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Members recommend that the Department continue to work with other Departments, such as Health and Social Services, Education and Sustainable Development, to ensure the greatest possible effectiveness in program delivery.
The Committee was pleased to hear that the Department is refining its accountability process for funding allocations and looks forward to seeing the introduction of a comprehensive system that tracks spending on and evaluates the performance of projects funded through its grants and contributions programs.
As a first step, the Committee recommends that the department compile and make public a comprehensive listing of projects and programs funded through the grants and contributions programs.
Language and Culture
Members are encouraged by the progress made in the staffing of the Language Bureau in Kugluktuk.
The Committee recognizes that there continue to be capacity problems with providing interpretation and translation services and recommends that the Department collect baseline information on translation and interpretation resources available both within and outside of Nunavut.
Members were pleased to learn that the Minister has begun the process of discussion and negotiation with the federal government for additional support for Inuit culture and language programs.
Last year, the Committee recommended that the department make public its draft Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit policy.
Realizing that it will take time to incorporate principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into operational policies and procedures of government, the Committee looks forward to hearing the results of activities and initiatives to support the integration of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in government.
Focus and Support
The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth supports a number of advisory boards and councils such as the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Tunngaviksaliuqtiit Task Force, the Status of Women Council, the Council for the Disabled and the Nunavut Historical Advisory Board.
Members were very pleased recently to finally hear of the new appointments to these Boards and Councils as well as the appointment of an Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Coordinator and a Senior Advisor for Women’s Issues and People with Disabilities.
Members look forward to seeing the statutorily required annual reports of these Boards and Councils tabled in the House.
Members have noted from their own families and experiences that many men in today’s changing society are experiencing hardship and need support systems.
The Committee recommends that the Minister consider establishing a body that would address the needs of men in Nunavut.
Members further recommend that the Senior Advisor position be re-designated as an Equality Advisor position to facilitate the full participation of all elements of Nunavut’s society – Elders, youth, women, men and the disabled - to address social problems and issues on an equal basis.
Members were pleased to hear that the Minister has followed their recommendation to investigate possibilities for providing additional support to Elders, following the example of support programs in other jurisdictions such as seniors' discounts for grocery purchases, local transportation and housing.
Department of Education  The Standing Committee on Culture, Education and Health has reviewed the business plan and main estimates for the Department of Education for the fiscal year 2001-2002.
The Department of Education has been allocated over 40% of the Government of Nunavut’s total capital spending in 2001-2002.
Members support this strategic investment in Nunavut’s schools as it is fundamental to achieving objectives laid out in the Bathurst Mandate.
As a number of projects require capital investment over a period of years, Members urge the Minister to commit to future years’ funding for projects that are currently in the planning and design stages.
Despite the considerable investment in educational facilities, Members continue to be aware of difficulties faced by many community schools due to overcrowding and outdated facilities.
The Committee looks forward to the result of the Department's comprehensive capital facilities review to be completed in the near future.
Members have raised concerns that the Department received and allocated additional capital funding for school buses in two communities without any established policy or criteria.
Members note that the safety and security of students in several communities would be greatly enhanced by the provision of bussing services.
Members recommend that policies and guidelines for the purchase and contracting of bussing services be established.
District Education Authorities
The Standing Committee is pleased with the level of support and training that the Department has committed to the District Education Authorities.
The Committee recommends that the Department support the establishment of a Nunavut District Education Authority Association to assist the DEAs in carrying out their responsibilities more effectively.
Members were pleased to hear that the Department has followed their suggestion to allow DEAs more autonomy in the employment of language or cultural educators as part of their staffing allocation.
The Committee understands that audits of the three dissolved District Education Councils have been finalized and look forward these documents being made public.
The Committee applauds the Department’s decision to invest the surplus from the dissolution of these Councils into Inuktitut curriculum and trades education.
Curriculum and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
Members appreciate that the Department has long-term goals for the development of a curriculum, resource materials, employing language and culture specialists but remain concerned that progress in implementing Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit has been slow.
The Committee feels that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit must be integrated as soon as possible in the learning process, beginning with daycare programming.
Members look forward to seeing the results of the Language of Instruction study when it is tabled in the House.
Members recommend that materials collected in the process of developing the Inuktitut Curriculum be compiled and distributed to educators for their use and evaluation at the earliest opportunity.
