EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When you’re sleeping in shifts in cold porches, that’s not acceptable, so for the first time, the member is correct, we have a very small budget of $100,000 where I would hope to be able to bridge and finance and facilitate issues around homeless with Cambridge Bay, with Cape Dorset and other communities.
Prior to this, all we had was the names and the Minister would try to access some federal Skippy Funds and so on, which we have been successful in doing.
We certainly haven’t gotten to where we want to be on the issue of homeless, itself.
I think it’s a good news story that we’ve actually identified and allocated now the $100,000.
Let’s build it from this point.
And it is, as the member pointed out across Nunavut.
It is not just an Iqaluit issue, it is a Nunavut issue.
Mr. Peterson, anything else?
I have a two part question.
One deals with the development, legislation and policy on Page G-4 of the business plan.
The department mentioned that it is developing a language of instruction policy for Nunavut schools.
It provides the resources required for the effective implementation.
Could the Minister or his staff explain to us exactly what the status of that policy is and how it would work if it were to be implemented and adopted?
The Language of Instruction policy, the LOI, falls in line with the bilingual education strategy of the Government of Nunavut.
The Language of Instruction model and we just had good discussions by the way in your home town of Coral Harbour and Chesterfield Inlet, and you were with me, the language of instruction gives three models.
Those three models are based on what the situation of the language, the predominant language, for example, in Coral Harbour it is Inuktitut, what the predominant language in community is and then those three models are able to facilitate what the strategy should be to bring a bilingual system in place form K-12.
For example, if Inuktitut is very strong in the community, then maybe the emphasis will be more on an English stream that the District Education Authority would chose to be able to look at.
When we were in Coral Harbour, the Coral District Education Authority as well as Chesterfield Inlet, and the member and the chair asked me earlier or last week, is there an opportunity to look at other models within the three and I said yes, maybe there is a chance to have a hybrid model
That’s what we’re looking at under the policy.
We know we want the language of instruction model.
That’s been tabled and everyone is aware of it.
We’ve held consultations with District Education Authorities.
I met with the District Education Authority, as the member has said over this past summer with all the chairs across Nunavut to talk about the bilingual education strategy and the language of instruction, the LOI, and we’re looking at right now developing some of the procedures under the LOI and for the introduction.
We would hope to be in the position in the new coming year in the August or September, depending on when the new school year starts to be able to be in a position to introduce that language of instruction at the beginning phases.
Could the Minister explain to us or his Deputy exactly what the difference is between the two?
Sure, the language of instruction if adopted, we’ll probably have to consider the long term impact in the progress of the student and what not into the greater society.
What exactly will it achieve in the ultimate goal as in the example and so on?
What is the difference really between the language subjects?
For instance, French, Inuktitut, English.
If one prominent language is used, will they have the option then to take on as a subject any other language?
Has that been considered, does that work in Nunavut, because I think we’re going down a direction where we are on uncharted waters really.
For instance, I consider myself to be pretty proficient in Inuktitut, what benefit did I get at the end of the road.
No recognition, no diploma, nothing.
If we’re going to be getting our kids to go on stream, how are they going to eventually meet at the end of the tunnel somewhere there and when they have to go to high school or something to that effect.
I like the way Mr. Curley has actually sized up the language of instruction, the LOI and the bilingual education strategy.
Right now, for example, in Iqaluit, you can chose to put your children in an English stream where they will do English predominantly, probably 80 percent of the time and their second language is in Inuktitut and they will only get a class of Inuktitut maybe three or four times during the week.
If you are in Coral, or you are in some of the other communities in Nunavut, you don’t have that option because number 1, you don’t have the option of doing the streaming because you probably don’t have the educators to do it and number 2, you don’t have the classroom space and number 3, the system hasn’t been set up for it and number 4, the District Education Authority hasn’t acknowledge it.
What the language of instruction says is this, that from K-12, we should be turning out bilingual students fluent in English and in Inuktitut and so, when you look at the three different models that are available, or the high-bred model that we have talked about, you would be able to look at when you get to grade 7, we should have an Inuktitut speaking teacher who is able to teach the core geography subject or the science subject in Inuktitut.
