EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
With a strong commitment to building quality academic programming, firmly grounded in the societal values and traditions of our people, our elders, students, and graduates are building a brighter future for our children.
(interpretation ends) Earlier this month, the Nunavut Early Childhood Education Program of the Education Programs Division at Nunavut Arctic College facilitated a consultation with Inuit elders, experts in early childhood development.
(interpretation) Facilitated by Nellie Kusugak of Rankin Inlet and early childhood education program coordinators Myna Ishulutak and Aaju Peter, these meetings included the participation of ECE Diploma students as “learners” in knowledge, sharing, and teaching.
Elders discussed and made recommendations for integrating Inuit culture, knowledge, and language into the ECE program to maximize opportunities for graduates to demonstrate skills, knowledge, and attitudes required to work with Nunavut children in a group setting.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, these consultations were held to review the college’s Early Childhood Education Program outcomes and to create strategies for integrating Inuit culture, knowledge, and language into all course content.
Mr. Speaker, with input and advice from our elders, the weeklong discussions offered valuable opportunities for curriculum enhancement and the incorporation of Inuit-specific content.
(interpretation) Mr. Speaker, during the consultation, elders were professionally filmed and lectures on early child development are being produced in order to create permanent Inuit-specific resources that will contribute to increasing the quality of early childhood education programming for Nunavummiut.
I would like to thank all those elders and early childhood educators for contributing their time, knowledge, and experience to this collaborative process: Miriam Aglukark from Gjoa Haven, Atoat Akittirq from Igloolik, Meeka Arnakaq from Pangnirtung, Qaunak Mikkigak from Cape Dorset, Chris Mikeeuneak, Early Childhood Educator from Arviat, Oleepa Nauyuk from Pangnirtung, Elisapee Ootoova from Pond Inlet, and Kootoo Toonoo from Cape Dorset.
We are very proud of them, Mr. Speaker.
Member for Arviat South, Mr. Kuksuk.
Member’s Statement 228 – 4(2): Congratulations to Elaine Uppahuak-Prusky (Kuksuk)
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to congratulate a constituent of mine on recently completing a program. I’m very proud of her for that.
(interpretation) Elaine Uppahuak-Prusky, who is here today in the House, (interpretation ends) who is Nunavut Arctic College’s Senior Business Officer, has successfully completed the first course of the Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator In-Person Program.
A graduation ceremony was held on February 19 in Winnipeg.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Certified Aboriginal Professional Administrator Program is to enhance the knowledge and skills of senior and aspiring administrators working in aboriginal communities and organizations through professional training and a national certification process.
This is a unique program in Canada and I’m very pleased to be able to recognize Elaine for her accomplishments which will help to inspire others to do this program.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to acknowledge and thank Mr. Marcelo Parungao who is also here today, the college’s Bursar and Chief Financial Officer, for serving as her mentor for this program.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our congratulations to Elaine on her accomplishment. (interpretation ends) Thank you. (interpretation) Thank you very much.
Member’s Statement 229 – 4(2): Nunavut Participants at Canada Winter Games (Taptuna)
Mr. Speaker, the Canada Winter Games has just wrapped up yesterday and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the participants from Nunavut for their performance.
Mr. Speaker, this year, Canada celebrates “The Year of Sport.” It’s about recognizing sporting excellence and history of sport in Canada.
In Kugluktuk, we’re making history as well.
My community continues to prepare young athletes for competition.
Mr. Speaker, representing Kugluktuk at the Canada Winter Games were Julienne Angulalik and Sarah Power, and of course, their coach, Attila Csaba and their manager, Maria Csaba.
Julienne and Sarah competed in table tennis and placed ninth overall in the women’s doubles and team competitions. They also competed in singles competitions.
Mr. Speaker, it is great to see our young athletes from Nunavut participating in sports throughout our nation. This leads to healthier living and more active lifestyles.
Congratulations to both athletes, support staff, and volunteers who are an integral part in making these Games happen.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating their achievements and wishing them and all young Nunavut athletes continued success.
Member’s Statement 230 – 4(2): Tribute to Qikiqtarjuaq Divers (Keyootak)
I rise today to share some celebratory news regarding some individuals, although many residents have heard about this longstanding local initiative.
In our community, we have commercial divers who dive all year long, in the winter and in the summer, conducting their work.
I want to recognize and acknowledge their success as these divers have been invited to other communities to provide assistance.
In particular, last year, they were invited to Pangnirtung to assist the community in searching for an individual suspected of having drowned.
Their recovery efforts weren’t successful. Nonetheless, that had more to do with the visibility of the water.
I want to mention the individuals’ names that went to Pangnirtung to assist in the recovery efforts for the missing person. They are Sammy Qappik and Philipoosie Sangoya, who underwent tremendous stress in attempting the recovery of the missing person who was presumed to be drowned.