Student and Teacher Development
Committee members feel that support for post-secondary students deserves serious review.
The Bathurst Mandate commitment to lifelong learning must be supported through as many means as possible.
The financial support system, while better administered now, has not been significantly increased from last year’s allocated amount and students studying both within and outside of Nunavut continue to face difficulties.
Increased funding allocations for trades development has been most welcome, especially when it is based at the community level.
The Committee recommends that the Minister continue efforts to investigate options such as interdepartmental programming or accessing outside funding for training and student support.
Committee members are pleased with the Department’s progress in supporting Inuit teacher education training, leadership and development and with the support for elder roles as educators in schools.
Following the review of the Department’s 2000-2001 Budget and Business Plan, the Standing Committee recommended that the Department assess the needs of students with special needs and develop new initiatives to meet those needs.
While the Department has made some initial efforts in this area, Members recommend that these initiatives be incorporated into base programming instead of one-time funding.
Members further recommend that the Department work with the Department of Health and Social Services to establish programs to measure the health status of children entering the school system in order to establish a baseline of needs and anticipate future needs.
The Committee was pleased to hear of the recent appointments to the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations Certification Board.
Members hope that the Board will give full consideration to the skills, traditions and culture of Nunavut's residents and advocate for the removal of unnecessary barriers that prevent otherwise skilled and competent workers from receiving certification.
By having a strong voice in issues relating to apprenticeship and trades training, Board members will play an important role in the successful development of Nunavut's labour force.
The Committee is pleased with the Department’s efforts to provide trades and training programs at the community level which assist people in moving from dependency to self-reliance.
The Committee looks forward to seeing the results of the Income Support Review when it is complete and made public.
List of Recommendations  11 That the Minister of Health and Social Services provide regular updates on the three new regional health facilities including information on the planning and funding options under consideration, the scope of services to be offered in each facility, operational costs, staffing requirements and client boarding options.
12 That the amount of funding allocated to Health Committees of Council be reviewed at the earliest possible opportunity.
13 That funding allocated for activities involving Elders and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit be specifically referenced in budget documentation to allow for greater transparency.
14 That the Department of Health and Social Services set specific targets, such as reductions in youth smoking rates or incidents of tuberculosis, to measure the success of both centralized and community-based programming.
15 That Client Satisfaction Surveys be conducted on a regular basis in all health boarding facilities in order to monitor the services provided and to increase the standard of accountability applied to boarding home management.
16 That the Minister of Health and Social Services look into accessing sponsorship programs beyond the Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students program to provide additional support to health students and their families during their time of study.
17 That the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth provide the preliminary results of the capital feasibility studies to the Standing Committee at the earliest opportunity.
18 That the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth continue to work with other Departments such as Health and Social Services, Education and Sustainable Development to ensure the most effectiveness in program delivery.
19 That the Department compile and make public a comprehensive listing of projects and programs funded through the grants and contributions programs.
20 That the Department collect baseline information on translation and interpretation resources available both within and outside of Nunavut.
21 That the Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth consider establishing a body that would address the needs of men in Nunavut.
22 That the Senior Advisor position in the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth be re-designated as an Equality Advisor position.
23 That the Department of Education establish policies and guidelines for the purchase and contracting of bussing services.
24 That the Department of Education support the establishment of a Nunavut District Education Authority Association to assist the DEAs in carrying out their responsibilities more effectively.
25 That materials collected by representatives of the Department of Education in the process of developing the Inuktitut Curriculum be compiled and distributed to educators for their use and evaluation as soon as possible.
26 That the Minister of Education continue efforts to investigate options such as interdepartmental programming or accessing outside funding for training and student support.
27 That the Department of Education’s initiatives for special needs programming be incorporated into base programming instead of one-time funding.
28 That the Department of Education work with the Department of Health and Social Services to establish programs to measure the health status of children entering the school system in order to establish a baseline of needs and anticipate future needs.
Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development
Nunavut Housing Corporation  The Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development has reviewed the business plan, capital plan and main estimates of the Nunavut Housing Corporation for the fiscal year 2001-2002.
Disclosure of Funding Sources in 2001-2002 Main Estimates
The Standing Committee was pleased to see the Corporation provide a complete listing of its sources of funding in its main estimates for the 2001-2002 fiscal year.