And you should be able to do your core subjects throughout the process from K-12 in Inuktitut and English, like they do in other places.
For example, in Kativik in Northern Quebec, they’re actually turning out trilingual students.
They use the language of instruction model based primarily on the K-6 side.
The reason for that, of course, is because they have more people who are fluent in Inuktitut in the K-6 than the grade 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 models.
Our problem right here with the language of instruction model is that we don’t have any trained Inuktitut speaking teachers for grade 9 through 12.
So, it’s not fair to say that in four years, we would be able to have a person, if they wanted to do half their studies completely in Inuktitut, to be able to do that.
The other issue on the recognition of the language, there is no official recognition that you speak English, other than if you graduated from school with a diploma and you took a PH.d in the English language or English literature.
The recognition comes if you are able to go onto higher education.
What we want to be able to bring forward for my children, as a parent in the school system who have done K-3 and K-4 in Inuktitut and are now doing English, is that at the end of the day, when they graduate from grade 12 from Inukshuk High School in Iqaluit, that they’ll have an opportunity to go to either University of Winnipeg, they could go to Nunavut Arctic College, or make that choice themselves.
And that’s what we’re trying to do with the language of instruction is, to give proficiency and a strong base in Inuktitut and English.
For example, here in Iqaluit, we have the francophone school and some parents like what they’re doing right now is taking French and Inuktitut, not English.
That option is there too.
So, that’s what the language of instruction talks about and that would be the impact from K-12.
I believe sometimes that we’re going ahead very quickly without really actually thinking about how one weakens the other in terms of achieving, because I’m sure I can be proficient, my kids can be proficient, but really in this society, in terms of surviving in the job market, I don’t see any benefit in having the Inuktitut language as a credit when applying for government jobs.
It doesn’t work.
Until that is proven, what are we doing with our language?
So, could you not achieve that by instructing it as a subject, Inuit language, rather than compromising some?
I say that not with the attempt to try and degrade my language, my culture, because I believe I’m much more proficient compared to many of my colleagues here, but what I’m saying here, have you done all the necessary studies in Greenland or what not?
I know in Greenland it is part of their society.
They have been at it for over three hundred years.
They have their language and what not established in any written, or academic integrated into their society, ours isn’t.
There is a dichotomy between English, French or Inuktitut.
Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit for instance is looked at if that predominantly Inuk and non-Inuit has nothing to do with it because it is not part of a policy in the government.
If a non-Inuk possesses Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, then I would believe you.
But right now, once you hear about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit in your Division that is for them, that is not us.
Get back to them and say exactly what is going on?
So I really believe the government needs to do better presentation and state exactly that for instance if you look at a biology report, they look at Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit for them versus ours.
The Minister I hope understands that, any Minister, them versus ours.
Our scientific knowledge is presented incorporates Inuktitut stuff.
So they keep Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit as something else.
In their traditions, in the old days that the English will not stoop down to savage practices, that was their policy.
So we really haven’t got out of that 100 percent yet.
What I am trying to say is unless it is fully integrated, that the Inuit language and knowledge and proficiency in Inuktitut are credited then I would believe that the department is heading in the right direction.
I am a little bit leery.
I know that there are many others too.
For instance, you probably take it for granted that my boy at Kindergarten where they had instruction at school in language in Rankin Inlet in Inuktitut.
Before he finished Kindergarten, we moved to Iqaluit.
We couldn’t continue with the Inuktitut language as much as we wanted to.
Do you know why? Because the dialect was completely different, he was lost.
Ever since then, he has been one Grade behind because he was born in October.
So I am not fully sure whether or not where you are heading is the best practice.
It looks good. It looks great.
It sounds great, but will it really develop our people?
So that is my last point.
I want the Minister to reassure me and this House that we are heading in the best professional standards that we will develop our people.
First of all in the process for the language of instruction, there has been a lot of thought put into this.
It is not something that I have come up with in the last few months, the language of instruction’s first endorsement at Cabinet in 2002.
In the process, it has evolved since then.
