EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Our goal is to shift the emphasis of programs and policies to community based delivery and preventative care, Mr. Speaker, preventative care.
An approach that goes hand-in-hand with community empowerment.
We are also seeking creative ways to improve access to health care and social services in the communities through initiatives such as Telehealth.
This is a promising tool for Nunavut and I would like to thank the members for attending the recent demonstration that I held to show you this technology.
I will be telling you more about this initiative later this session.
As you can see, Mr. Speaker, we are working on many initiatives, but for us to be successful, we need to build our capacity in the communities and to deal with the financial pressures facing us.
As publicly announced recently, the three health boards had a combined deficit of approximately $8.9 million dollars as of March 31, 1999.
As a department and as a government we are acutely aware of the implications of this deficit and are moving aggressively to identify the causes and to put in place a strategic plan to deal with it.
I want to reassure the people of Nunavut that service delivery will not be compromised by these deficits.
Of course, the other ingredient that is essential for success is the input and participation of all residents of Nunavut.
It is with this in mind that I have visited and met with health centre staff and Hamlet Councils in many Nunavut communities.
Over the coming months I plan to hold more meetings and to attend regional forums where possible.
Mr. Speaker, as you can imagine, undertaking the initiatives that I have touched upon this morning has been extremely challenging for our dedicated staff. I am very grateful for their hard work and determination.
I also extend a special thanks to our staff in the communities who work tirelessly, often under very stressful circumstances for the benefit of all the residents of Nunavut.  In closing, I also want to thank my cabinet colleagues, the members of this House and especially the Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health who continue to provide me with support, encouragement and ideas in my work.
Qujannamiik, Koana, Naqurmiik, Merci and Thank you Uqaqti.
Speaker: Merci beaucoup Mr. Picco.
Ministers’ Statements, Mr. Anawak.
Minister’s Statement 07 - 1(3): Inuit RCMP Graduates
Because I can only say thank you in Inuktitut.
I am pleased to announce to the Legislature that the first all-Inuit troop of recruits has completed training in Regina.
We now have six highly trained Inuit RCMP officers who have returned to Nunavut and are assigned to various communities throughout the Territory.
The Inuit officers are: Joe Baines from Iqaluit, assigned to Arviat; Pitseolak Koochiakjuk from Iqaluit, assigned to Cambridge Bay; Eric Ootoovak from Pond Inlet, assigned to Iqaluit, Kevin Sudlovenick from Pond Inlet, assigned to Rankin Inlet; Richard Tatty from Arviat, assigned to Iqaluit; Ben Williams from Iqaluit, assigned to Rankin Inlet.
This is the first time that we have had a full troop of Inuit recruits trained to become officers.
This is an extremely important event for our communities and for Nunavut as a whole.
Inuit officers who can speak the Inuktitut language and who understand the people will have a major impact on justice in the communities.
And hopefully, these officers will serve as role models for young people throughout Nunavut.
I believe that this is Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit at work.
I want to recognize and thank Chief Superintendent Chris Bothe of “V” Division for his vision and his efforts in making this initiative a reality.
But, most important, I want to congratulate our new Inuit RCMP officers for their courage, their hard work, and their dedication to the people of Nunavut.
They will face challenges as they assume their new roles, but they will have the support and encouragement of this Legislature and the people of Nunavut throughout their careers.
I will be giving a letter of congratulations to these new recruits.
Ministers’ Statements, Mr. Arvaluk.
Minister’s Statement 08 - 1(3): An Education Act for Nunavut
Mr. Speaker, I would like to make an announcement on an Education Act for Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce an initiative that will impact on the development of education in Nunavut for many years to come.
As you remember, a decision was made during the last session to dissolve the Divisional Education Councils.
This decision means that we must revise the existing Education Act to reflect the new roles and responsibilities of the various partners involved with the education of our children.
It will also allow us the opportunity to revise the Act to make it more reflective of Nunavut.
(interpretation ends) Last month I circulated to all members of the Legislative Assembly, Divisional Education Councils, District Education Authorities, Nunavut Social Development Council, Nunavut Federation of Teachers and the Nunavut Employee’s Union a list of legislative principles to be used as a guide in developing a new Act.
I am pleased to report that we are receiving comments back from this exercise.
The suggestions we receive will allow for further development of an Education Act for all of Nunavut.
It is important that those involved in the education of our children take an active role in the revision of the Education Act.
It is through the active involvement of parents, DEA’s, community members and educators that we will develop an education system that is meaningful, responsive and reflective of Nunavut.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, we will be bringing the revisions of the Education Act forward at a future time.
I will be keeping the members informed as to our progress.
Minister’s Statement 09 - 1(3): Sport Nunavut Division
Sport Nunavut Division, a division of Community Government and Transportation, promotes, develops and delivers sport in Nunavut.
