EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
That’s why I have made my comments short, but I support this motion.
Today, we are looking at our future.
I’m not against Mr. Anawak.
Whatever happens here, I will support the motion.
I will give you all a chance to speak.
I’d like to give Mr. Anawak an opportunity to speak.
If people are thinking that I'm going through a tough spot in wanting to keep this position when the Cabinet is trying to remove me, I’ve enjoyed what I do.
When I was elected to be a Minister, it’s just like icing on the cake from being a Member.
That’s how I see it because I do enjoy it.
A lot of people have a misunderstanding as to why I am trying to be removed, whether it is sexual assault or fraudulent misuse, because they had nothing to do with it.
It’s a government procedural issue that has brought this forth and I just want it to be understood that it is a procedural issue and not mistrust in my position.
First of all, let me assure you, the Members of this House, I accept whatever judgement of this assembly passes.
However, if I don’t speak to the people of Nunavut, it would not sit well on whether or not if I did what I was supposed to do.
I’d also like to convey to my constituents in Rankin Inlet who placed their faith in me to represent them, I will do my best to represent them.
I believe that it is a duty of every MLA to work tirelessly to be a voice for the people they represent in the Legislature and to hold that trust placed in them.
I recall the high expectations when I stood as a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons in June 1993, participating in the passage of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, accompanied by the Nunavut Act that would give rise to the Government of Nunavut.
It was June 4, 1993; I recall the energy in each crowded community hall as I toured as the Interim Commissioner to every community as people voiced their needs and gave advice on how to construct a new Government.
I also recall the telephone phone-in shows I held every Wednesday evening for many weeks as people called in to urge us on to build the kind of Government of Nunavut they wanted.
And they were very passionate about their support for the creation of Nunavut.
I was truly moved, deep in my heart, by their hope and trust as the Nunavut vision was developed and their genuine belief that they would see such a truly different kind of Government established.
A Government that was sensitive, creative, reflecting their values, that welcomed Inuit and Northerners at all levels that reflected their ways.
I remember the optimism and the great feeling of relief on April 1, 1999, the pride of the people in achieving what they had worked for so long; something that was theirs that finally recognized them for who they were.
Then we heard comments when the Government was created that they were wondering what happened to that ideal that we would work in Inuit ways.
Inuit expected to see a government that was different.
I have been saying this and this has also been told to me, that they still have that expectation.
In our business, however, I became increasingly concerned that the peoples’ original intent and hopes that gave life to Nunavut were not being mirrored in what was actually being done.
The regular Members often stated that we were straying from our course.
I became increasingly vocal about this within Cabinet in an effort to steer us back to what the people were expecting, how they felt, what they believed were both possible and necessary.
It was at times, very frustrating, trying to communicate this to some colleagues within Cabinet who did not share or comprehend the importance of those expectations.
When I dealt with our regular MLA’s, they repeatedly confirmed that they too were concerned about the direction we were headed and how the Government lacked the emphasis, style, and priorities that were most important to Inuit.
In one Legislative Assembly session, I found it necessary to rise and read aloud, the Nunavut vision statement which formed the basis of all that the people had said during the consultations prior to Nunavut.
I wanted to read this vision statement into the record as a testament of the wisdom of the people in hopes that some of colleagues would finally recognize its’ importance and embrace it through policy, programs, language and style of operation.
I did not find that many of them were moved by or aware of this very important document that was developed through consultations with the people to set the direction for this government.
Mr. Speaker, I continue to be disappointed that internally, government business was run as usual like any other government to which we had ever been associated with.
Mr. Speaker, our government was not supposed to be the same.
It is supposed to be different, melding the best of contemporary system and Inuit ways.
I felt we should have known and done better, much better.
The efforts of so many people over 30 years to create Nunavut, deserved better.
The belief of the people, their ideas and their faith in the leadership was worth so much more than the level of respect and recognition they seem to be given.
The time, the work, the meetings, negotiations, the long history associated with this great struggle, were worth so much more than coming up with nothing better than the same old departments, directives, positions and processes and maintaining all the same systems that had always seemed to be foreign to Inuit.
I felt we had to do it better.
I believed we had to be more creative and make it truly reflect whom we served.
The people deserved it.
They asked for it.
They expected it and now I saw that they weren’t about to get it.
I did my best within cabinet to stand up for those expectations, whether I was listened to or not.
During the years I served in a variety of positions.
I voiced my concerns on doing business differently; to brainstorm, seek out new ideas, honour Inuit values and beliefs and take whatever time it would to deliver to the people’s level of service and style they had been asking for to the best of my ability.
