EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
This includes the funding of their annual operating budget and they are indispensable to the system. Furthermore, within the Education Act, the (interpretation ends) coalition of DEAs (interpretation) was created to represent all of their members. We also collaborate with this body to meet our challenges locally in terms of DEA by-laws, operating budgets, and so on.
I don’t really know how the district education authorities were running in the past. We’re using the Education Act today.
That’s the only way I can respond. (interpretation ends) Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman.
All members, I ask that you keep your preambles short and please try and get to your detailed questions and answers.
It behooves us to try and keep our preambles short, but when you ask a direct question, the officials rarely grasp the gist of it and sometimes you feel obliged to provide a complete background, especially with these fluffy types of responses.
I don’t know any person in Nunavut who wants to move backwards operationally and I am in that boat as well.
We all want to move forward, but I hold firm to a belief that we have to recall our historic programs or experiences that are still applicable and pertinent for today.
To provide this example, during the days of the Baffin Divisional Board of Education, numerous books were produced in Inuktitut designed for our children.
Wasn’t that a success?
I personally thought it was extremely successful.
Yes, it may be old and antiquated in some bureaucrats’ eyes, but the material is still useful for this day and age, that is, if we are committed to bilingual education and education in Inuktitut.
Another factor I place faith in is the DEAs and I used to be a previous member on one and yes, they have authority on paper.
That is absolutely where it ends and I am telling the truth. Other than the fact that it is written on paper, when a DEA actually tries to exercise that authority, barriers immediately pop up.
I have experienced this first hand, as I have been involved in educational boards for many years.
Let me ask this question then. With the majority of our people believing in this precept of having Inuktitut protected, an advocate like me and many of our fellow Inuit in Nunavut believe that offering education in Inuktitut is extremely beneficial.
I know you stated that your department will expend over $1 million on this initiative.
I wonder why, when NWT was split into two and Nunavut was created, successful programs were cut completely and where kept, they were reduced to basically nothing.
I imagine your typical answer will include the fact you yourself wasn’t involved, but your departmental officials have that corporate history.
Many long-serving education officials got their start there and we still have them working in that department.
Why did we stop these Inuktitut language programs when Inuit are adamant about protecting the language?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also thank my colleague because we are very concerned about education, so I am very pleased about his question.
With respect to actual programs cut or reduced, I don’t really know about that aspect of it. However, the end result was that the process was slowed down, but I don’ think it was completely cut.
With respect to the DEAs, these boards are all elected locally.
Our department doesn’t appoint the representatives as it is laid out clearly in the Education Act.
DEAs are comprised of elected representatives and obviously, the representatives are required to be taught the intricacies of the education system upon election.
This is an ongoing process as it is with other elected boards.
Also, regarding Inuktitut language books to be used in the school curriculum, I have to briefly state it in English. (interpretation ends) For guided reading (interpretation) that you referenced totals $1.06 million, this is new funding we have requested for the fiscal year 2015-16 specifically for producing more Inuktitut language books.
Additionally, this isn’t the only funded initiative.
We have to remember that any book destined to teach students in Inuktitut through (interpretation ends) guided reading, guided writing (interpretation) that I tried to explain yesterday to one of our colleagues will be translated from English to Inuktitut and geared towards Nunavummiut. (interpretation ends) Nunavut relevant resources, (interpretation) with that principle in mind, as well as the curriculum offered in our schools, which most members are aware of, is the Aulajaaqtut curriculum.
Some of these books are destined for that course.
With those types of examples, I hope it shows some initiatives won’t be stopped.
As well, we have to follow the Education Act that speaks to Inuktitut and English languages being the foundation or (interpretation ends) bilingual education. (interpretation) I appreciate the member for raising that matter.
We are committed towards that goal obviously and herein lies some of the reasons why Inuit fought for Nunavut, to protect and preserve the Inuktitut language and culture wherever possible, particularly in our schools.
Before I proceed to the next member, I want to remind all members that we are here to review proposed departmental budgets for the upcoming 2015-16 fiscal year.
I encourage all members to focus your questions on the proposed budgets.
I believe we are on page G-6 of the English version.
In reviewing the numbers under your main estimates specifically under Corporate Services, in comparing the figures, the amount has increased by approximately $700,000.
What is your department’s substantiation for an increase of this magnitude?
Hon. Paul Quassa: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I can answer that question and it is an excellent question, so thank you for raising it.
I know you want to understand the reasoning and it is always simpler when you are clear in your comprehension.