Before the creation of Nunavut, sport was funded and delivered through the independent NWT organization, Sport North.
Sport Nunavut is now funded through government sources, so it became a division of Community Government and Transportation.
Sport Nunavut headquarters is located in Baker Lake with four staff members, a Director, two Sport Development Officers and one support staff.
Even though sport and recreation programs are organized and funded through various levels of government, the delivery of programs is often at the community level through countless volunteer hours.
Fourteen sports applied to join Sport Nunavut and take advantage of our programs and services.
Eleven of these sports are now legally incorporated associations and, in some instances, have also applied for membership in their related National Sport Organizations.
Sport Nunavut has three main goals in its first year of operation.
The first goal is to have informal sporting groups form Territorial Sports Associations. These associations, in conjunction with Sport Nunavut, would take responsibility for delivering their individual sport programs with assistance from developmental grants.
The second goal is to ensure a level of proficiency for all sport volunteers involved with the delivery of sport programs in Nunavut.
Sport Nunavut’s Coaching/Officiating Strategy will target the severe lack of certified coaches and officials in Nunavut.
Over the next few months Sport Nunavut, working with the Coaching Association of Canada, will host several clinics specifically requested by communities and sport associations.
Our third goal is to provide the leadership role in the development of a representative team from Nunavut at the Arctic Winter Games 2000 in Whitehorse.
Nunavut will have representatives competing in twelve sports.
For many of our youth, the Arctic Winter Games and the Regional and Territorial trials leading to the Games, provide an opportunity to share in sport and spirit.
Team Nunavut will be comprised not only of athletes, but also coaches, officials, volunteers and a cultural delegation.
Sport Nunavut has been fortunate to recruit numerous volunteers who have joined together to help build healthy communities in Nunavut.
The recruitment, training and recognition of these volunteers are an essential component of the sporting community and far too often their contributions are overlooked.
As I stand in this House today as the minister responsible for sports, I would like to publicly thank these individuals.
I would also like to ask my fellow members to recognize the time, energy and dedication of these individuals in our communities.
I also would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Sport Nunavut Division staff in Baker Lake: Patrick Tagoona, Director; Tommy Bruce and Jeffrey Seeteenak, Sport Development Officers; and Marianne Uqayuittuq, Divisional Secretary.
Members’ Statements, Mr. Nutarak.
Member’s Statement 10 - 1(3): Compensation for Losses at Floe Edge
Mr. Speaker, I rise today representing the people of Pond Inlet, my constituency.
I think it was in 1997 that some students went out on a land program in Lancaster Sound.
They were stuck on a floe edge, on a piece of ice for three days and I am very pleased to announce that nobody was fatally hurt or harmed.
They had to be picked up by a helicopter on an emergency basis.
They have never been paid to date and I would like to give a written document to the Minister of Education today.
Member’s Statement 11 - 1(3): Recognition of Search and Rescue Team
Today I rise to recognize and acknowledge my community's search and rescue team and all the people who take part when we have to search for hunters.
When this happens they have to work very hard to try and do their fund raising for search and rescue efforts.
Some of these search and rescue teams are not even supported financially by the government and they have to do their own fund raising.
I know that this is the case in all the communities of Nunavut.
Search and rescue is very important and critical to Nunavut.
I know that people who are involved in search and rescue teams would like to work on educating people on how to survive from the bottom of their heart.
They all work hard night and day, regardless of whether there is a blizzard outside, they do their searching. Therefore I would like to acknowledge all the people who do search and rescue.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge our government for giving financial support when we need this for search and rescue.
I will be giving a written document in regards to this issue to the appropriate minister.
Members’ Statements, Mr. McLean.
Member’s Statement 12 - 1(3): Year of the Elder Person
Mr. McLean: Ma'na, Uqaqti.
This morning the members of the Legislative Assembly had the honour of having a meeting with the elders of Nunavut to hear their concerns.
Uqaqti, 1999 is the Year of the Elder Person.
Traditions and knowledge from the land are rarely passed on now to the younger generation by experience.
This in itself has been an impetus for numerous efforts to keep these things alive.
In the past August, 200 elders from across Nunavut and Nunavik gathered in Iqaluit to share with each other and members of the community, traditional songs and dances, customs and practices.
Uqaqti, let us not forget that this is the year of the elder and try to listen to them more often.
Speaker: Ma'na, Mr. McLean. (interpretation) Members’ Statements.
Member’s Statement 13 - 1(3): Recognition of Fund Raising to Attend Funerals
I rise today to talk about family members who have lost their loved ones and who want to go to their loved ones funeral but they cannot do so because they cannot afford to.
In view of that, I support the families who would like to go to funerals in another community.
I also would like to thank and acknowledge the people who are unable to go to a loved one’s funeral and they are now doing fund raising to help these people so I acknowledge these people who are doing the fund raising.
