EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I’m not exactly sure how many summer student employment positions will be open in Baker Lake, but we are really encouraging all government departments in the communities to prepare employment plans so that students can find employment.
Until those plans have been submitted, I can’t give a complete response.
Yes, it will be very good to hear what plans are in place for the government on student summer employment in Baker Lake especially.
Can the minister tell us how you inform out-of-town students, whether they go to school in a different community or down south, of upcoming summer employment opportunities available in the communities?
Perhaps I can give some information first. In 2008, student employment is continually being developed. To date, we have received 106 applications from students.
What we are doing within government departments is informing them via email and the news media, such as newspapers, and we do sometimes announce it over local radio.
Can the minister inform us when and how many summer student positions will be available in Baker Lake?
We will be able to announce that only when school is out.
In 2008, we have put aside $550,000 for summer student employment and we hope to spend that amount of money depending on how many students we hire.
Does the Department of Human Resources usually do some kind of survey as to the numbers of students that can gain employment in the summer?
Do they go by their grades or their maturity, or do they just provide summer employment so the student can work for the summer and have spending money?
Yes, I can answer.
In April 28, 2008 to August of 2008, the students will gain summer employment with the departments of the government and there are different groups that we hire under student employment.
I have no answer for his final question but I can look into it.
Question 602 – 2(4): Concerns Regarding Journeymen Training (Kattuk)
I have a brief question for the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
There has been a concern in my constituency that the construction workers need to take a couple of months off, even before the unit they’re building is completed.
Perhaps to get some clarification from the minister: what is the reasoning why the construction workers, who are building units, must take the month of December off until maybe the month of March?
Can the minister explain to me why the construction workers have to stop and take a break?
Hon. Patterk Netser (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Nunavut Housing Trust Fund is to train people in on-the-job training programs while constructing the units. They stop in the month of December and then perhaps next year in January, they start working again so that they could take some training in Iqaluit.
They are sent to Iqaluit to take further training or to do their upgrading.
For that reason, we let them take a break.
The construction workers would like to see the unit constructed by springtime but by then, they’re still building the unit.
For example, in my constituency, if they had continued to work on those units, they would have completed those buildings.
Some of these people who are taking training on-the-job would like to go out hunting in the springtime because this is the Inuit way of life. The whole family goes out camping in the spring and spends family time. This is very important to us.
These people who work during the spring encounter problems - they both want to work and they also want to take their family out camping.
Perhaps the managers of construction or the communities can take the lead on this and deal with it.
Yes, we do want to spend time with our families in the springtime, and yet, here we sit in the House on a gorgeous day.
They take a break in the winter and then they resume their work in the spring, and I know that there’s less time. In 2008-2010, they are to complete the construction of units.
The Nunavut Housing Trust is going to lapse that year, so we want to train Inuit and build capacity so that when they complete their courses, these Inuit can construct units themselves and create their own private businesses. That is our long-term vision.
Once these units are complete, there are going to be a lot of units that will be built and we will need people who will be able to maintain those units. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
Mr. Kattuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Minister.
Do I understand correctly from the minister that this enforced winter break currently in practice in this project will end in 2010 when the project is completed and that these construction workers would then be able to work on construction projects in our communities without that enforced winter break?
The fiscal year 2009-2010 will be the final year for the Nunavut Housing Trust. It will lapse at that time and if the federal government does not extend the fund, we do not know what will transpire in the future. So until the funds are depleted and we have completed our construction projects, we will continue the winter break practice until further notice. (interpretation ends) Thank you.
As the minister said, during the fiscal year 2009-2010, the Building Canada Fund will lapse.
Can the minister inform us if there is an extension on this fund prior to 2010?
What I was inferring in my response was that this Building Canada Trust Fund will end in the fiscal year 2009-2010 and if the federal government declines to extend the funding, we have not looked into any future plans for this project.
However, our commitment is to continue the Apprenticeship Program on the side as long as the funding is available.
Question 603 – 2(4): Territorial Treatment Centre in Cambridge Bay (Peterson)
My question is for the Minister for Health and Social Services.  Mr. Speaker, substance abuse is a major issue in many communities in Nunavut and today, the Minister of Finance announced there are 13 Alcohol Education Committees in Nunavut, which are half the communities of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, last October, the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay wrote a letter to the Government of Nunavut indicating their interest in establishing a territorial treatment centre in Cambridge Bay.