These are the items included in that $700,000 funding increase from fiscal year 2014-15 to 2015-16 and these are the following changes: $694,000 is one line item and I can break that down for your benefit, my colleague. $237,000 is allocated for literacy and book production, as we have literally thousands of books. As a matter of fact, I went to see the storage facility [shack].
I didn’t mean to use that local nickname.
I was referring to the (interpretation ends) warehouse (interpretation) housing our materials, as that amount is quite high, the $237,000. Further, $170,000 is allocated for O&M costs associated with the purchase of computers and related technology.
I believe it is called the (interpretation ends) Student Information System (interpretation) that these funds are for. $126,000 is towards the employee in this line item and to be specific, it is for the (interpretation ends) education technology coordinator. (interpretation) Additionally, we have set aside $77,000 for the training materials we will receive from (interpretation ends) Pearson (interpretation) College, as we have requested more materials. Obviously, this will include the salary of the position that has resulted in this increase under (interpretation ends) salary and benefit costs.
(interpretation) We have those items and that comprises most the increases. Perhaps Mr. Chairman, my deputy minister can elaborate further at your discretion, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Of course, you can.
Just to provide a bit more detail on the figures under the $237,000 allocated towards storage space, it is to house our books and this is new funding we have requested. The rest of the additional funds towards this will be funded through the regular O&M budget of the Department of Education.
I believe you have some storage that is in the warehouse within Nunavut for all the schools. Are they going to be available for elementary and high schools, and when is this going to role out to all the schools?
I mean Mr. Chairman. My apologies, sometimes with different dialects, the terms can become confusing.
As I understand it, yes, definitely, it is going to be available to all the schools in Nunavut and directed to all communities.
Everything that is in the warehouse, some different reading material that is in Inuktitut, some in English, it is going to be directed towards the younger children. Even for preschool kids, for example, there are a lot of (interpretation ends) “Tell Me a Story” (interpretation) books in storage to be sent out to the communities.
There are resources available towards computer literacy and new material. We are expecting some more new books in Inuktitut that are going to be available in the near future.
Everyone will benefit; all the communities in Nunavut will benefit.
I went to go see it myself. It is a big, open space, but it’s completely full with a lot of material in Inuktitut.
I was quite proud of the material that is available. (interpretation ends) Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman.
In Sivumut Abluqta, education is the priority.
You said that there are resources and they are warehoused. If I understood correctly, you expect them to be sent out to elementary and high schools. Is that happening in this fiscal year?
Hon. Paul Quassa: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) There are 43 schools in Nunavut in total and they will be directed and eventually shipped out to every single school in Nunavut.
There are going to be resources in that warehouse at all times.
It will come and be shipped out as needed.
We will always have reading materials and computer literacy materials in stock, and we are expecting more.
It will be a continuously cycle of materials flowing in and out of the warehouse. As soon as we know the shipping dates, the materials will be sent out to the schools. (interpretation ends) Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman.
Because of the increase in funds, if I may say it in English, (interpretation ends) the Student Information System, (interpretation) you’ve had an increase in that.
With regard to the Student Information System and computers, are you going to be providing new computer systems for all the schools in Nunavut or do they all have new computers?
I’m going to give a very short response. Yes, all schools have that.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): I thank the minister for his brief response.
Therefore, I’ll ask a very brief question.
The ones that are going to be rolled out and for those that are dropouts, are they going to be part of that program if they return to school?
Hon. Paul Quassa: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) Unfortunately, I don’t completely understand your question.
Perhaps you can clarify your question, (interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman.
Chairman: Mr. Mikkungwak, the minister is asking for clarification. Mr. Mikkungwak.
I’ll rephrase my question using my bilingual knowledge.
With this new Student Information System, will the integrated system have information regarding students that were in school and then dropped out and are wishing to go back to school?
Hon. Paul Quassa: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) Thank you for clarifying your question.
I can say yes, the Student Information System, what we call (interpretation ends) SIS, (interpretation) is a great way to keep track of information with regard to your question.
Chairman: Thank you. The next name on the list, Mr. Shooyook.
I understand what is going on, but I would like some clarification on some of the things regarding education.
I have a question for the minister with regard to children. We tell them that we need to speak in Inuktitut to our children, but they are now speaking a lot more in English.
When the parents are speaking in English to their children in the home, is this a hindrance to our children in how they learn in the schools? Parents are speaking English to their children. Is that a factor in how they are getting schooled later on from the home to the school when there is a transition?
I thank you for your concerns.
I believe that the education authorities have also encouraged everyone that learning your language begins at home.