Member’s Statement 14 - 1(3): Changes to Justice System
This morning I rise for my member’s statement in reference to the justice system.
The justice system has to be amended for the Inuit and Nunavut residents’ lifestyle.
Other aboriginal groups, for example the Navajo Indians, have their own justice system.
We have to utilize our traditions and culture within the Nunavut justice system.
The justice system within Nunavut is very important and should reflect our culture.
Mr. Speaker, thank you.
Member’s Statement 15 - 1(3): Education a Priority
Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to talk about one of the key issues that the government has identified as a priority and that is education.
Education is vital to our future.
I think this is especially true in the primary and pre-school area.
It is during these first crucial years that the skills are developed that will help our young children throughout the rest of their educational lives and employment for the rest of their lives.
I think it is very important that these areas are identified and funded adequately.
I think our education system has to ensure that we give these young people the tools they need to do the jobs we are going to want them to do in the future.
I just wanted to commend the government for making that one of their priorities and I look forward to asking the minister some questions during this session.
Members’ Statements, Mr. Akesuk.
Member’s Statement 16 - 1(3): Appreciation to Assembly Staff
I rise today to say thank you to our staff.
On October 19th the staff of our Legislative Assembly worked very hard to get this House ready on time.
I would like to thank John Quirke and the staff members for working very hard to open this place on time.
Members’ Statements, Mr. Anawak.
Member’s Statement 17 - 1(3): Importance of Elders
I know that we touched upon the issue of elders but we realize that we need more support and we have to consult more with the elders.
As they are becoming fewer and fewer we have to use the elders during the initial stages of our Nunavut Government.
The elders are not going to approach us, it is going to be up to us to take the initiative and see our elders and to ask them questions.
That way there will be a closer working relationship between the elders, they’ll feel that they are being effective.
We have to be proud of our elders, we shouldn’t be intimidated by them.
They are just waiting for us to ask questions.
I would like to urge the representatives of the Nunavut Government to use the elders more.
Members’ Statements, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Member’s Statement 18 - 1(3): Elders and Youth
I rise today to speak about our youth and elders.
They are looking for ways that they can have a close working relationship.
I am in support of that, our young people today are going through challenging times to try and stand up on their own two feet. They are looking for ways to develop themselves.
Our elders are dying off with their wise knowledge and our young people are our future.
We have to train our young people properly for the future so that they can start thinking on their own, start believing in themselves, knowing that they are very capable people.
With all of these things, we encourage the young people to become whatever they want to be, they can become doctors if they want to, they can become workers in the labour force and they can become teachers if they want to.
Our young people are very important to us, for those of us who are middle aged, and are less educated than the younger people, we have not been able to reach up to our potential.
So the young people have potential if they work hard, if they are committed they can become anything they want to, whether it be doctors or health care workers, mechanics, they can become anything they want to with commitment.
So that is the power of young people, through education it can happen.
Members’ Statements, Mr. Arvaluk.
Member’s Statement 19 - 1(3): Meeting with Elders
I would like to talk a bit about elders too.
I know that there is a regulation in the House, especially on Friday, 10 o’clock in the morning, we have to start the meeting and I Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for reminding us of that and I don’t want the public to think that we were late coming in at 10 o’clock.
That wasn’t the case, we are not apologizing for arriving late because the goal of the Legislative Assembly is to work with the elders and to listen to the elders’ comments and needs and concerns.
This morning we had a meeting with the elders starting from 8.30 in the morning until 10 o’clock, that’s why we came in a bit late.
Although we wanted to hear more about their comments and concerns, we had to open the House on time.
So I am just relaying this information to the public, Mr. Speaker, I am not going against your ruling, but the elders are our priority, that’s why we arrived a bit late this morning.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you Mr. Arvaluk for your wise words.
Members’ Statements Mr. Picco.
Member’s Statement 20 - 1(3): Opening of Aqsarniit Middle School
Mr. Speaker I had the pleasure of attending the opening of Nunavut’s newest school, Aqsarniit, here in Iqaluit, with Ministers Arvaluk, Thompson and Premier Okalik.
The Aqsarniit middle school was brought forward through hard work and proactive lobbying by the Iqaluit Education Authority, the Baffin Divisional Board of Education and our MLA.
The school was built with incremental infrastructure dollars that were provided by the Federal Department of DIAND.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Aqsarniit’s new principal, Peter Geikie, the staff and students of Aqsarniit School and wish them much success in this and upcoming years in this new facility.
Member’s Statement 21 - 1(3): Open to Constituents
Since the session opened this is the first time that I have risen to speak.
First of all I would like to thank my constituents in Pangnirtung who have been very patient and my colleagues from the cabinet.
Members cannot just stay idle, because we are so busy and we have to attend various meetings.
