EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
All of the lobbyists had to be registered.
His name was registered even though he was going to work for a short period.
How much did it cost the Nunavut government?
We have always been told that we have limited resources. How much did it cost? That is my question.
That’s my second question. I am repeating my question. It seems like I’m asking my questions to thin air because I never got an answer to my question.
This individual was not very supportive of Nunavut. The only way he was able to move forward with devolution talks is when he was no longer in that position. Now we pay him additional dollars.
He was unable to help Nunavummiut, the people we are trying to help.
He is very experienced on devolution talks. I want the member to know that we only used him for a few days. I’m sorry that I don’t have the information as to the costs in front of me.
Question 275 – 3(2): $20,000 Contract with NorthMart (Okalik)
Moving on to another topic, when we first started our sitting, I asked the minister in regard to the tea leaf balls.
She was going to review it and a week has passed, so I was wondering if she has looked into the matter.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Okalik. (interpretation ends) Premier of Nunavut, Hon. Eva Aariak.
Yes, I looked into this.
We celebrated the 10th anniversary of Nunavut. All of the Nunavut communities were provided funding to help with the celebrations.
I remember going up to Pond Inlet to start the celebrations of the 10th anniversary of Nunavut.
We had to provide a contribution. This was a ball for loose tea leaves.
Loose tea leaves were used in recognition that in the past, that’s the type of tea that we used to have.
Even when I was growing up, that was the only tea we had.
The anniversaries have different gift ideas.
Gold is for certain years, but the symbol for the 10th anniversary is tin.
The tea leaf balls were given out to the people.
There was a note in there of how Inuit tea was made and this is vegetation that grows in Nunavut.
It connects to our culture and they were provided to the people.
This is the first time I have seen this, so I had to ask why they were handing out those tea leaf balls. I am a tea drinker and I only drink loose tea leaves.
I visited many communities of Nunavut and not all of the stores have loose tea leaves available.
So that’s why I asked how it’s going to be useful for my fellow Nunavummiut.
That’s why I wanted to ask that question to the Premier.
That was a comment and I’m sure that it’s duly noted.
If there are no more… Mr. Schell.
Question 276 – 3(2): Election of DEAs under New Education Act (Schell)
My question is for the Minster of Education.
In the new Education Act, it states that all local DEA members will have to be re-elected in the first election following the passing of the Act.
The first election was held this past December and many of the communities I have canvassed didn’t follow this. Can the minister tell me why this was not followed and when a by-election will be called to remedy this very serious oversight?
We ran into a problem with the DEA election in Cape Dorset because we were unable to fill the seats.
We had to make a decision on that.
Even though it’s a bit late, we wanted to hold a by-election to make sure that the seats were filled.
The new Education Act states that DEA members will have three-year terms.
During the first election, the people with the most votes will be in for three years and the people with less numbers of votes will have a one-year term.
Once this has been in place, we will start following the three-year term for DEA elections as the Act stipulates, Mr. Speaker.
I guess my next question is: when will the by-election be held?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): At this time, I don’t have the exact date. Once I get the information, I will get back to the member, Mr. Speaker.
Written Question 014 – 3(2): Operations of the Nunavut Liquor Commission (Schell)
It should be no surprise that I will be asking the Hon. Keith Peterson, the Minister of Finance, the question on the operation of the Nunavut Liquor Commission.
Between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, broken down by product category and country of origin, what quantities of liquor were purchased by the Nunavut Liquor Commission?
As of March 12, 2010, broken down by product category and country of origin, what quantities of liquor are currently available for sale from the Nunavut Liquor Commission’s warehouse facilities in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet?
What methodology does the Nunavut Liquor Commission use to determine which liquor products to import into Nunavut for sale to residents of the territory and licensed establishments from its warehouse facilities in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet?
What is the minimum quantity of liquor originating from countries in the European Union that the Nunavut Liquor Commission is legally required to order on an annual basis and make available for sale from its warehouse facilities in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet?
What legal requirements exist that require the Nunavut Liquor Commission to order on an annual basis a minimum quantity of liquor originating from countries in the European Union?
I would just like to mention that if there is a legal requirement, hopefully there will be none ordered on the next sealift.
Committee Report on Bills 007 – 3(2): Bill 14, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2009, No. 2 (Okalik)
I wish to report that Bill 14, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2009, No. 2, has been reviewed by the Standing Committee on Legislation and that the bill is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Bill 14 will be placed on the order paper starting on March 17.
