EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
This funding is provided to the communities, to the hamlets for water and sewage services.
It is only for water and sewage services.
We are dealing with community government main estimates.
Would we be able to receive information on how this money is divided for each community.
Chairperson (interpretation): Are you asking how this money is divided or how much each community receives. 7-11. 7-12.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): I think this may have been mentioned earlier by the minister.
It is regards to the Inuit games.
It says 20 million here.
I would like the minister to explain this further.
Chairperson (interpretation): You were given a copy of the corrected Inuktitut.
It has the page numbers identified and what it should say in Inuktitut.
It says municipal operating assistance program that is what it says.
So that is what we have here.
Is that given to the communities also.
It is given to the communities on a per capita basis and is divided that way.
Quite a while ago we had a few problems with our hamlet and the money that we received on a per capita basis were wrong.
I don’t know whether it was mismanagement, but if this money is given out on a per capita basis are you sure that you are giving out the right amounts to the community given the population growth and factors.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): We use other factors.
We look at the community as a whole.
We are not just looking at the population of the community, we look at a variety of the communities and that determines how much money will be going to that community.
We might also look at the environment surrounding the community, the airports, the distance of the water reservoir and so on.
We do use a per capita basis but we also take other factors into consideration.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Maybe I will be wrong with this question in regards to this 20 million.
The Municipal Operating Assistance Program, are we talking about using this money for roads, snow clearing on roads.
Is that included in this operating assistance program.
Mr. Ferris: The Municipal Operating Assistance Program is the formula that provides each municipality or each hamlet with dollars to help offset their operating costs.
In the formula there are factors for metres of road, so that they do get money for road maintenance, snow removal.
There are factors in there for the number of staff.
There are factors in there for the number of streetlights.
This is a general municipal operating grant to help each municipality to provide the services required in the community.
They get their money to deliver the water/sewer side of the operations, out of the water/sewer block fund that we talked about on page 7-11.
The balance of the dollars that they get to operate the municipality comes out of the Municipal Operating Assistance Program on page 7-12.
This is very interesting to hear.
Knowing that there are assistance programs available to the hamlets.
I am sure your department can give us a summary of what is available to the hamlets and I would like to see a copy of that given to me.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): We give money to the hamlets, but first of all we make an agreement.
We do give money to the hamlets but they have to be fully aware of what their roles and responsibilities will be if they are going to be accessing these funds.
Page 7-12.
Mr. Nutarak (interpretation): Page 7-12.
I had a question regarding the 103 thousand.
Northern Games.
I just wanted further information because the number is not increasing over the years but the population is growing.
Is this money only used for meetings and conferences.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): I told the member from Kugluktuk that we should be increasing this number.
We have winter and summer games in the north and we also use these monies for leisure activities that are held in the communities.
More of a comment than anything else.
I'll wait until next year and see if there's going to be an increase in this line item.
Chairperson (interpretation): 7-12. 7-13.
Sport Nunavut.
To assist sport organizations, 997 thousand dollars.
Is that just for sports organizations or is it for other events.
This money is used for sport organizations and associations like the member from Nanulik said today that there's going to be some athletes going down to London to attend a wrestling event.
The money would come from here.
There will also be, in 2002, the Arctic Winter Games that will be co-hosted by Iqaluit and Nuuk.
In addition, organizations for hockey or volleyball or soccer would access these funds.
These also cover the awards, they would go under this item.
We gave the Arctic Winter Games Host Society some money to go attend some meetings but we give this money for sports oriented activities.
There are the Canada games that will be held in London and this is the first time that Nunavut will be participating.
We've put approximately 60 thousand dollars towards that activity and then 500 thousand dollars for the Arctic Winter Games and also for conferences and coaching clinics, 75 thousand dollars.
For awards and stuff like that we put 10 thousand dollars aside for those purposes.
That's a very clear response to my question but again there are the communities out there who would like to have inter-community activities.
Can we also access funds for stuff like that.
Right underneath that line, there's the 234 thousand dollars for recreation and leisure that could be accessed by the communities that would like to host activities.
This 997 thousand dollars and 234 thousand dollars seems to be all for the same thing.
But, this 234 thousand dollars is just for Nunavut oriented games.
Anawak
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Like I said earlier, this 997 thousand dollars is for big events.
We're going to assist them by about 1 million dollars and then the communities can access the 234 thousand dollars.
The 997 thousand dollars is for the whole of Nunavut and national events.
If you would like further information Mike can make a supplementary comment.
Mr. Ferris: Mr. Chairman, as the minister said the 997 thousand is for active sport competitions and the major sporting events.
