EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
To strengthen strategic development across the department, the department is realigning the following programs to the Corporate Management Branch:
The Transportation Policy and Planning Division will be realigned from the Transportation Branch to the Corporate Management Branch.
This move allows for a more strategic vision for transportation policy and aligns it with EDT’s Corporate Policy Division.
The total of this realignment is $858,000 in compensation and benefits and $87,000 for other expenses.
The department is also moving the Community Transportation Initiatives Contribution Program, which is overseen by the Transportation Policy and Planning Division.
The Country Food Distribution Program and the Strategic Investments Program will be moved from the Economic Development Branch.
Effective delivery of these programs is a priority for the department and direct corporate management oversight will ensure that funds available are used to their full potential. Regional offices will remain responsible for frontline program delivery.
Financially the grants and contributions budgets for these programs are $3,433,000 for the Strategic Investments Program and $1,576,000 for the Country Food Distribution Program.
Re-profiling program dollars for increased transparency is also a key departmental objective.
Each year there are a handful of organizations that approach the department to seek project funding from our programs.
For 2017-18 we propose to realign program dollars from an application-based program to core funding for these non-governmental organizations.
This will allow for continued funding for these important economic development activities while clarifying for the Members of the Legislative Assembly as well as the public the ongoing nature of our support.
The increased support for core funding is:
$100,000 for regional chambers of commerce;
$150,000 for the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association;
$175,000 for Alianait; and
$260,000 for the Nunavut Film Development Corporation.
These increases, which total $685,000, are being drawn from two of our application-based programs: $467,000 from the Strategic Investments Program and $218,000 from the Community Tourism and Cultural Industries Program.
The department continues to make progress on a number of important files, including:
Renewal of the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy, which will be approved and published in the coming months.
The department is currently conducting a series of consultations in each Nunavut community.
Our goal is to ensure that communities are heard, with a view to gain insight into how we can better serve them.
The consultations will be completed by mid-April, with the report targeted for completion in May;
Renewal of the NNI Policy in collaboration with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
Implementation of the new policy will begin on April 1, 2017.
The department is currently visiting communities to provide workshops on the new policy.
At the same time, as my colleagues are aware, earlier this sitting I introduced Bill 38, Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti Implementation Act, with the purpose of supporting the implementation of the new policy;
Encouraging the responsible development of the territory’s mineral and petroleum resources; and
Improving driver’s licence and vehicle registration services to Nunavummiut while increasing motor vehicle safety through vehicle inspections and public awareness.
Mr. Chairman, the main estimates and business plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation for 2017-18 reflect the department’s mandate to develop Nunavut’s economy and to maintain and improve Nunavut’s transportation system.
This budget will also allow the department to fulfill its commitments under Sivumut Abluqta.
I would be happy to respond to any of the committee’s questions on the department’s 2017-18 main estimates and business plan. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to provide opening comments on behalf of the Standing Committee on Government Estimates and Operations on its review of the proposed 2017-18 main estimates and 2017-2020 business plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
The department’s proposed 2017-18 operations and maintenance budget of $71,495,000 has increased by approximately 3.6 percent since the introduction of the department’s 2016-17 main estimates.
The number of positions in the department is 142.
This is an increase of five positions from the 2016-17 main estimates.
The department’s proposed main estimates and business plan reflect a number of recent changes to the department’s organizational structure, including the transfer of funding and positions from the Energy Secretariat to the Department of Environment’s new Climate Change Secretariat and the repatriation of a number of responsibilities from Nunavut Tourism.
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s proposed 2017-2020 main estimates include a total of $25,766,000 in grants and contributions expenditures.
This amount constitutes approximately 36 percent of the department’s total operations and maintenance budget.
The Commissioner’s Opening Address that was delivered at the beginning of the Second Session of the current Legislative Assembly announced that one of the government’s priorities would be to “ensure funds provided to organizations, communities, and individuals adhere to better accountability practices that achieve the outcome this government expects from its investment.”