I believe the Minister of Health and Social Services was designated the lead department.
I would like to ask the minister today: can the minister update the House on the status of any Health and Social Services’ discussions with the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay to establish a treatment centre in that community?
I received a copy of that letter; I believe it was sent to the Premier’s office.
Earlier during session, I received a similar question from the Member for Arviat and I have provided an update as to the work we are doing within the Department of Health around the whole area of alcohol and drug addiction.
No decision has been made by this government in terms of actual capital infrastructure to date.
What we have done internally is, first of all, we had difficulty finding a director to take on the task of the whole overview of A&D and addictions treatment.
Since the hiring of that individual in December, we have done a review of baseline data of the work that we do in Nunavut. We also have conducted a review of the role of A&D workers that provide some services to the municipalities and are trying to develop a model within Nunavut where we can deliver A&D services and programs in various regions, so that work is underway.
At the same time, in 2002, the government tabled an Addictions Strategy and that information is being updated.
I hope to provide an update to the Members of this House as to where we are with some of those initiatives as we move forward to a model of how we can deliver additions treatments in Nunavut.
That’s basically where we are at this point in time.
And again, no decision has been made in regard to infrastructure. No meetings have been arranged with the Municipality of Cambridge Bay or any other municipality around infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, I think that’s the second time that the Government of Nunavut has announced, coming out of a retreat, that they’re going to establish a treatment centre in some community.
I recall, when I was on the Hamlet Council of Cambridge Bay, we actually met with the Government of Nunavut and suggested that if we could have a treatment centre right in the community then we could have more beneficial impacts on communities being surrounded by friends and relatives.
You can’t just treat the individual; you have to treat the whole family and the entire community.
Mr. Speaker, my question for the minister: can the minister tell the House what the total resources her department provides to Cambridge Bay to help them offer substance abuse programs for their residents?
As for the member’s comments, that’s precisely why we are looking at different ways of delivering A&D services.
I’m a firm believer that if we can design a program that we can deliver in various communities so that individuals can take treatments in their home communities with their families and community support network, then that’s a model that I think would be more successful, but we need to make sure that, in doing so, we examine the success of those types of models and/or failures of facility-based treatment centres. We had one in Nunavut back in the 90s where we had to shut down because it was not successful.
We’re going down a path where we are evaluating different delivery models that we can use.
I also stated earlier this week that if there is a model that we can use, which we can deliver without having to build buildings and use existing facilities of the government, for example, the residence in Rankin Inlet or here, to deliver programs, then that’s something we want to move on, instead of waiting for a building to be constructed, to deliver A&D.
So in parallel to reviewing all of that, we are looking at different ways of trying to deliver programs without being held back due to lack of infrastructure.
In terms of funding that’s provided to the hamlets and to the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay for addictions programs, they access a number of programs that are offered through the federal government such as Vote 4 funding. I don’t have the exact figure and every year those figures would vary because it’s proposal-based.
Some of the funding would come through us directly but some of the funding would also come through the federal government.
It varies in terms of how much money is actually provided, based on Brighter Futures funding and so on.
Just a reminder to the members, try keep your questions and responses brief.
We have been quite fortunate in Cambridge Bay with our very active wellness centre; they’re doing a lot of good things.
But it seems to me, when I read the newspapers, or listen to the media, listening to reports, and reading reports, that we have a crisis of epic proportions right now.
The minister is indicating that they’re starting to evaluate different reports and looking for models, so we’re basically plugging holes while we look for solutions.
My questions for the minister: can the minister tell the House what the estimated resources of all the programs, all the counsellors and all the facilities are that we need in Nunavut right now to help Nunavut address substance abuse problems?
It’s a difficult question to answer; you’re asking me to estimate how much it’s going to cost for everything.
Aside from what we already have within the Department of Health’s O&M budget that was approved in this legislature, those are the programs that we deliver in every community.
We have A&D workers at the community level, we have some programs that are available to Nunavummiut for those who want to seek addictions treatment programs when needs are identified, and we also support community-based initiatives.
So what we’re trying to do here is update, first of all, the 2002 Mental Health and Addictions Strategy and how we can improve that delivery model so that every Nunavut community can benefit from various options that are being learned from the models like Cambridge Bay.