The parents are the first instructors of the child as to how they are going to learn everything in the world.
We encourage that as well, as we firmly believe it begins in the home and I agree with Mr. Shooyook.
Definitely, in our schools, the children start learning Inuktitut in kindergarten.
Also, when their parents are speaking to them in Inuktitut, we are encouraging that and I agree with my colleague.
I also want to say that the reading material is an excellent resource and this is what we’re planning and what we’re seeing. Unikkaarvigilaunnga is another book and it’s a way of saying to their parents, “Please tell me a story.” These are the kinds of books that are going to be excellent tools for parents as well.
That’s how I can respond to the member. Everything begins at home.
I just want to state what I have experienced.
I am an Inuk and although I only speak one language, I understand and can read a bit of English.
My wife and I are full-blooded Inuit and our children were raised by us and our children have children.
When we see small children speaking in Inuktitut, because these children are not listening to their parents when they speak in English, they’re only used to speaking Inuktitut and I am very proud of that.  I know that some of my grandchildren have lost some of the words.
The young child, who was a fully Inuktitut-speaking child, now speaks to the mother in English since they moved here and I understood that.
I know that we can’t control other people, but if we want to preserve the Inuktitut language, as parents, we hold that responsibility.
We need to encourage households to start speaking Inuktitut.
That is what I would like to see in the future.
Chairman: I take that as a comment, but if the minister wants to respond, Minister Quassa.
Hon. Paul Quassa: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I believe what you just stated. Yes, we have to start educating our children at home. We keep saying that we believe that, especially with the first born.
We can start teaching. They start learning when they are first born and that’s when the learning starts. We believe in that.
That’s why I talked about the reading material for early childhood programming, reading material called Unikkaarviginnga. They could be used by children to the age where they can actually speak. They will also be used at the daycare centres.
The Inuit language is to be used at the daycare centres. That’s our priority to strengthen the use of the Inuit language.
We do various reviews as the Department of Education. Before the students become of school age, if they are proficient in either language, we know right away, but Inuktitut is our priority in Nunavut.
According to the Education Act, it is a bilingual education and that is what we are working on. (interpretation ends) Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) We are on Education.
Branch Summary. Corporate Services. G-6.
Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $4,014,000.
Moving on to the next page. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary. Education.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know and remember that the Chair encouraged us to start asking questions according to the page we are on.
If you allow me, I’ll be asking some questions on the line item, but I have a brief question with regard to school operations.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly, we usually get invited to the schools and the students like to hear what we do.
They ask questions to members and when we are at the schools, we try to encourage the students to stay in school so that they can be better than us.
Have you ever noticed or is it just me that notices within the schools, students seem to be given too much freedom?
Maybe it’s just me, but when I’m invited to the schools, some of the students are talking, eating, drinking pop, or doing whatever. Here I am trying to be serious while I’m speaking with them.
I know you probably won’t be able to respond to my question and I know it’s probably impossible to respond, but I believe having too much freedom is not a good way of learning.
I believe I’m being old school here.
Why is it that way and why can’t we change it? Is it because teachers are not given enough authority or is there more authority given to the students that the teachers are not allowed to advise the students?
Can you elaborate on that, (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister?
I thank my colleague for being involved with the schools. It’s very beneficial for students when they see the work of Members of the Legislative Assembly. It encourages the students to stay in school.
In Nunavut, we talk about education objectives and goals, but I believe it impacts Inuuqatigiitsiarniq and the school has to be receptive to the public and to the students.
We need to encourage and try to encourage the student peers to help each other, to be careful, and to eat nutritional food. These are the things we do in school.
We encourage the students to be proud and respectful of others and to respect property.
As we all know, in Canada, compared to when we used to go to school in the past, the school system has now changed, not just in Nunavut but within all provinces of Canada.
We now have computers and IT, so these are new things that we now use in the school.
Like I said earlier, how can we strengthen the Inuktitut language in the schools?
It has to start from the home.
Like drinking pop and eating unhealthily food, the parents can encourage their children not to eat too much junk food. That’s where it has to start from the home.
Within the school itself, they make their own policy, what they are not supposed to do and what they are supposed to do.
They make those rules.
Student councils, principals, and students work together to write their own rules.
We have no standardized rules to be used within the schools.
Each student can make their own rules.
I know that it has been a concern everywhere.
I have been told they realize that they can make their policies within their community.
I do not understand why they don’t make the rules.
The DEAs will now know that they can make policies that, such as there is no pop allowed in the schools or no students are allowed to just walk out of the school during school hours.