I observed cabinet solidarity while I tried hard to get across these points.
It saddened me greatly to see us, as a government go off on an entirely different direction, thinking we could not or should not do business differently, that the old kind of system, rules and policies were good enough.
It seemed to me at times, that no fresh air or new or innovative ways had come into this government.
I watched a government immerge that merely reacted to things and was not always as proactive and as innovative as it could have been.
I watched us become almost mute on the pressing social issues to turn away from things that we didn’t like dealing with where we should have taken stands that would have been helpful in leadership, we sometimes avoid it, the responsibilities that were given to us.
People pushed paper, went to meetings and put in a full day, but what, I ask you, have we done to deal with the pain and suffering of our people from poverty, unemployment, illness, violence, substance abuse, crime and suicide?
(Interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I watched our relationship with the Federal Government deteriorate through poor strategy and even more, poor attitude and delivery and many doors shut as a result and we are paying for it today.
Whether we like it or not, we are almost totally dependent on the goodwill of the taxpayers from the rest of Canada.
Building good solid relationships with the Federal Government and with our fellow Canadians is what will be necessary to see the necessary funding coming north.
In the long run, it will resume, reenergizing our relationship with the Government of Canada, when not through confrontation and ultimatums.
How much our elders are dismayed and losing heart what should happen, they said.
As a matter of fact, I just had a phone call just before I came down.
I listen to frustrated Municipal Leaders, small businesses, and long-time Northerners who joined with Inuit in voting for Nunavut, who also thought nothing had changed for the better, that we were off track and running out of time to correct the situation.
I could not stay silent, I did everything I could to speak of these things within Cabinet, but somewhere, just through my comments or anger by them rather than considering my concerns.
I watched as we failed to work closely with key organizations representing the people too.
As Government, we always ended up being taken to court; our Land Claims Organizations, whose own claims negotiations ensured that there would be a Government of Nunavut in the first place.
I watched the Clyde River Protocol sometimes be completely set aside despite our Government finding it.
Is this how we want to do business?
Is this how we want our Government to be remembered?
I watched the key position in the Department of Executive and Inter-Governmental Affairs titled Manager, Claims Implementation stay vacant for almost a year.
Yet, there continues to be a pressing need for the GN to be aware of and uphold responsibilities with regards to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
85% of the people we serve are Nunavut Land Claims Beneficiaries.
I watched only with true, keen interest when it came to the subject to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the issues of the term that resulted in the Department thinking, an IQ event was a barter to you, snowmobiling, picnic?
I saw no real political will demonstrated to move IQ to the agenda, top of the agenda, with top level support and fast tracking initiatives to insure it would happen.
To this day, Mr. Speaker, there is no specific agency within the GN assigned to make Inuktitut as a language of Government a reality.
No agency within Government has decided to make Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit reality either, because we have been too small in setting up the bodies to do this.
I watched this fail to develop Inuktitut Language Training and emphasis as a first priority.
I watched many Land Claims beneficiaries give up and leave the Government, feeling there was no place for them as Inuit, in the Government’s style of operations, structure, and priorities.
I watched an emphasis on Southern technical expertise and almost no corresponding emphasis on long-term Northerners and Inuit expertise.
The number of Inuit in the GN workplace is at an all-time low.
At below 42% and continuing to drop, people leave when they cannot find a place for themselves.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I watched the people be told it would take between five and ten years before they had any hope of seeing an Inuktitut curriculum being set in place for all our grades despite it being the majority language within Nunavut.
I was not willing to sacrifice one full generation of children in our school systems who would go through school in that same ten year period without seeing their own culture and language being reflected in a standardized curriculum from kindergarten to grade 12.
That is what they want and that is what we heard in our tours.
Nobody ever said that they don’t want to be taught in Inuktitut.
As Interim Commissioner, I have voiced my concerns about the plan as laid out by the Nunavut Implementation Commission.
I did not have the mandate to make the changes.
Myself, I felt it would of course be up to the first elected officials to look closely at it and make the necessary changes.
Yet, these essential changes had not been made to fine tune things for the better, to allow for creativity, pursuit of excellence, emphasis on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, and actively seeking innovative forms of governance and accountability.
It is to wake up the leaders and the Members of the Legislative Assembly to better represent the people out there.
Are we doing the right thing at this point or are we creating barriers in realizing our dream and our visions?
This is Nunavut’s wake-up call.
This is about what we can speak about, how we can speak about it as Members of the Legislative Assembly in representing the concerns of our constituencies.
Does the current system fit our needs or does it keep us from actually meeting our needs?