Although the Department of Finance’s annual government-wide report on grants and contributions expenditures identify the programs and amounts under which funding has been provided, the actual purpose of the funding is often not clearly explained, much less the actual results and outcomes of the spending in such areas as job creation and infrastructure development.
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation administers approximately a dozen formal policies.
During the Committee of the Whole’s consideration of the department’s 2015-16 main estimates, concerns were raised regarding the expiration of a significant number of these policies.
The standing committee notes that progress has been made by the department in renewing a number of its policies.
A number of policies administered by the Department of Economic Development and Transportation, including the Strategic Investments Program Policy, the Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy, and the Country Food Distribution Program Policy, contain specific annual reporting provisions regarding expenditures undertaken under these programs.
However, these reporting requirements are not currently being met in all cases.
The standing committee also notes that the department’s Development Partnership Agreement Policy expired in March of 2016.
The minister has previously stated in the Legislative Assembly that the Department of Economic Development and Transportation has been working with the Department of Finance to develop a replacement for this policy.
The department’s Community Transportation Initiatives Program provides funding for access roads, community marine infrastructure, and small craft harbour capital contributions.
The department’s proposed 2017-2020 business plan indicates that it has been working to “Evaluate the effectiveness of the new Community Transportation Initiatives program,” and that a report on this work is “anticipated to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly’s 2017 Winter Sitting.”
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s proposed 2017-2020 main estimates include $700,000 in core funding for the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation and $3,358,000 in core funding for the Nunavut Development Corporation.
The standing committee looks forward to the minister’s 2017-18 Letters of Expectation to these entities being tabled in the House in a timely manner.
Televised standing committee hearings on the annual reports and business plans of both the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation and the Nunavut Development Corporation were held earlier during the current Assembly.
The standing committee looks forward to seeing progress on the part of the government regarding the committee’s recommendations concerning such matters as amending section 37 of the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation Act to increase its loan limit threshold in addition to amending the legislation to provide for greater public disclosure of its lending activities.
In January of 2015 the Nunavut Mining Symposium Society hosted an “Oil and Gas Summit” in Iqaluit.
The focus of the summit was to provide “‘a consensual path forward’ for all with an interest in Nunavut’s petroleum industry and possible future exploration and development.”
The department’s proposed 2017-2020 business plan indicates that one of its priorities for the upcoming 2017-18 fiscal year is to “Continue working with partners and stakeholders on the Strategic Environmental Assessment to address petroleum exploration and development in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait.”
The standing committee takes note of such related developments as the role of the Nunavut Impact Review Board in this process.
The department’s proposed 2017-2020 business plan indicates that “A series of community consultations began in fall 2016 with the aim of ensuring that community perspectives and priorities are fully integrated in the Strategy. (…) The strategy will be completed in the winter or spring 2017, at which point, community economic development plans will be reviewed.”
On June 8 of 2016 the Government of Nunavut’s Report on the Review and Reform of Income Assistance and Economic Development was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The report was prepared by the Department of Family Services and the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
The standing committee looks forward to ongoing updates on the status of implementation of the proposed actions and reforms identified in the report.
On March 31 of 2015 the Government of Nunavut relinquished its Community Aerodrome Radio Station services contract with NAV CANADA. A private company, ATS Services, now delivers CARS services to Nunavut communities on behalf of NAV CANADA.
The standing committee continues to urge the minister to table a comprehensive report in the Legislative Assembly on the impact that this transition has had on airport operations, employment, and CARS training in the territory.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the proposed 2017-18 main estimates and 2017-2020 business plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
Before we proceed, I would like to remind members of the following: according to Rule 77(1), you have 10 minutes to speak, and according Rule 77(2), subject to the discretion of the Chair, a member may speak more than once to a matter under discussion but not until every member wishing to speak has spoken.
Economic Development and Transportation. Corporate Management.
For my first question, last year on May 13, 2016 the Government of Nunavut and Nunavut Tunngavik jointly announced that a new Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti Policy will come into effect on April 1, 2017.