I didn’t realize that the DEAs can make such policies. Thank you for informing the DEAs on this policy-making.
I believe some DEAs think they cannot make any rules or policies.
However, I believe we all want the students to stay in school and I believe we all have a part to play to keep the students in school.
Some work has to be done to really help the students.
For example, eating junk food in the school is not associated with providing a proper education.
If a student is allowed to walk out at anytime, it results in a less-than-stellar example of proper education.
Has the department ever considered enacting territorial-wide restrictions, such as specific types of foods not allowed in any of the GN schools? For such rules as no junk food, no walking out, has your department considered writing the foundation or the base for such policy?
Minister of Education, (interpretation ends) Hon. Paul Quassa.
Hon. Paul Quassa: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I can just respond generically.
Yes, policies or rules, and here I mean (interpretation ends) rules, (interpretation) similar Inuktitut terms are kind of confusing as we interchange rules, legislation, or policies and dialectal differences can also lead to confusion when you are trying to think in English.
Yes, the DEAs have been informed about their mandate and roles in making rules specific to their schools in their communities.
Some communities have three schools while others have two schools and the minority with only one school.
Local district education authorities can make their own policies and regulations particularly by using the foundation of “living in harmony” and we explain what rules and policies can be enacted by the DEAs who would develop them collaboratively with the school principle and it would be applicable to teachers and students in the school.
Now, regarding your question on enacting rules, it is already laid out in our legislation governing the DEAs’ authority and ability to manage certain areas. To date, the department hasn’t put a lot of thought into that. We do know that schools are specifically for educational purposes.
That is the foundation. The issues such as eating junk food or pop aren’t really in that mandate.
One thing we should recall here is that many of our schools have (interpretation ends) breakfast programs. (interpretation) We do allow students to eat in the school through the breakfast program.
This is for the younger students. Some schools also have (interpretation ends) lunch programs or (interpretation) things like that related to particular programs where students are provided with food.
Perhaps that is what the member witnessed with students eating food during either the (interpretation ends) breakfast program or lunch program (interpretation) depending on our fine schools.
Nevertheless, students are not allowed to just walk out of the school during classes. This is a definite rule, perhaps policy in this case.
Anyone who is a student can’t walk out without prior permission. As an example, if a student has to go out, they have to go through the (interpretation ends) principle (interpretation) or alternatively, by the DEA office, but no student is allowed to just walk out. That is part of our policies.
I guess I will then just bring this subject up briefly. When our parents recall the past, which is their perception of the educational system, Inuit felt the education system stole their children and in that colonial era, Inuit parents meekly watched and lost the stewardship of their children.
In that era, Inuit had absolutely no choice, as some children were actually taken from their parents.
Nevertheless, the repercussions reverberate today.  The question I am posing may not be answerable, as parents nowadays should know by now the absolute necessity of education and why Inuit need education to succeed.
We should be past that cultural perception today because the majority of parents have grown up entirely within the communities. We ought to know the significance of education.
One of the things I deliberate upon is your statement about everything beginning at home.
I, as the father, have to advise my children certain rules, such as “Don’t do this activity in the school, don’t eat there, don’t argue with your teachers, and don’t speak back,” parental responsibilities.
Too many have abandoned their parental responsibilities and we have to repatriate that stewardship of our children.
At a bare minimum, let us grab back the authority our parents felt they lost and not be content to being a passive parent by not being engaged in the education system and publicly state that we, as parents, have now retained our parental responsibilities and tell our children particular rules to follow in the schools.  I believe that as parents, we should be supporting common sense rules and be engaged in our children’s education and not place all the responsibility on the education system.
I recall one of your statements about parental engagement. What else can we do to get past this cultural barrier against the education system? I doubt this is easy to answer, as we are aware of (interpretation ends) our responsibilities (interpretation) as parents and how it relates to education.
A teacher is only trying to teach a child about certain subjects under the curriculum.
As parents, we have to support that through teaching them life skills and social rules, specifically the rules we have to remind our children of that apply in school and life. How can we surpass the barrier to grab back our parental authority?
I realize it may be impossible to answer, but as a parent, I should be the one answering that question.
The issue is sensitive, but if you think you are able to share your perceptions on this matter and feel like commenting, please do so.
Chairman: Minister Quassa, feel free to answer how you feel.
Hon. Paul Quassa: Qujannamiik, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I would like to thank my colleague for talking about this. I believe in what he is saying too.
We need to hear this more as parents and do more things about it.