Are Members of the Legislative Assembly, on cabinet, supposed to tape up our mouths and not represent their constituents?
Are they supposed to observe rules that do not fit just for the sake of observing them without even wondering about their suitability?
Are Cabinet Members supposed to observe this rather foreign concept of solidarity even when they think they’re off the rails that the people’s interests are not being well represented?
This is not the Inuit way.
What are the rules as Inuit know and understand?
I would like unanimous consent to conclude my statements.
Speaker (interpretation): Our colleague would like unanimous consent to conclude his statement.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): What Inuit values and beliefs are being set aside here are the Inuit values of honesty, listening, respect, acceptance, patience, tolerance, resourcefulness and talking the long view has not been on display in this situation.
At this very moment, the elders of Nunavut do not know what’s happening in the proceedings in the House.
This is about rules in a style of government that does not fit Nunavut and as the first speaker stated, we have to be an open and accountable government so that the people out there would know what’s happening.
What do we mean by saying that we have to be open and accountable and if they do it, end up at the end of the day slapping them on their hands because they stated something that we’re opposed to.
I have been informed that there has to be a vote on this motion as a government.
I have been informed that we have to be open and to work hard to represent the people of Nunavut.
I’ve heard that the Cabinet Members have been forced to vote on the basis of the same strange procedure.
What does communication mean?
What will happen if I vote against or for this motion?
Would that jeopardise being an open and accountable government.
I would like you to know that when I go to the other side, I’ll be perfectly happy with it because that’s what this whole procedure is happening, and of course I’ll be open to respond to questions and let the information out there that is required by the people of Nunavut to be aired.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, the larger challenge is for all Nunavummiut to consider.
It’s about the need for a much broader discussion.
The kind we used to have over many years prior to April 1st, 1999.
What kind of Nunavut Government are we aiming for once again?
What will it take to get us back on track to obtain it?
Nunavummiut ask carefully what they’re going to do about this situation and I speak to them now.
It will be very important whom you select in the upcoming territorial election.
It will be necessary to ask many questions of those who wish to serve you.
Everyone really wants your votes.
Question their creativity, their knowledge of how to do things differently and better.
Enquire about the beliefs and values and whether they know the history behind your expectations.
Listen very carefully to how those who are after your votes answer you for you will have to decide whom to send to correct the situation.
Finally, they have the courage to speak out under all conditions.
If they understand the Inuit values and beliefs, if they can and will, under all circumstances, question about what is going on, on your behalf.
Find out who will come up with better rules, more capable structures and voted processes that have the feeling of being just right.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, I am at peace at this moment and I will still be at peace and be able to work on behalf of the people that I represent and the people who worked extremely hard to create the land claims, the government and Nunavut Territory.
If we have the values and the beliefs, I know that they stand behind the people of Nunavut that I represent.
They will work extremely hard to represent them and not stay only focussed on the procedural matters.
The way it’s going today, and we worked so hard for is it now a reality?
We have to make the Inuit vision a reality.
We don’t want to be just overshadowed by procedural matters.
We’re always talking about these rules, policies and everything else that has now overburdened us and we take it, just accept it.
It is time to reassess where we need to go and to get energized, once again, to discuss how we are going to get there.
I know that the people out there and the leaders understand exactly what I am saying.
Once again I want to say this, (interpretation ends), in voting for Nunavut, we seek a government that places people first, that represents and is accountable and fair to all of its residents, is a servant of the people of Nunavut.
These directions from the people, be shaped by and belong to the people of Nunavut, offers programs and services in an integrated and holistic matter, promotes harmony amongst people, places ownership of well being into the hands of individuals.
Families and communities conduct themselves with integrity and openness, encourages excellence and welcomes creativity, appropriates the best of Inuit and contemporary government systems.
(interpretation) That is the Nunavut vision statement and that is our orders from the people.
As I stated, in order to properly represent the people, I will be told that of course, they are working hard on behalf of the people of Nunavut and their values and integrity.
We are saying, an open Government, would we be here today, would I be here today, if I was open, frank and frank to the people out there because, of course, we are hiding everything, I am now here, I am here today.
In this situation, we cannot use both systems; we cannot say that the Cabinet here has to be a unity and that to talk about things that are discussed internally.
One hand we’re saying we have to be open and accountable and one hand, we have to show ourselves as a united front.
For myself, my priority is the people of Nunavut, who worked hard to create their own Government and their territory and to properly represent the people of Nunavut.
We are elected here on behalf of the people of Nunavut and they want people who help the feelings for the people out there and we are sitting here because we are extremely proud of the people out there that we represent.