The 234 is the community-based recreation, it could be for inter-community sport, for workshops or conferences.
Also over on page, or back on page 7-8, that is where the recreation and leisure division has funding as well for staff and some travel.
So there is also some inter-community travel back under other expenses.
So the one is for major sporting events, where there is high-level competition and the other is for community and inter-community competition or the lower level of competition within the Nunavut communities.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we get requests for support from our communities when they want to hold recreational activities.
Is it better to send those requests to your department.
We have an office in Qamanittuaq, Baker Lake.
Of course, you can send it to the headquarters, but their office is in Baker Lake.
Just a couple of questions on the role of the government on Sport Nunavut.
I hate making comparisons to the NWT but the NWT has an organization called Sport North and they seem to be an independent body from the government.
I know we have only been around for two years but has the minister thought about maybe making Sport Nunavut on the same lines as Sport North as an independent organization that we just give grants and contributions to or are we going to keep this as a government department.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, I will get Mike to respond.
But I would like to first apologize, I made an error.
This 997 thousand is administered out of Qamanittuaq and then we also have one in Igloolik, which is recreation and leisure. That is administered out of Igloolik.
Maybe Mike could supplement that response and answer the Member from Baker Lake’s question.
At the present time, Sport North does have a very positive relationship, but because they run the lottery and they make about 2 million dollars off the Lotto sales within the GNWT.
Of that two million, there is about 300 thousand of the money actually comes out of Nunavut.
We only have a couple of lottery outlets.
So at the present time, there is less than about 300 thousand dollars that we would be able to run Sport Nunavut on if we wanted to have it totally hands free from the government.
The department in Yellowknife, Municipal & Community Affairs, are very supportive of Sport North and works very closely with them, but all the funding that they need to operate comes from the lottery.
Now our minister has asked us and we are working with the advisory committee that the minister has to look at other ways that we could identify other funding sources for Sport Nunavut that would allow us to move it into an independent.
But the general feeling was that as long as it was costing government in the neighbourhood of 2 million dollars that it would be better to keep it as a department within the government. But long term would be to have it set up as Sport North is and separate and enhance it free from the government with its own source of revenue and not having to rely on us.
It's nice to know that but I think the people don't want to work for nothing. Anyhow I had to ask that question but you hit on a very good topic there's lottery revenue, gambling is a problem in most of our communities like there's bingo's every night, there's all sorts of various fund raising activities in our communities, for everything.
I know there's only a couple of outlets to buy lotto 649 tickets and scratch and wins and things like that, and I know there's some larger communities like my own Baker Lake, probably Arviat and few other communities that could probably do with some sort of a lottery terminal.
If it's going to generate revenue for sports and recreation because like what Mr. Iqaqrialu said and every time we turn around there's somebody in front of us looking for donations to go to play hockey here or volleyball there and various other activities.
And a lot of the times the organizations do fundraise. Is there going to be a push to accept more lottery terminals in the smaller communities like Baker Lake or Arviat. Are you looking at that or is that something that could be looked at, down the road.
Hon. Jack Anawak: Before we do that what we would like to do is, as the member just pointed out, is a lot of bingos and a lot of fund raising events, we'd like to do some sort of survey on the issue of gaming overall in Nunavut.
Because we understand, in a lot of communities, you cannot hold a general public meeting because there's a bingo that night sort of thing.
So we're going to do an overall survey of those various issues and certainly lottery terminals is one area we will be looking at to see whether we want to do, as the members suggested or move to promote something like that.
I don’t want to push it, the point of gambling, when I'm an advocate against it all the time but there's a definite need out there, some people have to exert to gamble, but the lottery terminals and scratch and wins are pretty good things too.
I know Sports North currently now provide the services for us, are we getting value for our money for Sport North on these lottery terminals.
What's the guarantee that we're getting revenue that we generate or is it just, who’s checking that the revenue that we're generating in Nunavut is coming back to us. Is that the way it works or they just give us the stiff end.
Mr. Ferris: They provide the open books for us, audited, confirmed audited statements and we also verify the information so we're paid an actual based on the revenue generated throughout Nunavut and we pay a small fee back to them for administering that.
Chairperson (interpretation): We're on page 7-13.
In regards to recreation, I myself as a member of legislature, I am sometimes asked if I could give support to the people who play sports and I don't have any funding for sports and recreation. So I guess I have to refer these people to you , when they come and ask for some money.
As a Member of the Legislative Assembly, if we can find other alternatives to raise money, we have to look for it so that the smaller communities can utilize this so that all the people in the communities will be able to go play sports.
