandate is what we fall back on as Members and as government so that the needs of Nunavummiut are met and are taken care of.
Looking at the situation in Taloyoak, I think it’s quite urgent and I’m wondering if the Minister can direct his officials to ensure that the Taloyoak Health Centre is made a priority and done earlier than planned.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Member.
What I will do is, and I did this about two weeks ago when we met with the Standing Committee on Health during the Capital Budget review of the Standing Committee with myself as Minister to instruct the department to review the situation in Taloyoak again to see if in the mean time if there is an opportunity for some minor alterations that we could put in place to alleviate some of the concerns that have been brought over.
In the mean time, is there a way to be expeditious and bring forward the Capital Planning process for Taloyoak?
So we’ll make that commitment.
I actually have a letter to the Committee, to Mr. Nutarak, the Chairperson of the Committee, concerning Taloyoak, and it should be translated by this afternoon and the Committee would have that by tomorrow, when the commitment will be made.
We also have committed to bring the Capital Planner and the Regional Director for the Kitikmeot to Taloyoak to meet with the hamlet to go over the concerns on the health centre.
Question 611 – 1(6): Supply Ship and Labour Only Contract for Housing
I almost got lost there listening to that lengthy answer, but as usual Mr. Picco is good at it.
Mr. Speaker my question today is to the Minister of Housing.
Over the last couple of days, Mr. Speaker, there have been issues brought up regarding housing, small business development, contracts, etc, but at the end of the day if the government doesn’t come forward and help small business there won’t be any left.
So my question today to the Minister of Housing is in 1997 and 1998 there used to be a shipping and supply contract and there also used to be just labour only contracts from Public Housing.
When you were the District Manager, you used to, in Arviat, many years ago, used to put out labour only contracts in housing projects and a lot of small business people got contracts and started up their businesses.
But in the last five years, and we heard today that there were over 300 units built in Nunavut in the last few years and I know not many of them were labour only contracts.
Would the Minister commit to doing a pilot project and maybe this year, or next year, or the year after put out labour only contracts on public housing units?
Speaker: I’m not sure if that requires an answer Mr. Ng. Mr. Ng.
I indicated yesterday that in fact, a pilot project has taken place in Kitikmeot for exactly that; supply one year and construction/labour for the following year.
Having said that, recognising the issues the Members have raised and the support that this government places on the local entrepreneurs and the small business operators in each of our communities, that I’ll make a commitment that will broaden this project to all of Nunavut communities for this coming construction year.
I'm sure that’s the answer what everybody in Nunavut wants to hear, except for a few big corporations.
Can he also free Kivalliq this year the pilot projects on two separate entities, supply and ship and labour only for next year and all his projects?
Can he commit that now?
I thought the Member understood English.
I said yes, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Oral Questions Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Question 612 – 1(6): Revision of Rent Scale
The Minister of the Housing Corporation said that his staff were reviewing their rental scale from the local housing authority. In the communities is that a true commitment, that yes they will be revising the rental scale?
Mr. Speaker, just to clarify the local housing association authority along with Housing Corporation staff are attending this review of the current rental or the new rent scale that is put in place.
I can commit that if there are problems, we will make revisions, but I haven’t heard the outcome of those deliberations, but the workshop was taking place, and once that is finished than I’ll have a better opportunity to asses what issues are out there and see what actions may be required.
That’s a very good response, and it’s very good to hear.
The residents of Nunavut who are not employed and this new rental scale has been a very hurtful experience for a lot of Nunavummiut.
Could he make a further commitment that once these recommendations come in on the new rental scale that he will table it in the House, so that we know right away and that’s so we can inform our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, yes and if the House isn’t sitting I’ll make a further commitment to provide all Members with translated copies of those recommendations.
Question 613 – 1(6): New Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Members Terms of Reference
My question is directed to the Minister of the Culture, Language, Elders and Youth and it’s regarding the Ministers’ Statement.
It was very good to see the elders who are going to be dealing with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the Minister stated that these groups will be meeting with the Deputy Minister.
Would that group that was introduced today be meeting with that Minister as well?
The Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit will be able to meet with the government departments and they will be; the Deputy Ministers and the Ministers will be available to meet that group as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Miss Williams.
I will be asking my question in English (interpretation ends).
Mr. Speaker, are the terms of reference laid out for this group?
I’m sure that the government wrote the terms of reference and there was an incident whereby a resident of Coral Harbour who wanted to hunt polar bear traditionally and they had some kind of a group of elders that were advising the government was told to make some recommendations.
And we had problems as Members of the Legislature and one of the elders who was interviewed by CBC could not respond and I would like to ask the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth the recommendations of the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit, will they be brought to this House and discussed by the Member of the Legislature or will the government just state to us that this is what the recommendations of this group is.
Just to clarify to the Members of this House in regards to the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit will not be able to change the legislations, but what they will be doing is advising the government departments, to give them advice on how the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit are to be used by the government.
And the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit will be working with all the departments of the government and at the beginning of their mandate they’ll probably just be in the planning stages and as the years go by we will eventually see some changes within the government.
It’s a real welcome to see the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit, there are 11 appointed, but there is not very much money that is allotted.
How many times will this group be meeting and will they have adequate money to travel and to have hotel accommodations and honorarium and stuff is that already planned or is that already done?
Regarding the 11 appointees for Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit, we have already informed them that this year at the beginning of their mandate that they will be meeting about 4 times and their money has already are approved.
Question 614 – 1(6): Problems with Grizzly Bears in the Communities
Thank you for recognizing me, Mr. Speaker.
My question is in regards to a question that I had last year.