Committee Report on Bills 008 – 3(2): Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Utility Rates Review Council Act (Okalik)
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I wish to report that Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Utility Rates Review Council Act, has been reviewed by the Standing Committee on Legislation and that the bill is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
Bill 21 will be placed on the order paper for Wednesday, March 17.
Tabled Document 128 – 3(2): CBC North Clipping: “Nunavut Premier wants EU barred from Arctic Council” (Okalik)
Mr. Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Yesterday, the Premier claimed that it’s not the Inuit way to retaliate when you suffer injustice.
I wish to table a news item from last April. The item is titled “Nunavut Premier wants EU barred from the Arctic Council.”
If that’s not retaliation, I don’t know what is. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Bill 22 with Mr. Ningeongan in the Chair.
I would ask that you remain in your seats so that we can proceed directly into Committee of the Whole.
In Committee of the Whole, we have the following item to deal with: Bill 22.
We would like to continue with the review of Bill 22 and the main estimates for fiscal year 2010-11. Today, we will continue with the review of the Department of Community and Government Services and if time permits, commence the review of the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Are we in agreement that we deal with the main estimates for the Department of Community and Government Services?
Chairman: Thank you. Minister Kusugak, do you have witnesses you would like to bring to the table?
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in, please.
To my left is Kathleen Lausman, the Deputy Minister of Community and Government Services, and to my right is Alma Power, Director of Financial Services for CGS.
Since this is the continuation of our committee meeting from yesterday, I will not bother to read out the rules.
I suggest to members that wherever possible you ask your detailed questions during the page-by-page review of departmental estimates.
I thank Minister Kusugak and his officials. I don’t have any questions at this point.
As elected officials, we have to make acknowledgements and not only focus on the negatives.
On page 3 of the Hon. Lorne Kusugak’s opening comments, the Municipal Training Organization has made a significant contribution to the communities and one of them is Kugaaruk. As a training organization, they provide a much needed support in the communities. I know that in Kugaaruk, even though I didn’t participate in their training activities, they not only provide training on the administrative aspects of running a government but also running committees which need assistance.
They provide a great deal of help on fire and safety issues. They have offered over 6,500 training days. This is something that I’m very happy about and I hope it is not forgotten in the future.
On page 5, under energy management initiatives, we know that since the creation of hamlet councils, we had been given some authority. Some hamlets experienced deficits, so they had to make some cutbacks. Usually, the government sends a government administrator to help out with the hamlets in question.
We, in turn, take on efficiency measurements to reduce heating and energy expenditures.
Perhaps I can ask a question at this time. I believe the communities were going to be receiving a visit from consultants.
I might be wrong, but if I’m correct, when are these consultants going to be coming into the communities? If I’m incorrect in this case, I apologize ahead of time.
I also thank the member for his constructive comments as it is quite uplifting to hear this type of endorsement, especially as the minister responsible for this division.
What I can state on their behalf is that our officials who offer courses under the Municipal Training Organization always appreciate support and endorsement, including vindication of their tremendous efforts. Therefore, I thank you on their behalf.
This type of training is conducive to the employees who partake in these courses as it allows them to increase their capacity and offers more options in their chosen careers. It is very helpful to the communities and we cannot even meet the demands for more training courses.
In particular, the courses related to emergency preparation and measures are immensely popular. Many of these local leaders have given of themselves to ensure that they are fully prepared for any type of emergencies that may occur in their community.
As an example, the firefighters are the usual first response teams and they fight fires while placing themselves in harm’s way in order to try and save their fellow residents. The fire rescue courses offer training in locating victims, entering a building, and these courses are quite intense and are not to be taken lightly. These volunteers are amongst the most dedicated and committed members of local emergency response teams.
I thank you for appreciating and recognizing Nunavummiut who do work on a volunteer basis, who give themselves completely to provide safety and emergency services to the people in communities.
We keep looking at how we can operate or maintain our facilities more efficiently and I believe the whole world is looking at improving the energy efficiency of buildings, lighting, fuel, heating, and so on.
You asked if the consultants are going to the communities now.
Yes, they are, but not all communities have received a visit to date.
Some communities have had their visits. Before the end of this fiscal year, we are hoping that all Nunavut communities will have received a visit from those consultants.
They will be dialogued on improving their energy systems and other issues. We would like the remaining communities that haven’t been visited to be patient.
My questions are on page 2 of the minister’s opening comments where he talks about his department continuing to support communities in developing integrated community sustainability plans. He also mentioned the Nunavut Community Infrastructure Advisory Committee.