Our plans, as we keep stating, we are reviewing our plans and that is the information that we relate to our constituency all the time.
So that is the case, we are making progress on behalf of our Nunavut residents and some of these items will be tabled.
I just want my constituency to know that we are very open to them through the plans that we will be setting forth.
Members’ Statements, Mr. Havioyak.
Member’s Statement 22 - 1(3): Appreciation to Kugluktuk Search and Rescue
You have already heard last summer there was a drowning incident.
I just wanted to thank the people from Kugluktuk for all their help in the search and rescue even though it was a bit hard.
I just want to give thanks to the people of Kugluktuk and I want you to recognize them for all their hard work and it is always very helpful when you work together in this sort of situation.
I want to thank them all for working together.
Back to the Orders of the Day, item 4, Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
I apologize, many apologies, item number 4, Returns to Oral Questions.
Item 5, Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery, Mr. McLean.
It gives me great pleasure today to finally recognize someone from my home community.
It’s a person that is really dedicated to different organizations in the community and her present duty that she is really working on right now is community based justice committees.
She is now the chairperson, I would like to recognize Jean Simailak.
It gives me great pleasure to welcome in the gallery today, the mother of one of the pages here and also my constituency assistant, well known business person and community activist, Ms. Eliza Kingdon. Sitting next to Eliza is a well known broadcaster, a good friend and a tireless worker for Nunavut and the land claim, a negotiator, Mr. Paul Quassa.
In the back over there with the purple sweater on, my executive assistant, who is also here from Apex, Marianne Demmer.
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery.
Oral Questions, oral questions.
Question 18 - 1(3): Inuit Customs in the Justice System
Ever since April 1st, when the Nunavut Government was established, we have been saying we would be using Inuit traditions and culture within the justice system.
That’s our goal.
My question to the appropriate minister is, are we going to be utilizing Inuit culture within the justice system in Nunavut.
Since April 1st, the Department of Justice has been consolidated into one.
Usually there were two divisions and we have combined them into one. To incorporate Inuit knowledge so that the Justice system could operate smoothly we were looking for ways to utilize the community justice committees.
We are now reviewing how we should be utilizing these community justice committees and are working on Justice of the Peace training workshops. I am very pleased, I don’t know if I announced it or not, but Neil Sharkey will be working on the training part for the Justices of the Peace, to respect Inuit needs within the justice system.
I would like to thank the minister for his response.
Another question, I think it was last spring that I asked this question to find out your progress with the Baffin Correctional Centre.
Last spring I spoke about BCC.
The inmates at the Baffin Correctional Centre need help with their social problems.
They should be provided with more healing programs.
My question to the minister is if you provide healing programs to the inmates at BCC.
I would like to remind each and every one of you the rule on oral questions.
During oral questions you have to ask about only one topic.
You have already asked your question about the Department of Justice, but your second question is in regards to the Baffin Correctional Centre.
I would like to remind you that you can only ask one question with one topic.
I apologize, we have not set the whole thing up as yet, but I think that it is part of the justice system. I think his question is part of the justice system and incorporating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
We want to use Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in healing programs, perhaps the Minister for Health and Social Services, I will work with him to come up with programs for healing and reflecting Inuit ways of life so that the healing programs would have a positive impact on the inmates.
But at this time, we have not set up any programs.
Question 19 - 1(3): Airline Schedules
I don’t know if my question can be responded to, but it is to the Minister of Transportation.
In my constituency of Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq, these two communities are very close to each other.
The airline schedules, we are concerned about them, because these two communities are so close to each other but the schedule is only once on Friday and Saturday to Qikiqtarjuaq coming from Clyde River.
When the weather is bad the passengers going to Qikiqtarjuaq or Clyde River have to wait a whole week if they can’t get to their community due to bad weather.
If the weather is bad again, they have to wait another week. Therefore sometimes the passengers will wait three weeks to get to Qikiqtarjuaq or Clyde River.
This is inappropriate and especially when a loved one dies, some family members can’t reach their destination.
I don’t know which airline schedules should be fixed or changed, but I am asking this question to the minister responsible for Transportation to see if they can rectify this situation.
Our department can’t tell the airlines what to do but we are now finding out all of these concerns.
In regards to your statement we can write a letter to convey your concern to the airline.
Since Nunavut was created we want to see the airline schedules going to the communities frequently and I would like to tell the member here that we will relay your concern by way of letter to the appropriate airline.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Alakannuark.
Question 20 - 1(3): Cost of Merchandise
I know that all the goods and services at the stores are very expensive, for example our daily goods that we have to buy.
Could you do a review or study to find out how much these items cost, or how expensive these are because some young families cannot even afford to buy their staples.
I will direct your question to Mr. Anawak since he is responsible for that portfolio.
We are very aware of the high cost of living in the Nunavut Settlement area.