EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, the focus of the consultation that would take place would be to see exactly if that were one of the preferred options.
If we wanted a stand alone Workers' Compensation Board specially for Nunavut.
Whether or not we would want to continue on with the jointly shared one with our current partner the Northwest Territories or we would want to have one that would have some kind of contract provision in respect to some of the operations.
I think what is important to keep in mind as we move forward with this consultation is that the Workers' Compensation Board is responsible in overseeing policies respecting the Workers' Compensation Board coverage on behalf of employers.
Employers fund the operations of the Workers' Compensation Board on behalf of workers that are eligible for coverage if they were to have an accident during the course of their work and carrying out their duties in whatever capacity.
I think it's important to keep that in mind Mr. Speaker, that it is privately funded by employers, privately funded operations for the best interests of employees.
Question 375 – 1(3): Mandatory Leave Policy
I am directing this to the Finance Minister.
Mr. Speaker, you, myself, Mr. Picco and Mr. Ng we all know that when we were members of the Legislative Assembly for the GNWT the government then came up with a mandatory leave policy, which was called Donnie Days, when our deficit was over hundred million dollars.
My question is why did you make such a statement, or still keep the policy although we are not in a deficit situation.
I think the honourable member forgot Ms. Thompson as well that was part of the NWT Legislative Assembly the last time.
I would like to recognize that as well.
Mr. Speaker, the member is correct.
The last Assembly of the Government of the Northwest Territories did undertake a mandatory leave program that gave employees five days of unpaid leave.
The cost of the five days leave was deducted off their payroll over the course of the year.
Over the 26 pay periods and some of the employees who came over to the Government of Nunavut… Sorry I should step back here Mr. Speaker.
We inherited that same policy on April 1, 1999.
So over the course of the past year as I said we had the mandatory leave program with the five days.
The corresponding deductions were taken from our employees' payroll.
New employees to the Government of Nunavut of course had some problems with that wondering why that was taking place and some did not support it because they were not part of the Northwest Territories regime prior to April 1, 1999.
So the cabinet as a whole looked at this whole policy in itself because of the fact that we heard many positive responses from our Government of Nunavut employees on that program.
A lot of them continued to want to have that luxury of having five unpaid leave days.
We decided to make it optional this current fiscal year which started a couple of days ago.
So as I indicated in my Minister's Statement Mr. Speaker, it is optional now for Government of Nunavut employees.
They do not have to have the five days taken off.
They can continue with full pay and not have five unpaid leave days.
But by the same token for those individuals that may want to have some flexibility to have an additional day for a long weekend or an additional five days all at once if they want added on annual leave their annual regular leave those are all possibilities.
They can take it if they feel it's best for them Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Minister Ng. Supplementary Mr. Barnabas.
Mr. Barnabas: I do apologize to Ms. Thompson for not mentioning her as a former MLA for the GNWT. (interpretation) However, I would like to get clarification Mr. Speaker we have many staff working for the Government of Nunavut.
If they used their leave where would the surplus go or are we going to be in a deficit situation.
Do we expect to have a deficit situation within this current fiscal year.
What is going to happen to the money that has not been used.
Mr. Speaker obviously if it's money that they are not paid as a result of not taking five days of unpaid leave then that money would stay within the government resources.
The Government of Nunavut resources.
Question 376 – 1(3): Outpost Camp Program
Mr. Speaker, I am directing my question to the Minister of Sustainable Development about the outpost camp programs especially for Inuit people in Nunavut.
In my Nattilik riding individuals have been applying for funding for their outpost camps.
They have given their applications to the local Hunters and Trappers.
Some of their applications have been approved by our local HTO and they have been supported Mr. Speaker.
What are, the Department of Sustainable Development in the fiscal year 2000-2001, plans for the outpost camp program.
I apologize because we have different dialects.
I think he mentioned the names of people and organizations that I missed so could he rephrase his question.
Perhaps if he could rephrase his question.
Speaker: Mr. Puqiqnak.
Mr. Puqiqnak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, my question is they are called in English outpost camps, we call it ahiniituqsiutinik.
What kind of plans do you have for the outpost camp program under your Sustainable Development department.
What kind of plans do you have for the year 2000 for the outpost camp program and what kind of funding are you supplying for the outpost camp programs.
I know more than one person in Uqsuqtuq that have applied for funding and they sent applications to the local HTO and the local HTO had approved them and supported them.
So my main question is what kind of funding program do you have for the outpost program.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, perhaps for further clarification, the HTOs in communities do receive different kinds of support programs for the outpost camp program, for the existing outpost camps and for the people who want to start their outpost camp.