Moving forward quickly, resources and development, the procedures of other language of instruction the outlining what those three areas are.
As I said earlier to you, looking at if there is an opportunity for a hybrid model. Inuktitut right now, as Mr. Curley has said, Inuktitut right now is taught as a subject in school.
When my son is in Grade 10, he will have three hours of Inuktitut a week because that is what his parents have chosen for him to take as a subject.
However, he has no opportunity in Grade 10 to have any Inuk come in and teach Grade 10 geography, Grade 10 science, Grade 10 math in Inuktitut.
That is what the language of instruction is trying to do is to bring that forward.
We can do that right now in K – Grade 6, because we actually have the teachers and instructors.
Our biggest issue in the language of instruction will be in the next coming years because so many of our people are retiring and leaving the teaching profession. I believe that some numbers in the next five years, 30 percent of current teachers, our Inuit instructors and teachers will be retired.
So we need to get more Inuit involved in teaching, especially at the Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 levels if we are really going to implement the language of instruction because we need to have people qualified to be able to teach at that higher level. So I think that’s important. What we’re trying to do, to assure the member is ensure that Inuktitut as a curriculum, more than a subject is available from K-6.
So that’s our starting point.
So, when you’re doing math in Grade 5, you’re doing it in Inuktitut.
When you’re doing geography in Grade 4, you’re doing it in Inuktitut.
You’re not just taking Inuktitut three hours a day or four hours a day.
I think that’s where we’ll have a building of a proficiency in the language and so on.
In Greenland, Kalaalisut, they actually do bilingual instruction where you do Kalaalisut and then you do Danish and that’s why you see so many fluently bilingual people in Greenland.
So, I hope that helps assure the member. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I will now recognize the clock and report progress.
Thank you, Minister and staff.
Speaker (interpretation): Orders of the day, Item 21, Report of Committee of the Whole, Mr. Netser.
Your committee has been considering Bill 8 and would like to report progress.
Seconder for the motion?
Speaker (interpretation): All those opposed.
Item 23, orders of the day.
A meeting of the regular members’ caucus tomorrow at 11:00 in the Nanuq Board Room.
Orders of the Day for Tuesday, March 1st.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. We will reconvene on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 18:14  Nunavut Canada
Tuesday March 1, 2005
Pages 911 – 981
Oral Questions 922
Tabled Documents 940
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 940
Report of the Committee of the Whole 980
Orders of the Day 980
Tuesday March 1, 2005 911
055 – 2(2): Appointment of Lew Philip as Warden at BCC (Okalik) 911
056 – 2(2): New Public Housing Design (Kilabuk) 912
057 – 2(2): Second Payment for Sealskin (Akesuk) 913
058 – 2(2): Cold Weather Flight Testing – Iqaluit Airport (Simailak) 914
059 – 2(2): “Thank You For Making A Difference” Event (Picco) 914
060 – 2(2): Joamie School Opening (Picco) 915
122 – 2(2): Long Service Awards in Cape Dorset (Akesuk) 916
123 – 2(2): Quality of Gasoline in Arctic Bay (Barnabas) 916
124 – 2(2): Qikiqtarjuaq Hunters and Trappers Creates Masilik Corporation (Arreak) 917
125 – 2(2): Medical Travel Policy and Escorts (Mapsalak) 918
126 – 2(2): New Renewable Resource Officer for Panniqtuuq (Kilabuk) 918
127 – 2(2): Recognition Awards (Tapardjuk) 919
128 – 2(2): Cambridge Bay Long Term Service Awards (Peterson) 919
129 – 2(2): Food Bank in Arviat (Alagalak) 920
130 – 2(2): YEAH Group in Iqaluit (Picco) 921
164 – 2(2): Approval of Rate Rider Increase (Curley) 922
165 – 2(2): Rehabilitation Programs (Netser) 925
166 – 2(2): Inuit Employment and Contract Requirements (Tootoo) 926
167 – 2(2): Seal Skin Prices for Harvesters (Arreak) 928
168 – 2(2): Client Travel Policy (Mapsalak) 929
169 – 2(2): Update on Polar Bear Quota in Sanikiluaq (Kattuk) 930
170 – 2(2): Fuel Stabilization Rider Increase (Tootoo) 931
171 – 2(2): Funding to Qulliq Energy Corporation (Curley) 934
172 – 2(2): Assistance for Fish Plant in Chesterfield Inlet (Netser) 936
173 – 2(2): Infrastructure Funding from the Federal Government (Peterson) 937
174 – 2(2): Size of Sealskins (Kattuk) 939
077 – 2(2): Photographs on the Condition of Spark Plugs (Barnabas) 940
001 – 2(2): To Defer Adult Learning and Post Secondary Services (Peterson) 978
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
I would like to ask Mr. Alagalak to say the opening prayer.