If we can use the community-based model like Cambridge Bay in various communities, why not?
So that’s the review that we’re continually committed to doing before we commit to building a building.
A building itself will not solve addictions, programs will solve addiction.
So in parallel to trying to address addictions and mental health, we need to look at those two simultaneously.
At the same time, we need to design programs that are relevant to Nunavummiut that can be offered in Inuktitut, and so on.
So we’re looking at the options of how we can improve alcohol and drug addiction services in Nunavut and I look forward to reporting the findings through this review to this House once that information is consolidated.
That’s good information to know. I know the minister’s department is working very hard and I think it’s a very real challenge for all of us and not just the minister’s department.
Mr. Speaker, territorial court dockets across Nunavut are choked with court cases that are, by some estimates, 50 to 60 percent related to alcohol abuse and the human, social, and financial costs are tremendous.
My question for the minister: can the minister tell the House what support Health and Social Services provides to regional legal aid organizations to assist them to research ways to help people overcome their substance abuse problems?
I’m not sure if I understand the member’s question, but legal aid is provided through the Department of Justice.
The services that we provide through community-based initiatives relate to Vote 4 funding as I described.
I understand that the member is concerned that there are a number of referrals being made by the courts to the Cambridge Bay Wellness Centre.
In fact, I had a conversation about that very issue with some of the workers in that community recently, so it is something that we are aware of.
But in terms of the Department of Health, in terms of our mandate, we try and provide some services and assistance to the Social Service program that is offered in every community in Nunavut.
Question 604 – 2(4): Decision on Young Offenders Facility (Tootoo)
I would like to take this opportunity to ask the Minister of Justice if he will do a follow-up from our last sitting where he had indicated that they were looking at plans of converting the young offenders’ facility to an extension of the correctional centre.
I’m just wondering if the minister could provide any updates if they have done anything to pursue that action or not.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. (interpretation ends) Minister of Justice, Mr. Premier.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) At this time, I can’t report any progress that has been made so far. There have been some good discussions taking place with affected parties and employees. So there is no decision at this time to report on. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the minister’s response and the approach that they’re taking in looking at this issue. Can he indicate if he anticipates any decision being made prior to the ending of this Assembly?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I imagine that there will have to be some decisions made before the end of this term, at least, because we’re overflowing and we have to utilize all the resources that we do have.
I made a commitment that I wouldn’t move any young offenders outside of the territory and that commitment remains.
So discussions are ongoing and we’re assessing what we have for infrastructure to house some of our inmates throughout the territory. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I’m glad that the minister has a good memory. I recall, too, that he had committed not to send any young offenders outside of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that the minister is aware that, in some cases, young offenders are required to be in a secure facility and as far as I know right now, that facility here in Iqaluit is the only place that is a secure facility for these certain individuals.
Can he indicate if he’s looking at any options for another secure facility that would be able to accommodate those young offenders?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Yes, there are alternate places like the trailer that we use for the time being for the female inmates, for example, that could be converted rather easily. So those are options that we’re exploring and we’re looking for the best options for all parties affected and concerned.
So those options are available to us, it’s just a matter of how to find the best way to implement what we can do to manage our resources better. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I know, as the minister indicated, that they’re looking at different options to find the best solution to the problem.
I know the minister is probably also aware that, I believe, the federal government is also looking at changing the Young Offenders Act to tighten it up.
That probably will have, unfortunately, an impact on us as well here with our young offenders. Is that something that the minister is taking into account when they’re looking at making a decision?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) We’re always keeping an eye on potential impacts of federal legislation. If you recall, during our budget deliberations, our Corrections budget was increased significantly because of changes to the Criminal Code, so we’re always anticipating what may be coming our way. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Premier. (interpretation) Item 6. (interpretation ends) Oral Questions. (interpretation) Member for Rankin Inlet North, Mr. Curley.
Question 605 – 2(4): How Polar Bears are Counted in Nunavut (Curley)
My question is directed to the Minister responsible for Environment.
We have heard, both this winter and in previous years, news relating to polar bear population estimates in Nunavut.
There appear to be two different conclusions on the polar bear populations, either that the populations are in decline as per popular scientific theories, and of our Inuit hunters, who, in their daily hunting practices, maintain that the polar bear population is increasing.