We give them support for operations & maintenance totalling a little over 316 thousand, since he had asked me what kind of funding we have.
So that is the amount of funding we allocated to the HTOs last year.
I like to thank the Minister for Sustainable Development for giving me a good answer.
Especially because this is our livelihood we cherish and value our livelihood because the weather is getting warmer now.
Our elders keep thinking it would be wonderful to go out camping and for that reason one of the elders told me last winter when we were first elected, they wanted to have this kind of assistance.
That elder meant while he was still physically fit he would like to go out and take his children to the outpost camp.
For that very reason and since I did not realize there were some funds set aside I am very thankful.
So where can we get the application forms in Kitikmeot.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I did not realize the mike was on.
First I would like to apologize.
My figures were mixed up when I stated them.
The outpost programs for the HTOs, there was 223 thousand.
It was not 316 thousand dollars.
Yes we are especially sensitive to the elders who would like to go out to their old campgrounds.
But we do not have a policy for recreation.
The associations or entities that want that can make applications and we can look at their application or their proposal.
For outpost camp applications the HTO have to support the applicants and then, if the HTO does not have funds available, I am sure our wildlife officers within the communities can help fill out the application forms.
I would like to advise the minister it is not recreational camping.
That is not what I am talking about.
I am talking about our elders because they would like to go out of the community while they are still physically fit.
They would like to go and see their old campgrounds.
I would like the minister to understand that I am not talking about recreational camping.
I understand his request.
I just commented or responded.
His question came out very well.
I understand where the member is coming from.
Question 377 – 1(3): Details of Estimated Expenditure Variances
I would like to thank the Minister of Finance for tabling the estimated expenditure variance by department yesterday.
Mr. Speaker, in there variances range from 1.1 million dollars to 9.1 million dollars depending on the department.
Mr. Speaker, I would like ask the Minister of Finance if he could provide a further breakdown on that as maybe the same format that is used in the Main Estimates by compensation and benefits, grants and contributions and other expenses by each department.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Finance Mr. Ng.
Yes, also in addition to that there is also a capital components part of the variance.
Again, I thank the Finance Minister for I like those kinds of answers when they are required.
Can the minister provide us with some time frame for looking at tabling those.
Speaker: Minister.
Yes, Mr. Speaker I do have the information.
It is a matter of putting it into a presentable format and of course translating it.
I would probably say early next week if not sooner.
Question 378 – 1(3): Nunavut’s Share of GNWT Surplus
When the Nunavut Government started we heard that there would be some surplus funding and they said that they would share between the GNWT or we would be getting some surplus funding from the GNWT.
I wonder when we are going to hear from them about what their surplus is.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Finance.
Mr. Speaker there has been some considerable amount of work done on that matter from what I understand.
We expect that our share of that estimated Government of the Northwest Territories' surplus the Government of Nunavut's share is probably going to be around 15 million dollars.
Right now what is happening is there is a final review of some of the accounts payable that’s taking place.
There is also some work, considerable work being done in respect to how to handle the value of employee entitlements for retirement, for removable benefits, retroactive pay, pay equity settlements.
Those types of issues Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary Mr. Irqittuq.
Because of his response about the money we should be getting I just wondered when that surplus would be coming to the Nunavut Government and how much it would be approximately.
Mr. Speaker as I indicated we are looking at approximately 15 million dollars.
It is not necessarily Mr. Speaker, going to be in liquid assets in respect to actually cash or a cheque that might be received. The assets are tied up in hard inventory such as petroleum products in what took place as far as the balance of the assets and liabilities.
Therefore, many the assets we have might be in actual inventory such as fuel products that are contained in the tanks as of April 1 1999.
Mr. Speaker, we heard at that time we would be getting the money and I thought it would be cash, money in the form of cash.
Did the minister realize at that time that it would not be just cash, that it would be in assets too at that time.
Mr. Speaker I believe I said on a consistent basis that it may not be necessarily be cash.
It would depend on what the end result was as to what hard assets in the transfer would be.
Question 379 – 1(3): Lack of Wildlife Officer for Sanikiluaq
He mentioned a while ago that local HTOs and the wildlife officers take care of applications and we do not have a wildlife officer in my community.
At the time we belonged to the NWT government there was to be training for a wildlife officer to be based in my community.
When we became Nunavut that was something that was not really transferred to our community from the Government of the NWT.
Each community has a wildlife officer except for Sanikiluaq.