Inuit are very patient, we waited many, many years to create our own Government of Nunavut and we knew that we would have our own unique Government and I have this belief and a hope that what the people wanted out there will be expressed in the upcoming election here, within our Government according to the needs and wishes of the people of Nunavut.
I would like to, I will be giving the Members an opportunity to make their statements.
At this point, I will have the Premier make his comments.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I personally feel that this is unfortunate for us to have to go through, but we have to go ahead with it.
I am an Inuk and I am proud to be Inuk and also, I get support from fellow Inuit and they witness my colleagues here in the Legislative Assembly and I thank you for that.
But, a lot of the times as Inuit people, we sometimes have to go through procedures that were normally not a tradition to us because our forefathers did not have a traditional government like the one we have to go through today.
Today, I am a Premier; in the future someone else will stand here, and I must leave them a base to draw strength for the future.
As a government, we have to stand together, especially the cabinet, we must stand united as there are many tasks before us.
As we pass on and finish that we have to do as a government or as a cabinet, we need to set aside some things and start afresh and go forward.
If we keep going back to the old ways, we’re not going to go forward as we should and evolve as a government.
Although it unfortunate that we have to go through this today, we have to make sure that we have a solid foundation for our next government, because there’s a lot of work that we have to do as Cabinet Ministers.
Like he stated earlier, there are still many things that we need to do for our Government of Nunavut.
At this present legislature, we’re not going to be able to finish all the things that we have started.
Our successors will have to take on responsibilities that we have to work on today.
There are always going to be debates in the Legislative Assembly but as Cabinet Ministers, we have to work as a team, in unity.
We are under constant scrutiny; they look for our weak spots, but as a single unit we will maintain our strength.
We have steered governments outside of our own, the Federal Government, with the knowledge that I have had support from the cabinet ministers.
That’s the only way, as a Premier, I’m able to do my work with the necessary support from my them.
That’s what I’m going to stress, as the Premier, that we work as a unit, as a team because we want to make sure that we have a solid foundation for our government for the next generation.
Although we are going through a hard situation at this time, we still have to look forward.
I have talked with all my Ministers individually, especially the representative of the Rankin Inlet, Minister Thompson about this.
She has also agreed that we have to move forward.
On this day that we vote, I am confident that my fellow Ministers will maintain solidarity, although I know that she has a difficult choice to make in trying to representing her riding and support for her fellow Minister.
I have spoken to her and have reached an understanding.
However, this is a fundamental foundation for our government.
I’m going to have to support the motion that was tabled and that is what I have told my fellow Ministers.
Let’s finish what we have started today and go forward because we have to represent the needs of all Nunavummiut residents.
There are other Members of the Legislative Assembly that I’ll give the opportunity to voice their comments.
You have a twenty-minute period in order to make your comments.
I will now allow Mr. Iqaqrialu to make his comments.
Mr. Premier, Mr. Anawak, I smile at all of you.
There have been many times that I have tried to bring out the Inuit values and traditions and I’m very glad that there is a colleague who is in support of what I have been trying to do for a long time.
It has been my vision for a long time and it seems right now my hardest time, we have to empower the people out there.
We need true representation in the House.
There has always been the Inuit who were suppressed by the government for many, many years.
We have never had a true voice in the House and that’s what we’ve been doing for a long time.
We as Inuit have a right too.
If you look at the social ills, there are many suicides out there, which is created indirectly by the government.
In the Legislative Assembly, I have seen very few people who are sitting here who voted against or did not participate in the land claims agreement.
And it seems, even to today, they don’t understand the Inuit values, traditions and what their visions are.
Inuit are having a hard time being understood out there.
Today is the day that we fight for what we need because of course we have our own government.
We want to see our needs and wishes and visions integrated into the government.
Whenever we say anything as Inuit, and when we’re talking about traditions and culture, we’re told that this is not the procedure.
That’s how suppressed that we have been as Inuit by the government.
I’m extremely happy today that I’m not going to be the only one who will truly represent the people out there.
Inuit have our own culture and tradition but we tend to put that aside in order to follow the legislation and the policies of a foreign culture.
We have always set ourselves, put ourselves on the back burner.
We have to start today to listen to the people out there and to lobby so that there is a priority placed on our traditions and values in order to have a government that truly represents the people of Nunavut.
We have to be understood as Members of the Legislative Assembly.
We have to get the message out there that Nunavummiut have a vision and a dream that has to be realized.
In regards to the this motion and if there’s a removal, we think that we’re going to get focused and start doing things that should be placed as a priority by this government.