Your department’s draft 2017-2020 business plan on page 199 indicates that community-based workshops have been completed in all regions in anticipation of implementation of the new NNI Policy.
In which communities were these workshops held and how many people participated in them?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I thank the member for that question.
In distributing the new policy with the background materials, some were mailed out and they have been given to all the regions.
The community workshops have been completed in Cape Dorset, Rankin Inlet, Pond Inlet, Arviat, and Baker Lake.
Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay will take place shortly. More are being scheduled in collaboration with CG&S to provide an introduction and training on the application of the new NNI Policy.
Also, a draft plain language guide to the new NNI Policy has been developed and is currently with NTI for their review.
I don’t have how many participated in any of those meetings at this time, but I believe we can get that for the member.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I also thank the minister for explaining that clearly.
With the communities that were visited, for example, they went to Baker Lake and that’s good to hear because I represent them. However, with respect to the comments that were made in Baker Lake and the other comments provided to your department, how are they going to be addressed?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk: Thank you, Itsivautaqaqtuuq.
The people in the meetings requested the plain language guide, which is what we’re currently working on.
The draft is with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated at this time.
Once that’s completed, we will be distributing them to the communities.
The 2015-16 annual report regarding the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti speaks to businesses that lose a contract they bid on and an appeals board appointed to deal with NNI contract appeals. We have also heard that this appeal board is being developed.
The appointments to the appeals board will be made prior to April 1, 2017. What is the process for appointments to the NNI appeals board? In reading the documentation, it states that there will be five appointees to this board.
Currently under the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti Policy, there will be some minor changes made to the appeals board.
The board will still continue to hear appeals, but its English title… . (interpretation ends) I didn’t say that. I’ll speak in English.
Mr. Chairman, currently we have an NNI appeals board which is in effect until April 1 this year.
Once the new NNI Policy is in place, the appeals board will become the tribunal.
The tribunal will then be the ones that whoever did the bid request will be able to appeal to.
We are going to have five members there, three of which will be appointed by the Government of Nunavut and two that will be appointed by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated.
With the three members that will be appointed by the Nunavut government, will there be a deadline for interested applicants?
We are currently working on the scheduling of the appointments and we will be doing a call-out.
I’ll move on to a different topic here.
Your department’s Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy requires you to table annually into the Legislative Assembly a summary of contributions detailing the amount of each contribution, the type of initiative being supported, and community.
When will you table the next annual report on your department’s expenditures under this program?
I tabled the report on the Community Transportation Initiatives Program 2016-17 this week.
What conclusions has your department reached to date concerning the effectiveness of the new Community Transportation Initiatives Program?
Our conclusion is that this program is a very effective program and the communities support it fully.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) In regard to what we’re discussing right now about your department, the policy provides a limit of $300,000.
Have you thought to increase that amount?
So that we can follow effectively, can he refer to the program that he is asking about?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Mr. Mikkungwak, please clarify.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): I’m still talking about the Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy.
We are currently looking at that as we are proposing a one-time $2.5 million increase for this program, which will allow us to catch up on projects that communities have identified as their priorities.
What is the reason for increasing that amount of funding and what is the main purpose?
Over the past three years this program received applications for more than two and half times the funding that was available.
As I said, the $2.5 million will allow us to catch up to some of the projects and the demand from the communities.
With respect to what we’re discussing here, the Community Transportation Initiatives Program, how many applications has your department received to date?
For 2015 the department received $3,199,000 in application requests from 19 communities.
How many applications were approved and how many were not approved?
All the communities were approved, but some of the money that was requested was decreased.
We are on K-4.
I just want to go to your opening comments on page 3, I believe, where you talk about strengthening strategic developments across the department and realigning it to the Corporate Management Branch.
I guess my question here is I would like to know what kind of staffing impacts that had, if any, and perhaps just to get a better sense of how in the big picture this will make things flow or run better within the department.
This is about human resources, so I would like my deputy minister to respond to the question, Ms. Rowe.
There is no staffing effect caused by this change because one of the changes we did was moved the transportation and policy people to the Corporate Management Branch.