The wildlife officers take care of the regulations in the Acts of our Nunavut Government and managing the wildlife.
When we are looking at the Wildlife Act we will be looking at the some communities or we will be talk to the communities that have concerns.
I am not exactly sure whether I have the information that he is requesting at this time.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Minister. Supplementary Mr. Kattuk.
Will our community be provided with a wildlife officer.
The Wildlife Act will be discussed with our staff.
We have already agreed within my department that we would like to have a wildlife officer for each community and I could tell the member that we have agreed to provide Sanikiluaq with a wildlife officer as well.
Question 380 – 1(3): Pond Inlet Health Centre Closure
My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
The nursing station in Pond Inlet is getting to be very old and there are many sicknesses such as colds and flu this winter.
The nursing station was closed about a week during that time of people having colds and sicknesses.
I just want to find out from the Minister of Health and Social Services whether he realized or if he has any knowledge that the nursing station was closed for one week.
Mr. Speaker, at different times for operational requirements when the staff at different health centres, in this case in Pond Inlet, have worked a lot of long hours and have been under a lot of stress, where there have been a lot of patients at the health centres, they take it on themselves under the discretion of the department that they can close the health centre.
But it is open for emergencies at those periods of time.
Mr. Speaker, the actual incident that the member is talking about I am not aware of.
I am aware over the past year as the Minister of Health and Social Services, indeed in this jurisdiction and other jurisdictions, that stress levels and increased workloads dictate the centres are closed.
Again, we are open in emergency situations.
Oral questions. Supplementary Mr. Nutarak.
We have a lack of proper health facilities in many of the communities of Nunavut.
For that reason sometimes the community nursing stations are closed so they can catch up on their administrative work.
I just wanted to ask a question of the minister to see if he realizes that the nursing station was closed for about a week.
I just thought that he would know about it, and that is why I asked the question.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows I was just in Pond Inlet recently, a couple of months ago.
The member and I held a public meeting and I would like to thank the member for his hospitality there.
I am wondering if the member could clarify the closure of the Pond Inlet Health Centre.
Is he talking issues with the staff because of the difficult situation of the flu, or was there a problem with the facility itself.
We have had some discussions, the department and myself with the member about the age of the facility and the possible replacement.
I already mentioned it but it had to do with the piping, the sewage piping.
The sewage piping is underneath the building and I think that is the reason why they were closed down.
They have problems with the sewage pipes, that is why they were closed and they were closed for about two days because the people that had to do the plumbing could not work over the weekend.
People were going to the nursing station and they could not stand the smell.
Speaker: Mr. Picco do you wish to respond to the final supplementary.
Okay I understand now.
He was talking about the pipes.
I was in Pond Inlet, I did the inspection of the facility along with the nurse in charge and there was some concern about the sewage pipes underneath the building and also with some leakage of X-Ray fluids.
Mr. Speaker after coming back from Pond Inlet, we informed the Department of Public Works and Services who expediently went ahead and had that concern fixed.
That leads to the other point Mr. Speaker, with the facility. We realize that the facility is an old facility and indeed, Mr. Speaker, it's one of the oldest facilities in Nunavut.
We are looking at that situation and I would like to thank the member for clarifying it.
Question 381 - 1(3): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the Bathurst Mandate
I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Sustainable Development about the comments that he made about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and the Bathurst Mandate.
It says here that they will be using the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit but we also heard that there has to be more support for outpost camps.
Outpost camps operate in a traditional manner and they operate more on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit values, more so than the regular communities.
I also know that they have to be approved first by the Hunters' and Trappers' Organizations.
My question is, how can we better help the outpost camps because they operate on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit values.
The comments that I made about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit are going to be used by Sustainable Development.
We will integrate that into our department and also we have the highest number of Inuit who work for us and we work together to see how we can integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into our department and how we can integrate it into our work habits.
These are principles that I have stated, they were first reviewed and then the appropriate sections were integrated into our department.
It's integrating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and we will be integrating it into our government.
Supplementary, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
I understand exactly where the minister is coming from.
We are integrating the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into the departments and perhaps I have misunderstood the meaning of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
I seem to understand that we are just paying lip service to Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
I would also like to thank the member for asking his question.
If we look at the last twenty years, you can probably see that the government's system was foreign and there was no Inuk component within these departments.
We have been asked to integrate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit as a Nunavut Government and we have started that in my department.
If I can use an example to make it more clear about how we are doing this.
One example is where a researcher or a biologist would use an airplane to count a certain species of animals.