I know in the past, he has talked about this, but I just wonder if he could refresh my memory as to who’s on the Nunavut Community Infrastructure Advisory Committee.
I would like to thank my colleague for that question.
I’ll gladly refresh his memory.
There are three members sitting on the Nunavut Infrastructure Advisory Committee from the Nunavut Association of Municipalities.
So there are three mayors on that committee, there are two people on that committee from our department who work with them, and also, we have one individual on there from the Department of Finance.
I hope that answers his question.
In terms of the integrated community sustainability plans, I understand that projects are supposed to be finished by the end of this year, where every community will have a plan completed.
Where some people are getting confused is: could the minister explain how this is different than the actual capital planning process that’s done by hamlets in terms of requesting or asking for what types of infrastructure needed inside the communities?
I thank you for that question.
It gives me an opportunity to clarify.
Yes, there were questions.
I think the difference is, when we ask for requests for capital projects, it’s usually a top ten list or priority list, whereas this group that is travelling to the communities is doing a much more thorough study in terms of what is there.
Is what’s there adequate?
If not, how it could be made better?
What kind of infrastructure is there?
What kind of work does it need to be improved? Is that adequate? And so on.
It goes way beyond a list of what we need in our community.
It actually helps deal with inventory issues and it encompasses a whole lot more than what we require. It also deals with long-term planning in the municipality.
So it doesn’t just focus on what we need today; it also encompasses the whole thing.
I guess my next question is: is it representatives from Community and Government Services and your department that will be travelling to the communities to do this in-depth study since they have a better understanding of our communities and what their needs are or is it a consulting firm that’s going in to do this?
Our department is not working on it; we have a consulting firm that is going in there and carrying out the duties as outlined.
I guess a consulting firm is going in. I never actually saw the tender advertising that program.
Was this a year ago that this happened or recently? I tried to watch to see.
It was a standing offer with a consulting firm. The whole process of doing community visits just started this fall, before Christmas, and that is why they haven’t been able to reach all of the communities at this time.
The minister said that part of the program or part of what the consulting firm will be doing when they go in is to do a more in-depth analysis of what the needs are for the community.
When the consulting firm goes into the community, how long are they in the community?
Since it’s going to be a huge analysis of all of the different aspects of what assets the community owns and whatnot, are they going to be in there for a week or two weeks to get a good gauge of the age of the equipment that is there, how the equipment is stored, and what repairs need to be done?
Is this like a weeklong project that they are in there or two weeks?
Yes, you are right, it may take a week, two weeks, or three days.
It depends on how long it takes for the consulting firm to carry out the work in the communities. I’m sure they will vary drastically between the communities, the size of the communities, and the work that needs to be done in them.
There is no fixed criteria as per fly in at noon and be out tomorrow by dinner.
It depends on exactly how long they need to do those things that my colleague outlined.
You said that the work started in September and it’s going on until the end of the year.
On average, how long are they spending in the communities?
One of the things that I don’t want to have happen in my communities is we have consultants come in all of the time and talk to the communities and say, “What do you want?” And the community gets excited and says, “Well, we want a swimming pool. We want a curling rink.
We want a new high school.” So you know, they express their feelings, they say what they want, everyone writes down everything on chart paper, and then the consultants go away.
A year or two years later, I’m sure some of the community residents will come back to us and say, “We had that meeting to talk about getting that new swimming pool. Where is it and what is happening with it?”
Is this consulting firm making the community aware that this is an exercise in generating ideas and looking at the sustainability projects for these or are we going to have a misunderstanding?
Since before Christmas, they have been going to communities. I hope that they’re not doing that and that’s not the intent of the scope of the work that’s being done.
I hope they’re not going into Resolute Bay and say, “What do you want? Okay, let me get out of here and I’ll let your MLA ask questions on it.”
I really hope that’s not what’s happening. That’s not the intent of this.
The intent of this is to work with the municipalities. When I say municipalities, I mean the whole community.
I have been working with all of the mayors through the regional and pan-Nunavut meetings of the mayors.
I have been informing them on the upcoming visits to their communities. The communities that have been visited have said that it’s been a very worthwhile event in their community. It includes the council and it includes the many other committees in the community that want to be part of it.
We’re hoping that as many members in the community can partake in it as possible.
That’s the message we’re relaying onto the municipality.
I really hope that this isn’t going to be an exercise of getting another document that will collect dust until my colleagues start asking questions about it. That’s not the intent of this and that’s not the mission of this work that’s going to be done.