They dove in those waters, but they weren’t successful.
Even in the winter, the divers continue to work and they provide many benefits locally, especially in the summer season when divers are needed to repair the breakwater on the seabed. Further, whenever someone loses a boat to sinking, the divers are commissioned to find the sunken vessels.
In particular, this winter, the individuals have been especially busy. Sammy Qaapik and Charlie Aliqatuqtuq are always diving.
They also harvest clams during the winter. It is very heartening to see the success of their work when orders arrive from outlying communities.
I would like my colleagues to join me in congratulating these individuals. We don’t see very many divers up here who dive both in the winter and summer.
Member’s Statement 231 – 4(2): Tribute to Amie Panimera of Igloolik Radio (Quassa)
I thank my colleagues who are here and the residents of Aggu.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to issues related to Aggu and Amittuq. They are actually in one location, on the island of Igloolik.
Every Saturday, there is a radio show aired for Igloolik residents.
The usual recordings heard on this show include stories from elders who have passed on as their stories started being recorded in the 1980s and they are aired during the time spot to our community.
There are stories passing along advice about life and life skills, dangerous ice locations, and so on.
They provide many lessons in our community.
The show commences at six o’clock in the morning until nine o’clock in the morning every Saturday.
I want to acknowledge Amie Panimera, who unerringly goes to the station every Saturday morning for the radio show.
I think it gets the people to get up at six o’clock in the morning to listen to the radio show.
That is another way of helping Inuit.
Even though the elders aren’t here with us anymore, they can still teach the young people through the old recordings.
I think it was in the 1980s that those recordings were made and are still aired today.
I urge all communities to do the same thing.
It is a learning experience and it’s a very interesting learning tool. I appreciate the people of Igloolik for airing those old recordings.
I just wanted to make that comment, Mr. Speaker.
Member’s Statement 232 – 4(2): Appreciation for Incorporating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in Education (Shooyook)
I say “good day” to the people of Nunavut as well as the audience watching the proceedings and my colleagues.
I rise today to express my joy and pride, as my heart is filled with joy.
The Nunavut government’s mandate is one I take pride in today, and to the ministers and to my colleagues, although we pass through difficult times, it is due to your dedication and commitment that the plans we make today are vital and important to our future.
I take pleasure in seeing this develop and to the listening audience, please be patient.
Mr. Speaker, part of my joyousness today revolves around the correspondence that the Minister of Education sent to me about the role of education, the role of parents, spousal relations, as well as child rearing roles.
It also speaks to underage youth who go into relationships, split up, and that these events start occurring around grade 7 to grade 9.
Apparently the teachers want to involve elders to speak to these types of life issues.
I am ecstatic about this development today as this is very important to me, as the youth will learn about the realities of life.
Furthermore, I continue to work towards this goal of raising the profile of Inuit Qaujimanituqangat as some portions have lit up following my comments on the matter, yet social services and the justice system remain in the dark.
Due to that reason, all of the members here have to light up the portions so that everything is equal.
I take great pride in these developments today, so I am sharing my joyousness over this occasion, Mr. Speaker. Our lifestyle has to change and I take great pleasure in that, and I urge my colleagues to support me in incorporating Inuit Qaujimanituqangat and lighting up that aspect.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Shooyook.
Member for Iqaluit-Niaqunnguu, Ms Angnakak.
Member’s Statement 233 – 4(2): Issues Facing Women across Nunavut (Angnakak)
I rise today to extend my thanks and appreciation to the Minister of Family Services for inviting me to travel with her to attend last week’s National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
Mr. Speaker, the statistics regarding missing and murdered women across Canada are shocking and heart-wrenching.
However, it is quite clear to me that these tragic numbers do not stand alone.
Women can face a number of issues and circumstances that put them at risk in the first place.
In Nunavut, socio-economic factors, such as poverty and food insecurity, as well as overcrowding due to the lack of adequate housing, all put significant pressures and stress on our residents.
This stress can easily lead to aggravation and violence in the home.
As we are all aware, our communities are remote and isolated. Only five Nunavut communities currently operate family violence shelters while six other communities have safe houses.
The majority of Nunavut’s communities have no place where vulnerable women and children can escape from violence.
Mr. Speaker, issues such as poor mental health and substance abuse also contribute to the cycle of abuse that leads to women and girls becoming victims.
And on occasion, lifestyle issues such as substance abuse and addiction can limit an individual’s access to social supports such as homeless shelters or treatment options.
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that women who face such overwhelming issues as addiction, poor mental health, poverty, and homelessness are some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. They are at high risk for becoming victims of violence and abuse.
Mr. Speaker, I urge our government to make the effort to address violence against women from a more holistic perspective and to take into account the many issues and factors that can lead to a woman becoming a victim of violence or worse, a more tragic statistic.