As the Minister stated in her opening comments before the Committee of the Whole, this disclosure provides an accurate picture of the Corporation's activities and the Committee would like to see this practice continued in subsequent years.
Nunavut Housing Crisis
The Committee continues to stress the need for more social housing units in Nunavut.
As the Corporation's own business plan acknowledges, the housing shortage is at crisis levels and demand for these units will only increase over the next five years.
The Standing Committee would like to encourage the Corporation to continue to lobby the federal government to access funds for social housing in Nunavut.
The Committee noted that the House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources is presently conducting an inquiry into aboriginal housing and has recently heard from representatives of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada.
Members would recommend that the Minister and the Corporation make a presentation to the federal Standing Committee to illustrate, first-hand, the desperate situation that exists in Nunavut and to lobby the federal government to work with the Corporation to assist in addressing this issue.
Recommendations of the Minister's Task Force on Housing
The Standing Committee was pleased to note that the Nunavut Housing Corporation has adopted several of the recommendations that were made in the final report of the Minister's Task Force on Housing. The Committee would like to stress the need for public consultation when implementing these recommendations, such as the pursuit of new and innovative housing designs.
The Committee read with interest the report on the Nunavut Public Housing Rent Scale Review that was recently tabled in the Assembly.
The Committee looks forward to reading the final report of this review and seeing the introduction of a rent scale that accurately reflects the needs of Nunavummiut.
The Committee was also encouraged to hear the Minister indicate during proceedings in Committee of the Whole that her office is exploring the possibility of selling public housing units to tenants.
The Committee would like to recommend that the Housing Corporation pursue this initiative and provide a framework for its implementation in the near future, should it prove to be a viable option.
Department of Public Works and Services  The Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development has reviewed the business plan, capital plan and main estimates of the Department of Public Works and Services for the fiscal year 2001-2002.
The Standing Committee would like to make the following comments, observations and recommendations with respect to a number of specific issues.
NNI Policy
The Standing Committee noted with interest that the first anniversary of the implementation of the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti (NNI Policy) has recently passed.
As indicated in the policy and by the Minister, a review of the NNI Policy is to take place after the completion of the first year since implementation.
The Committee looks forward to reading the results of this review when it is tabled in the Assembly.
The Committee also noted that the policy mandates the appointment of a Contracting Policy Review Committee and a Contracting Appeals Board with representatives being named from the Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and, in the case of the Appeals Board, the Nunavut Chamber of Commerce.
Members recognize that there is more than one representative party involved with the appointment of the Committee and Board However, the Standing Committee is concerned with the lack of progress that has been made to date.
The Standing Committee would like to recommend that the Government of Nunavut and the other representative organizations move forward on these appointments and make these announcements public as soon as possible.
Nunavut Sealift
The committee was pleased to hear that the Government of Nunavut is taking over more responsibility for the delivery of services in Nunavut.
The devolution of the Eastern Arctic Sealift from the Canadian Coast Guard to the Government of Nunavut has the promise to enable the government to better serve its people.
During the budget session, the Minister indicated that contract negotiations were being finalized for the provision of this service to the Government of Nunavut.
The Minister also indicated that considerable savings would be realized.
The Committee would like to recommend that a review of the upcoming eastern arctic sealift season take place - once all costs have been calculated - to confirm that the cost savings envisioned by the Department have been realized and that the findings be reported to the Assembly at the earliest opportunity.
Petroleum Product Division's Operational Review
The Committee noted that during the last sitting of the Assembly, the Petroleum Products Division Operational Review had still not been tabled.
The Committee also noted that this particular division has been mentioned in several other reports.
The 2001-2002 business plan of the Department of Finance states that it will be undertaking a review of subsidy programs for various utility services, one of which will be the fuel subsidy program, and the Ikuma Report makes several long-term recommendations for changes to the Petroleum Products Division.
There appears to be an overlap between the Department's review and the others that are mentioned above.
The Committee would like to recommend that these previously mentioned reviews be co-ordinated and that the Petroleum Products Division be included in the government's major program review exercise with a view to developing a long-term plan to establish a more efficient and effective PPD operation.