Hopefully, it will be one that will bear fruit to benefit the communities and at the end of the day, the Government of Nunavut.
When can we expect to see these finalized documents?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: As we stated when we started this, we are expecting the finalization of this work to be done at the end of the calendar year.
Some time after that, we would gladly share the information with you and the municipalities that participated, Mr. Chairman.
This is great because I know in Arctic Bay, specifically, we have a very active economic development committee and they take on a lot of extra projects. They did a five-year economic development plan and they’re updating it themselves now.
That’s where some of the confusion was coming in.
These people were wondering in terms of what we do in Arctic Bay. It’s sort of like a holistic approach where you’re including everything from health and different things like that.
What you’re saying is document will be able to supplement that. Will this document actually be recognized by the other departments of government?
An issue that kept coming up when we were talking about the Department of Education yesterday is the lack of daycares in the community.
When this consulting firm goes in there and talks about this community that does not have a daycare and requires funding for this daycare, we would then actually be able to take that document and go to ED&T and say, “This is what the community says.
This is what CGS says. Can you access funding? Are we able to do that?”
Is that the intent or am I misunderstanding the intent of this project?
No, please don’t share it with my colleagues.
No, I’m kidding.
Of course, the intent of this document is to integrate all departments where necessary.
It will encompass all of the departments that are affected by it, like you say, the Department of Education or Economic Development, and many other factors, as much of it as possible.
The idea behind this is for our government to be more effective and efficient in terms of dealing with the needs of municipalities not just in running a municipality but also the different government departments that this will help.
I think this is long needed and it can only help the different levels of government in terms of seeing what is required and what is sufficient in every municipality in Nunavut, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for those answers. I think that’s excellent and that’s exactly what I want to hear.
I would like to applaud his department’s work on this. To me, if we’re going to work towards self-reliance within our communities, we have to have the communities realizing, “If you have a swimming pool in your community, do you have the capacity to be able to maintain that swimming pool?”
We have an arena in Arctic Bay, but sometimes it’s hard finding the proper staff to create ice. So when you’ve got something like a swimming pool that requires life guards and safety issues and all of that, sometimes it’s hard explaining to our constituents why these things aren’t possible. You need to have some type of a plan to be able to build the capacity within your community.
So I wanted to get those questions ironed out to make sure it’s not a duplication of what some of the communities are trying to do.
I’m sure you probably find every community is different in terms of the capacity and ability, how well their economic development committee works and how well the hamlet works with the SAO.
It’s great that this is happening.
I look forward to March 31 when this comes about. Thank you. That was a comment, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Elliott, for those comments.
Could you just make a motion then to approve our budget?
I have no more names on our list, so therefore… Mr. Arvaluk.
On page 5 of your opening comments in the third paragraph with respect to energy savings and energy management initiatives which include improving the energy efficiency of designs, lighting, heating systems, and maintenance, that’s wonderful.
However, there is also the responsibility, and I don’t know who’s responsibility or which department’s responsibility, to make people aware who are not paying for energy, whether it’s fuel or electricity, who are on income support, who can crank up their heat as much as they want and leave the lights on all night or all day, especially when we have the sun shining 24 hours a day, the lights are still on completely.
I have been informing the public that it’s those who are working and paying taxes in the income tax who are paying for these services, who sometimes some people carelessly neglect just simply because they’re not paying for it. Are you doing something to let the public know that everything costs money and it’s the tax payers who are paying for it?
Your neighbours are paying for it.
You should somehow at least create some type of incentive to be responsible users of this scarce energy. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is an issue that the departments and the corporations responsible tackle every day through their, in this case, housing associations of municipalities.
I know they try to do as much as they can in terms of asking people to shut their windows and turn down the furnace.
I’m sure that my colleague and the Members of the Assembly have often seen where, in January, windows are open and the furnace is turned up.
It’s their form of air conditioning and it’s a very wasteful use of the scarce energy we have.
I can assure the member that the departments that are affected by this have, through their staff and through the local housing associations, and so on, notified the public to ensure that they’re not just running water on a hose when they have a water tank and turning the lights off.
I concur with my colleague on the need to inform the public in turning lights off when you don’t need them.
I know the government has, through the department of energy, distributed thousands of light bulbs to people who want them and I can only hope that people out there, when they purchase bulbs, are switching to the more energy efficient ones.
Mr. Chairman, I thank you and I thank my colleague for the concern.
Mr. Arvaluk: Just one more question.
Those lights are very energy efficient, except they don’t work in my shack in the wintertime.
It takes about half an hour for them to eventually start working.