Speaker (interpretation): Welcome Premier, Ministers and the members.
Minister’s Statement 055 – 2(2): Appointment of Lew Philip as Warden at BCC
I am happy to make this announcement today.
Within the Department of Justice, we have recognized that in order to help make its institutions more relevant to Inuit, it must have Inuit in positions of influence.
About a year ago, the department embarked on an initiative that would see its four institutions managed by Inuit.
Since then, the following management changes have taken place:
Johnny Flaherty was promoted to Manager at the Utaqqivik Centre
Leetia Kowalchuk was appointed as Manager Trainee at the Isumaqsungittukkuvik Youth Facility here in Iqaluit
Helen LaRoque was made Manager of the Ilavut Healing Centre in Kugluktuk
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the last of our four institutions now also has an Inuk manager: Lew Philip was recently appointed Warden of the Baffin Correctional Centre.
Originally from Arctic Bay, Lew brings 27 years of experience with the RCMP.
He has served in Nanisivik, Igloolik, Pond Inlet and Iqaluit, and has also been in most of Nunavut’s other communities on RCMP business.
Lew was the first Inuk regular member of the RCMP and was the first Inuk promoted to Corporal.
During his 27 years with the Force, he dedicated much of his efforts to recruiting more Inuit into the RCMP.
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that Lew Philip’s years of experience in policing, his leadership skills, and his knowledge of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, along with his fellow Inuit colleagues at the other institutions, will contribute to making the Department of Justice more relevant to Inuit in Nunavut.
Minister’s Statement 056 – 2(2): New Public Housing Design
I rise today to update the members on an innovative public housing design that has been developed ‘in house’ by the Nunavut Housing Corporation for use in 2005/2006.
This design is based on feedback from local people about how to design houses that fit the lifestyles of Nunavutmiut.
It also includes technologies that improve the comfort and efficiency of northern homes.
The housing corporation has focused on the guiding principle of “Aajiiqatigiinniq,” or “decision-making through discussion and consensus,” in its efforts to gather input from Nunavutmiut.
In 2004, the housing corporation consulted with youth, elders, tenants and community leaders across the territory.
People were asked to provide feedback on many areas, including designs and technologies.
The corporation also consulted with its funding partner, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
As a result, a “made in Nunavut,” public housing solution has been developed.
The basic design is a single-story five-plex that integrates many ideas from local people.
Some of these ideas include a second exterior door that exits to the rear of the unit, and I was particularly pleased that there should be a large storage area, and a country food preparation station with a sink and cutting surface.
Mr. Speaker, this design incorporates energy efficient construction materials that are cheaper to ship.
It also uses new technologies to promote safety.
For example, if there is a kitchen fire, a system in the range hood will disconnect power and put out the fire.
Another feature is a special type of fire-resistant insulation that reduces noise.
The basic five-plex design can be scaled down to create a building as small as a duplex, or expanded to create a six or eight-unit multiplex.
The new design also takes the needs of our elders into consideration by offering a simple open concept interior.
Mr. Speaker, the new public housing design developed by the housing corporation is an excellent example of how, through “Aajiiqatigiinniq,” Nunavutmiut play an important role in the development of housing solutions that fit the north.
Minister’s Statement 057 – 2(2): Second Payment for Sealskin
I rise today on behalf of the Department of Environment.
I rise to report that my department has continued to make significant strides in revitalizing sealing in Nunavut.