Informatics and Telecommunications Operations
The Committee noted in its review of the Department's budget estimates that the total expenditures of the Informatics Branch from April 1, 1999 to March 31, 2002 exceeded $37 million.
This figure comprises budgeted amounts plus supplementary appropriations since the government's creation in 1999.
The Committee is concerned with what appears to be a lack of thorough budget planning for IT operations.
The Committee was encouraged to hear the Minister state during Committee of the Whole that the Department anticipated that they would be able to remain with their estimated budget for IT in the 2001-2002 fiscal year.
Department of Justice  The Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development has reviewed the business plan, capital plan and main estimates of the Department of Justice for the fiscal year 2001-2002.
Legal Services In Nunavut
During its meetings with the Department, the Standing Committee brought forward the need for Nunavummiut to be aware of their legal rights.
Discussions took place regarding the 1-800 law line service currently provided in the Northwest Territories.
With this system, residents can call in and seek general legal advice that is both anonymous and free from a lawyer who has volunteered his or her time.
The Committee feels that providing such basic, but important, legal information and assistance to residents such as the drawing up of wills and other documents are essential.
The Committee would stress the fact that any program put in place must be able to meet the needs of unilingual Inuit who would be accessing such legal information.
Assistance with the preparation of a last will and testament, for example, would alleviate many of the complications that can arise when an individual dies intestate.
A will gives the individual the power to choose how his estate will be disposed of.
The Standing Committee would like to recommend that the Department of Justice come forward with initiatives to ensure that the public has free access to basic legal information such as a 1-800 law line service.
Akitsiraq Law School
The Standing Committee fully supports the Akitsiraq Law School and is anxious to see the law school and its future lawyers succeed in Nunavut.
The committee noted that the Akitsiraq Law School intends to offer additional courses in the areas of the law that are relevant to Nunavut.
This is a bold approach and we applaud it.
Holistic Approach to Justice in Nunavut
The Committee was pleased to hear the Minister report on the success of the single-level trial court system that was established to meet the unique needs of Nunavut.
During its meetings with the Minister, the Committee stressed the need for a holistic approach to the legal system.
This approach needs to be incorporated into the Nunavut justice system in part through the roles of the Community Justice Committees and Justices of the Peace.
An effective justice system must look at the whole and not simply focus on the crime.
The committee noted that the 2001-2002 capital plan allocates $100,000 to continue the planning and design stage for the new courthouse.
The Standing Committee would recommend that the Department of Justice incorporate the holistic approach to the legal system into the design of the new courthouse by allocating space for not only legal professionals, but also Community Justice Committees.
Backlog of Court Cases Across Nunavut
During its meetings with the Department, the Standing Committee brought forward concerns regarding the continued backlog of cases in the courts.
This backlog has put an added emotional strain on all those involved, from victim to offender.
The Committee was pleased to hear the Minister state in the Assembly that his Department is making attempts to alleviate this problem and has approached the federal government for the appointment of a third judge for Nunavut.
Policing Levels in Nunavut
In light of recent tragedies, the Standing Committee has expressed concern to the Minister over whether the police presence in our communities is sufficient to meet the public safety needs of our residents.
Members are aware of the many challenges that the men and women working in the RCMP detachments face and they deserve our support.
The Standing Committee would like to recommend that the Department work with the RCMP in conducting a formal assessment of policing needs in the communities.
This assessment should incorporate both the Community Constable Program and Inuit Policing Program with a view to determining what would best address the issue of public safety in our communities.
Department of Community Government and Transportation  The Standing Committee on Community Empowerment and Sustainable Development has reviewed the business plan, capital plan and main estimates of the Department of Community Government and Transportation for the fiscal year 2001-2002.
Community Consultation on Multi-Year Capital Plans
The Standing Committee noted that local government officials from several communities have indicated that the Department has not been responding to the priorities that they had identified with respect to capital planning.
The Committee also noted that the Minister stated in his opening comments to the Committee of the Whole that his Department will lead a capital planning consultation process during the 2001-2002 fiscal year.
The Standing Committee would like to stress the importance of consultations and would like to recommend that the Department ensure that these consultations take place in a manner that allows time for an effective consultation and feedback process so that community needs can indeed be addressed in future GN capital plans.
Transportation Strategy
The Standing Committee is pleased to see that the Department is moving forward on the Transportation Strategy for Nunavut.