Member’s Statement 234 – 4(2): Congratulations to Jane Nakasuk (Mike)
I rise today to share some news that is a cause for celebration regarding a person who has been playing sports for many years and who partook in the Canada Winter Games.
Further, this person has taken part in past Arctic Winter Games in both 2012 and 2014 at the (interpretation ends) junior age division, but she’s a veteran now in the organized sports. (interpretation) I wanted to express my pride in her accomplishments and to congratulate her parents, William and Geela, and their entire family and share in their joy. This person was part of Team Nunavut and that is Jane Nakasuk.
Sports provides many benefits, especially to our youth who are involved in these sports, and this is all part of working towards a better future as well as involvement in community events and sporting tournaments.
I would like my colleagues to share in congratulating this person, although she has now reached the age of 18, but who is a veteran of team sports. Jane Nakasuk stems from my constituency community of Pangnirtung.
Member’s Statement 235 – 4(2): Black History Month in Iqaluit (Okalik)
I rise today to acknowledge some of my constituents who celebrated a special month and it was just in the paper about celebrating Black History Month.
People of African descent celebrated the month of February and I wanted to extend my gratitude for their splendid facilitation of events here in Iqaluit.
There were nights where people gathered to celebrate, which included a showing of a film about the history of discrimination and of the abuses suffered by their forefathers.
The name of the film was Selma. In watching the film, it was quite emotional to see the similarities between their experiences and Inuit, as sometimes it felt as if we were watching a film about Inuit as colonized people, as we too have felt the impacts of discrimination.
Furthermore, part of their celebrations included feasts where their traditional foods were offered to residents of Iqaluit as part of their cultural displays to teach people about their historical diets and how they are used today.
This was quite interesting for all.
I further urge my constituents to celebrate their culture in the future, as it teaches others about different cultures not just in town but for all Nunavut residents.
I want to recognize my nephews.
Firstly, I would like to recognize Russell Akeeagok, who works for the RCMP, P.J. Akeeagok, who was newly elected QIA president, Mark Akeeagok from Grise Fiord, and Joanna Awa.
Everyone knows her from her CBC days and is now P.J. Akeeagok’s assistant and she comes from my riding.
Question 375 – 4(2): Support to Alcohol Education Committees (Mikkungwak)
My questions are for the Minister of Finance, whose department is responsible for liquor management.
The Baker Lake Liquor Restriction Regulations provide that one of the responsibilities of the Baker Lake Alcohol Education Committee is to provide education and counselling of persons in the use of alcohol for the purpose of preventing alcohol abuse.
The alcohol education committee in Baker Lake has requested that it be allocated a share of the revenues that the Nunavut Liquor Commission raises from the handling fees that are applied to liquor orders into the community so that it can fulfill this element of its mandate.
Can the minister indicate if his department will respond favourably to this request?
Hon Keith Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Of course, I appreciate the hard work that the Baker Lake Alcohol Education Committee does. Unfortunately, I can’t state today that we will respond favourably or unfavourably. It is under review.
I can say that I am considering providing funds to alcohol education committees in the new fiscal year, subject to approval by the Legislative Assembly.
The final report of the Minister’s Task Force to Review the Liquor Act, which was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on November 2, 2012, recommended that the alcohol education committees be given adequate resources and support. What specific actions has the minister’s department taken to fulfill this recommendation?
As the member knows, we have initiated the social responsibility program using funds from our revolving fund. We are developing materials and we will be providing materials to alcohol education committees. Our Nunavut Liquor Commission is always available to assist the alcohol education committees with questions about the regulations, establishing rules, and providing the necessary administrative support to assist them to fulfill their functions.
On March 19, 2013, the previous government’s official response to the final report on the Minister’s Task Force to Review the Liquor Act was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
This document actually stated that the position of the Government of Nunavut was that alcohol education committees should be disbanded altogether in favour of other control systems and that responsible GN departments should carry out alcohol education initiatives.
Does the current government support the disbanding of alcohol education committees, yes or no?
I feel like I’m back at university where there are true/false or yes/no answers.
At university, they’re easy questions and answers, but this is not an easy question to answer, Mr. Speaker.
We believe that the alcohol education committees in the communities are providing a good service to the communities.
We have held elections in the past. We just had some elections again in December.
I don’t think the plan is, anytime soon, to do away with alcohol education committees.
As I indicated in an earlier answer, I will consider an honorarium or support funds for the alcohol education committees, plus materials for the social responsibility program. To me, that doesn’t indicate that we’re planning to disband them.
Question 376 – 4(2): Hydroelectric Power Transmission in the Kivalliq (Savikataaq)
As the minister is well aware, one of the issues that I have been pushing in this House concerns the idea of having hydroelectric power transmitted from Manitoba to the Kivalliq via power line.