We all know that the animal rights activists are pushing their agenda via all of the media with the polar bear as their poster animal, in releases on the newspapers and various TV shows that the polar bear populations are declining. They are very wealthy organizations with well-paid lobbyists who keep maintaining that the polar bears are in decline.
Due to these reasons, I believe that the Government of Nunavut has to implement new regulations relating to population surveys and how they are conducted.
Has the minister taken into consideration these issues, especially when his department is conducting polar bear surveys, as to the kind of regulations and which practices are to be undertaken to ensure that it is done properly? Has the minister considered new regulations?
I can urge my officials to examine all of the issues relating to this issue, especially as it relates to population surveys.
They start to change their practices when conducting surveys and nowadays, HTOs are now more involved.
When they are going to be conducting new surveys, they will be working with the various parties, such as the federal government, the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated staff to try and make improvements in the way they conduct the survey.
This includes working with the regional wildlife organizations, or RWOs, whose membership is comprised of the various chairpersons of the HTOs in each community.
They will be more involved and we are hoping that, in this manner, we can incorporate more Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the surveys.
We are still working on improvements to the population estimates surveys and this includes how we can acknowledge their contributions, either via letters and other avenues.
We know that we have to make this more effective so that more Nunavummiut are aware of the processes involved in wildlife management here in Nunavut and to alleviate the concerns of those residents who write to express their concerns about wildlife management.
I understand a little more of the processes involved in this and of the plans the department has to make improvements.
However, I would like to make this statement. In regard to the RWOs and the HTOs, as well as the members of the NWMB, as per my previous statements, they seem to be wearing the same hat when they are at the hearings.
Once they move to a different body, they put on a different hat. These are the same people.
What I would like to note is that these chairpersons are not the most knowledgeable Inuit out there available to assist your department.
The real experts are out there, such as our elders who can provide more resources than these politicians. As an example, I listened to this radio show where several elders from the community of Clyde River made presentations on their traditional polar bear knowledge and those are the experts we have to utilize.
The chairpersons are not polar bear experts, they’re just politicians.
The real experts are the ones out there, especially our elders and older hunters who are still quite numerous, and these are the people who ought to be utilized for polar bear studies, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to ask this question: is it not time to make regulations for polar bears?
We know that polar bears are sensitive to noise pollution, such as the low vibration frequency of helicopter blades, so helicopters should not be used to conducting polar bear surveys, especially if you believe Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
If the polar bears are in the ice pack, whether it is in Hudson Bay, Foxe Basin, Davis Strait, no helicopters should be used to conduct surveys.
Can you try this option out with respect to polar bear surveys?
With respect to better options and with respect to the Elders Advisory Committee on Wildlife, we are still deliberating on these issues to date and we are still looking for members, although we now have a list of names.
These options will definitely impact our work in wildlife management, along with our communities when we are dealing with wildlife issues. In our community, we call the helicopters “the buzz-blade above” and we are also looking at ways to lessen our dependence on helicopters in conducting our wildlife population survey.
We are still exploring our options in looking at less intrusive research methods for polar bears and this is part of our challenge because we wish to make improvements on polar bears surveys. We want to look after our polar bears and we want to be able to estimate the numbers closely. The Elders Advisory Committee on Wildlife will hopefully be very beneficial to the people who do the polar bear surveys.
I would like to thank the minister for his answer and I want him to go that way because Inuit would be very thankful while the elders are still alive. At this time, we know in using the Inuit knowledge that the population has increased.
During the bowhead hunts, the polar bears were decreasing because non-Inuit were allowed to harvest them, but to date, the population is growing.
Inuit already know that.
Mr. Speaker, we should have an Act. If they’re going to use helicopters, polar bears get very scared, they suffer, and they go their separate ways, so this should be put in the Wildlife Regulations.
I’m pretty sure that people will be very thankful.
We can look into this matter and see how we could make improvements. We could also utilize the Elders Advisory Committee to deal with wildlife issues.
In the future years, we will make sure that we look into this matter and once we have the Elders Advisory Committee, we will let them know what kind of Wildlife Regulations there will be. We will utilize the Elders Advisory Committee when we’re dealing with these issues.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Curley.
My last question to the minister is in regard to the Elders Advisory Committee. Usually, they’re utilized when there is a request for research on polar bears and polar bear counts.