I was wondering if you could look for other options.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, we have increased this funding, at least by a little bit, in recognition of what you just said.
That's why we have raised it to 234 thousand dollars to make sure that we can help the others a little bit in view of what you stated.
Chairperson (interpretation): We're on 7-13.
If there are no further comments, we'll go on to 7-8.
Community Government, operations, 43 million 6 thousand dollars.
Chairperson (interpretation): Total expenditures, 53 million 286 thousand dollars.
Community Government Transportation, branch summary, 13 million 330 thousand dollars.
On page 7-15 and 7-16, I would like to deal with these pages and then go back to that page.
Chairperson (interpretation): Let's move onto page 7-15 then.
Questions to the page.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 7-15 and 7-16 together.
The funding from NavCanada, Coast Guard, Fisheries, Transport Canada, Indian Affairs.
There are two pages.
Will 100% of these go back to GN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): Yes, all of it.
I had a question on page 7-14, what page are we on now.
Am I allowed to ask a question under page 7-14.
Chairperson (interpretation): 7-14 has to be agreed to.
So the information is on 7-15 and 7-16, in detailed information.
But you're allowed to ask questions.
I have a question under transportation.
It states that the Motor Vehicle Act regulations and licensing drivers and vehicles operating in Nunavut to ensure they're safe and reliable.
In the minister's opening comments, he stated that the communities, if I'm correct, if the communities will be instructing the people who are learning how to drive, like if I get a driver's license in the smaller communities, I can't use that driver's license down in Saskatchewan.
I have been asked to ask this question that will we be able to use these drivers’ licenses in the north, no matter what community I got it from, will I be able to use it down south.
The driving courses, I think there are two types.
One for just a Nunavut only driver’s license and the other one if you wanted to be able to drive down south you can take a drivers course so that your license will be non restricted.
As we know in Nunavut we do not have highways because the roads differ from down south.
Sometimes they are given restricted licenses.
That driver's license you can use just in Nunavut.
If they want to drive down south they are given the further training.
It says here that it enforces the Motor Vehicles Act, regulates the licensed drivers and vehicles operating in Nunavut.
We see now a number of vehicles in Iqaluit, the suburbans or some kind of trucks out there that seem to belong to the GN. We have also by-law officers, we have RCMP what are these white trucks doing around town.
What are they checking.
I know one of them was checking to make sure license plates are clean and free from snow.
What are they doing here.
Who are they.
Who are they working for.
Mr. Ferris: Mr. Chairman, we have one motor vehicles enforcement officer at the present time who is driving a white pick up.
He is working with both the Town by-law and the RCMP.
There are certain inspections that we need to do because they are heavy equipment type inspections and that gentleman is certified to do those.
We have also been doing some related to the license plates because they are issued by the Government of Nunavut and we are moving toward the end of this month having everybody in Nunavut whether it is in Iqaluit or elsewhere with the proper issued Nunavut license plates and a proper issued license. There is an effort as well for us to have a motor vehicle information system separate from the GNWT in operation on April 1.
There is a requirement under the Motor Vehicles Act for enforcement, our enforcement officer does not enforce radar or speeding or any of the types of things that the Town by-law officers are enforcing.
We had a tragic accident here in Iqaluit and the coroner's office strongly recommended as a government we accept the responsibility that they have to do inspections on the heavy equipment and that is what the gentleman is concentrating on.
Those inspections will also be done across Nunavut as they have time to travel.
We used to get one inspector come across from Yellowknife at least once a year to do inspections in town.
Now because this is where the headquarters for motor vehicles is located we have the one full time inspector here and that gentleman will be travelling as well to other communities.
There is a duplication here.
Is there any thought to see if one of the by-law officers could be trained to do this.
Is it so involved that we have to have a full time person to do this.
Is that being thought of.
Hon. Jack Anawak: This is a territorial issue, so of course the Government of Nunavut would have to undertake that whereas the by-law officer would be for Iqaluit only.
There is a need for, as the Deputy Minister pointed out, there was a tragic accident with a truck and that started the question of do we have adequate examination of the trucks that are operating, commercial trucks that are operating.
As much as we don’t have roads that are operating within Nunavut.
So it is part of a territorial position and we have to look at the standards in Nunavut, rather than in each community.
Please raise your hand as soon as possible.
I just wanted to add (interpretation ends) that in one of my communities, we have children in kindergarten and grade one in some sort of gym, going to school in a gym.
I was wondering about what our priorities are, I know this is a good cause, but wouldn’t it be better to have a by-law officer trained if it is going to be concentrating more in Iqaluit, to do these kinds of things.
They already have trucks and this was just a suggestion that I wanted to bring forward.