As the minister is also aware, the governments of Nunavut and Manitoba have been working on this issue through such forms as the Hudson Bay Neighbours Regional Round Table.
When I raised this issue last September on the occasion of our public hearings on QEC’s business plan and annual report, we were informed that this issue was on QEC’s radar screen.
Can the minister update us today on what progress has been made in the last six months since he took over QEC?
I’m not certain I understand his question, if his question is about what progress has been made on the transmission line or the corridor. I can say that it’s still on our radar.
I’ll ask it a little more clearly then. Has the minister or his officials had any talks with his counterparts in Manitoba?
Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Peterson.
I personally haven’t had any talks with our counterparts.
I believe there’s a committee, there’s an acronym there, but there’s a committee that gets together and talks about these issues.
I think they’re looking for funding to support the activities of that committee.
I can’t say with any certainty if my officials have met with anyone from Manitoba.
Has the minister considered letting Manitoba Hydro sell power directly to Nunavut customers if they were to build a power line up themselves and paid for the power line themselves if those so chose?
Would they be allowed to sell the power directly to Nunavut customers?
That’s a $64,000 question.
Without seeing their business case or business model with all the financial projections, I can’t say with any certainty if it would be beneficial to Nunavummiut.
As I believe QEC has said over the years, any power offered to our communities has to be at the same or less rate than what we are currently providing.
As everybody knows in Nunavut and Ottawa and everywhere else, we have a lot of challenges to provide affordable power in Nunavut.
We have aging infrastructure.
As I said last week, I was in Ottawa in December seeking support to upgrade our power generators in 17 of our communities, so we have a lot of challenges. If Manitoba has a proposal, I’m sure our officials in QEC and our technical people, who know more about power and energy than me, would be more than willing to look at it.
Question 377 – 4(2): Administration of the Public Service (Angnakak)
My questions are directed to the Minister of Finance as well.
On November 3, 2014, the minister tabled the government’s June 2014 quarterly employment report.
I look forward to his tabling the more recent quarterly reports for September and December during our current winter sitting.
The June report indicated that there were 835 casual employees working for the government and 1,921 relief workers employed by the government.
On May 28 of last year, the minister informed the House that, and I’m quoting here, “it’s a high priority for our government to get a handle on casuals and the relief worker situation.”
Can the minister describe some of the specific actions that his department has taken over the past year to address this issue?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Peterson.
It must be my day for the hot seat; the hot corner.
Mr. Speaker, I have a tonne of paperwork here, but I can assure Ms. Angnakak that the government is making progress.
The departments are all well aware of the casual staffing policy. They are all aware of the relief staffing policy.
Our Human Resources Division tracks the casuals. We get reports every month.
Any casual longer than a year, we ask the departments to justify why a casual position is for more than a year. We have urged them and you have heard me in the House over the last year that we consider them for term positions.
Once they get to six months, they are term and they get the same benefits as regular employees.
Anything beyond four months or one year, I think we also talk to NEU to get their approval that it is okay to extend.
The 2014-15 main estimates included funding for approximately 4,250 full-time positions across the government.
This year’s budget and main estimates for the upcoming 2015-16 fiscal year includes funding to add approximately 200 new full-time positions.
Can the minister explain why the government continues to add full-time positions to its organizational structure, even though it needs to hire hundreds of casuals to fill jobs that apparently cannot be filled on a full-time basis?
Mr. Speaker, as Ms. Angnakak is well aware, at the cabinet retreat last year in Kugluktuk, as a government, we met with you. We all agreed on a mandate for this government to provide certain programs and services.
We are planning to do that. You’ve had an opportunity to talk to some of my colleagues already in the Committee of the Whole to explain our new programs and new initiatives.
With respect to positions that have been funded and are vacant, there are reasons why we can’t hire indeterminate positions. A lot of it has to do with housing.
I believe there are close to 900 staff houses required across Nunavut to staff Government of Nunavut employees. We can’t staff some of the positions because there just isn’t enough staff housing. That is a big issue.
Some of the positions, due to decentralization decisions years ago, are in communities where people are just not available or qualified for those positions.
We are working around those kinds of issues. It’s not going to be solved overnight, but we are working on it.
I currently have a project underway and my Department of Finance works with all the departments to look at positions that have gone unfilled for longer than two years and to identify those issues and what the departments are doing to rectify the vacancy.
Maybe we can use the money to reprofile to other positions and other initiatives in Nunavut.
The 2012-13 Public Service Annual Report was not tabled in the Legislative Assembly until May 29, 2014 and the 2013-14 report is now seriously overdue.
Can the minister explain why he has not yet tabled this important annual report?
I believe we have it ready to be tabled; we just haven’t picked a date.
Question 378 – 4(2): Nursing Positions in Nunavut (Shooyook)