It would be in the winter or in any season, the biologist would go out there and check them.
What an Inuk would do, depending on the season and depending on what research they would like to do, they could tell you exactly where to go.
So if you are looking at a particular species and the cycle, we are going to be integrating these into my department.
It strengthens modern day government.
Thank you very much for that response, but with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit if we are going to be integrating it into the departments, the outpost camps are the ones who are living it.
They are practising everything using traditional knowledge.
I would like the outpost camps to be considered and I would like to urge the minister to work on it further.
We truly believe in the Inuit traditions.
It is always there when you are out on the land and funding outpost camps is one of the programs that we have kept going.
There are more outpost camps in the Baffin area and we help them financially.
There is going to be a review done and like I said yesterday at the review next month we will get an update from the Mayors in the communities and their representatives.
We are on our second round of questions now for members.
Question 382 - 1(3): Proposed Regional Hospital
I have not asked a question to my colleague Mr. Picco for quite a while now. (interpretation ends) Going to the Business Incentive Policy with the birthright corporations, there are some obstacles that have occurred.
I would like to know the location at the present time of the proposed regional hospital, I know that right now it is located right beside the present regional hospital.
But to my understanding there is a problem with the location because of the NTPC dam built right up there.
I would just like to know from the minister if there is an alternate location for the Baffin Regional Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, as the member probably remembers about two years ago, three years ago, we erected a sign on the proposed location and many of the Baffin leaders, many of the Mayors, indeed with the member and some of the members around this table today, that location was identified by the Baffin Regional Health & Social Services Board.
It is adjacent to the current facility. There is a concern, Mr. Speaker, with the dam, the NTPC dam that is above the current proposed site.
Once the final P3 agreements with the birthright corporations, in this case the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is signed off, and my understanding is that will be some time this week, or next week. The first step then will be to do an investigation, engineering work to the proposed site. That will be the next step.
After that work is done, then we will be able to move forward then to see if that is suitable or not based on the architectural and the engineering requirements.
And that is the next step Mr. Speaker, is to have the engineering study done on the proposed site, and after that we will see what the next step will be.
We don't have an alternate site at the moment.
Question 383 - 1(3): Clarification on Optional Leave Policy
Mr. Speaker, my question and it is more of a clarification, is for the Minister responsible for Human Resources.
Earlier the minister stated when he mentioned his new optional leave policy, he mentioned that it was a mandatory leave that was compulsory for all Government of Nunavut employees other than the Federation of Nunavut Teachers.
The statement refers to optional leave being available to excluded and managerial employees only.
I would just like to ask the minister to clarify about his response to the member earlier whether it was something that was available to all employees or just to the excluded and managerial employees.
Speaker: Minister of Finance, Mr. Ng.
Mr. Speaker, right now for the Northern Employees Union, the unionized employees, it is not available to them because it is part of the collective agreement, the bargaining process that is being undertaken.
It is a Government of Nunavut proposal that is before the union and we haven't finalized the bargaining process, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Supplementary Mr. Tootoo.
Mr. Speaker, I am not just sure if the minister can clarify it.
Is this something that is being offered to all the employees, or is it something that the unionized employees will have to bargain for in order to get this offered to them.
Or is it something offered to all employees or are they going to have to bargain for it.
Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated it is part of the Government of Nunavut's opening position.
It is being offered to the Northern Employees Union and of course they represent their membership and as part of finalizing the collective agreement, that issue along with all the others have to be ratified and agreed upon by both parties.
Mr. Speaker, I guess my question is again to the Minister of Human Resources regarding the timing of this thing.
Again, as I had indicated earlier during this session on the travel and stuff, or the living allowance increase that was available and then it wasn't.
This seems to be like something else that is put out there and made available to all employees.
I am just wondering why the minister is putting it out to excluded and managerial employees now and not waiting to see what becomes of the negotiations.
Well, Mr. Speaker, we see this as a positive benefit for our employees similar to the 15% northern allowance or adjustment that we have made to all the managerial and excluded employees.
As I indicated in the member's past questions on the northern allowance issue, the Northern Employees' Union represents their membership and they are at the bargaining table and they want to have a say in the final outcome of what benefits their members get as a result of these negotiations.
That is why we continue to be at the table and try to work towards an agreement that is suitable for both parties, Mr. Speaker.
I guess what I was wondering was as to the timing of it.
I realize that it is a positive thing and I remember when the mandatory Donnie Days were put in place this was something that I had talked about back then.
I know it was on the minds of a lot of government employees at the time about making it optional so people could take it when they choose.