We have a lot of needs and this one sort of jumped out at me and I felt that, what are our priorities.
Now I have a better understanding, I know it is a need, but I think at the same time we could train by-law officers.
Hon. Jack Anawak: You need special expertise to examine trucks and again this is not limited to Iqaluit, this is for all of Nunavut, as much as it may be that the accident that occurred was in Iqaluit.
But it is for all of Nunavut and I think that there is a need for a very special expertise in terms of examining trucks to see whether they should even be on the road.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Supplementary to the question that was asked.
According to my knowledge and my experience, whether you are down south or in Nunavut, the same road rules still apply.
Even if you go to the smaller communities the road rules still apply, the same as down south.
Because we still need drivers’ licenses, we have class 1, class 2, class 3, up to class 5 of drivers’ licences.
I know that this hinders people in Nunavut especially in the smaller communities, when they have small roads with all these regulations, they can’t really learn what they are supposed to do with those rules and regulations, all in English.
I was wondering, in here is says that it regulates and licences drivers operating in Nunavut to ensure safe and reliable transportation and maintains airport facilities.
I was wondering if you are going to be looking into that.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): We are not focusing on that at this point.
What I said was that people who would like to learn how to drive, not just in Nunavut, but also outside of Nunavut.
If individuals would like to get drivers’ licences so that they could drive down south.
But at this time when you are trying to drive, other than in Iqaluit, it is totally different, when you go down to drive in Ottawa.
For that reason, that's why we have different classes of drivers’ licences.
If any individual would like to get further information, if they want to get further training, if they ask, then we can look into it.
As well at this time, we are developing the driver's manual, it is being translated into Inuktitut.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Yes, Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The question that I was just going to ask has just been answered.
In the smaller communities, whenever somebody is going to take driver training, they have to pay themselves.
I don't know how much they have to pay but the only time they can have their driver's licence is when they pay.
Even though somebody paid to take driver training and then they come into this place where they're going to get driver's training and if they don't show up they don't get their money back and also to get their licence they have to pay again.
The money keeps on going all the time.
They keep paying the money just to take driver training and it frustrates a lot of people and I would just like the minister's department to see whether it could be ratified.
In regards to the driver's training course the individual that's teaching has to be paid.
So if you want to go, if you were down south and you want to learn how to drive in Toronto then, everybody has to pay for the wage of the instructor.
Because the driver's manual is not translated properly or it was not translated, they could not take the driver training, so what I did was I asked my department to look at it. It's got nothing to do with the person's inability.
As long as they can read, then they can read the translated version.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you for the minister’s response.
I would also like to say that a lot of young people that are growing up want to take driver training, not to drive in Toronto but to drive in Nunavut in their community and they want to take that training.
So it should be available to all the communities.
To clarify different ways of getting a licence, not anything to do with Toronto but to make them useful for Nunavummiut.
For example, we don't have any traffic lights.
I know that a red light means stop and stuff like that but the Nunavut people have never seen traffic lights and never will, but still we have to learn about them and pass a course on it.
This has to be improved on.
Hon. Jack Anawak (interpretation): That is why we have amended the driver’s manual so that Nunavummiut can take the drivers training here in Nunavut in their own community.
So that’s why we have Nunavut restricted licences, for Nunavummiut, that’s why there are different types of licences.
So if you want to learn how to drive in Toronto for example, then you would have to get an unrestricted licence.
Even though you can drive a vehicle, the roads are different, so here in Iqaluit and in Toronto that’s why they have a restricted licence.
So we know that in the communities if there are a certain number of students that want to take drivers’ training, we have an individual in Rankin Inlet named Sylvia Sharpe, who conducts drivers’ training courses.
She goes into communities to give these courses.
After Mr. Arvaluk, we will take a brief break.
Under 7-14, it was part of Ms. Williams’ question.
I don’t think this is really a question but it is for all Nunavummiut.
The money that we use as a government for the motor vehicles division and the individual driving instructor who you said travels to communities.
I am not opposed to this road enforcement officer, but our 600 million dollar budget is insufficient, like Rebekah said that it should be used for schools and arenas in communities that have the need for that rather than having a road enforcement officer.
All those things that are needed in the communities and to have an individual that does inspections on the roads and stuff.
I just wanted to make it clear to the government, not just to this department that we should think about our priorities and I just wanted to make that comment, following Ms. Williams’ question.
Chairperson (interpretation): There is no question.
Just before we take a break, did you want to approve the main estimates for Community Government & Transportation first.
Under 7-14.
Chairperson (interpretation): 7-15.
Chairperson (interpretation): 7-16.