As you know, sealing in Nunavut is both an industry and a part of our way of life.
The Department of Environment operates a program, the Fur Price Program, which provides assistance to harvesters who wish to sell their furs.
The seal skin component of this program provides harvesters with on-the-spot payment for skins, depending on the size and quality.
The skins are collected by our Wildlife Officers in the communities and sent to the Fur Harvesters Auction in North Bay.
The objectives of this program are to support harvesters, to provide Nunavut seal skins to world fur markets, to promote Nunavut sealskins as a sustainable by-product of traditional harvesting practices, and to encourage harvesters to continually improve the quality of the skins they deliver.
Since the implementation of this program, the market price for Nunavut sealskins has increased significantly.
In the 1990s skins sold for less than $20 each.
I am pleased to report that the increase in demand resulted in a record high average price of $70 per skin at the December 2004 auction.
Our Wildlife Officers, working with the harvesters to provide information and training on preserving skin quality, deserve much credit for the revitalization of the industry.
Mr. Speaker, our sealskin program is designed to support harvesters, and is actually supposed to cost some money in administration and overhead.
However, because of the high prices, we have actually made a profit.
As a result, I have obtained authorization from the Financial Management Board to provide Nunavut seal harvesters with a one-time second payment of $10 for every seal skin that was delivered to our wildlife offices for the 2004 North Bay Auction.
The cheques will be sent out as soon as the paperwork can be processed.
We will continue to develop and deliver our programs in a manner that provides the most effective support to the sealing industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister’s Statement 058 – 2(2): Cold Weather Flight Testing – Iqaluit Airport
I am pleased to inform the House that Nunavut hosted a successful cold weather flight testing of a new EC-725 helicopter in January, an Airbus A-318 and a Hawker Horizon in February.
The flight test program of the EC-725 commenced in early January and lasted for over three weeks.
The helicopter and support equipment was transported to the Iqaluit International Airport aboard the world’s largest commercial transport aircraft, the Russian built Antonov 124-100.
The team of fifteen personnel including the test pilots and flight engineers, praised the support provided to them at the Iqaluit Airport.
The Airbus A-318 aircraft with its new generation engines, was tested at Iqaluit Airport earlier this month.
A team of twenty personnel traveled to Iqaluit to support this mission.
This is the third consecutive year that new generation helicopters have been flight tested at Iqaluit.
NATO Helicopter Industries flight tested the NH-90 military helicopter in 2003 and Eurocopter tested the EC-155 police helicopter in 2004.
Mr. Speaker, the Iqaluit International Airport is the premier cold weather testing centre for the European aircraft manufacturing industry.
As well, the world’s largest commercial aircraft manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, both use Iqaluit Airport periodically for their cold weather test campaigns.
There is a considerable economic spin-off generated for the community of Iqaluit, and for Nunavut as a whole, by virtue of these testing missions taking place at the Iqaluit Airport.
I will continue to work with my department to promote cold weather testing across Nunavut.
Minister’s Statement 059 – 2(2): “Thank You For Making A Difference” Event
The first-ever gathering of all Nunavut teachers has just finished.
Last week was a very busy week, a productive week for the 527 educators gathered here in Iqaluit.
There is one special event that I would like to draw briefly to the attention of the Members of this House today: The ‘Thank You For Making A Difference,’ celebration.
Here’s what one student had to say about his teacher: “I learned to do multiplication facts and I learned to read in Inuktitut faster.”
This was but one of fifteen hundred letters collected by the Federation of Nunavut Teachers over the course of the past few months.
Thousands of students and their parents took the time to think about how a teacher had made a difference to them – and write it down.
The quote I shared with you earlier comes from a letter by Jerry Attiitaq that was drawn at random from all the entries.
He will receive a brand new computer courtesy of the Department of Education, our way of supporting this initiative.
And as for the teacher, Kango Akittirq, Inuujaq School in Arctic Bay, she will receive two First Air tickets to anywhere First Air flies courtesy of First Air.
The ‘Thank You For Making A Difference,’ initiative began in 1998.