Those people have been moved in and that’s where there’s a large dollar amount for the transportation initiatives program.
What we’re looking to do is strategically use our money in order to gain momentum with things.
Instead of just having one small pot of money being looked after by a certain group of people, we have put our largest programs together, which are the transportation initiatives program, the Strategic Investments Program, and then also the Country Food Distribution Program.
Those are our really highest level, highest funded programs. By putting those in corporate management in the directorate, we have all the same people working on those pots, so we know what everyone is doing at the same time so that we can better use our money.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you. Thanks for your response.
I have a better understanding.
On page 4 when you talk about increased support for core funding, there are different agencies here, regional chambers of commerce, Nunavut Arts and Crafts, and so on.
How do you decide who you’re going to fund? Because core funding is very unique, it’s very hard to find funding for that purpose.
How do you come about deciding who’s going to get core funding and how do you give it priority?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Minister Ell-Kanayuk.
I will also refer this to my Deputy Minister, Ms. Rowe.
What we have looked at is the organizations that, this year we have given them core funding or increased their core funding, are non-profit organizations that come back to us each year and apply for our program like the Strategic Investments Program.
If they’re coming back for the same thing every year, we looked at is it something that’s worthwhile for Nunavut as a whole and, if it is and they can produce a business plan for us and tell us that what they’re doing is successful, then we would look at core funding.
As you mentioned, it’s very hard to get core funding and it’s very hard for those small organizations.
I think it’s a wonderful thing. I do.
I think it’s something that we need to see more support in because there are so many entities like these that are mentioned in your opening comments that it is really hard to find that core funding. I would encourage the department to look at even increasing that kind of support. I think it’s worthwhile.
I would like to go into something else. It’s to do with your Report on the Review and Reform of Income Assistance and Economic Development that was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in June 2016.
The report indicated that your department would work with the Department of Education to explore a pilot project and that is to provide capital for new private daycare spaces in one of the communities.
In which community will this pilot project be undertaken and when will it begin?
That has not been decided yet.
A committee has just been set up with the Department of Education to start talking about that.
Can the minister clarify what hasn’t been decided yet, the pilot project to provide capital for a new daycare or which community the project will begin in?
They are working on both details at this time.
I hope that goes through because we need a lot more child care spaces in Nunavut.
Just to go on to something else again, your department’s budget for the Country Food Distribution Program in 2016-17 was a little over $1.5 million. As of today, how much of this budget has been spent?
Hon. Monica Ell-Kanayuk (interpretation): Please wait a moment while I look for it.
For the Country Food Distribution Program to date in 2016-17, $731,220 has been spent.
Out of the money being spent, how many proposals were received to date under the Country Food Distribution Program for the 2016-17 fiscal year?
We don’t have that level of detail here in front of us. If the member wishes, we can provide it through you, Mr. Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I see her nodding her head. It would be, I’m sure, shared with the rest of us. (interpretation) Thank you.
Some questions were already asked, but I would like to get clarification on country food. The smaller communities, for instance, the non-decentralized communities seem to need much more support, especially if no jobs are available.
For example, my constituency community is non-decentralized. Smaller communities are treated that way.
I know our ancestors just distributed food without charge, but today we have to buy country food from other communities. In particular we know that in the Baffin region we buy a lot of caribou from the Kivalliq region. In our communities there is a clam digging business.
Are there any plans to provide more support to the smaller communities?
Under the Country Food Distribution Program, communities can submit requests up to a limit of $30,000. We were going to review this program as some receive more than that amount.
In July 2016 the Qikiqtarjuaq community freezer burnt down.
At that time support was granted to repair the freezer.
The contribution program can be used for purposes such as that, as well as for country food when hamlets submit a request and other recognized organizations, such as the HTOs.
Mr. Keyootak, are you done?
I would first like to get clarification. In your business plan on page 200 the third bullet says, “Conduct studies which will determine the improvements required in order to initiate the re-design of the instrument approach procedures at several Nunavut airports.”
The status also states that “In May 2016, NAV Canada indicated that it will assume responsibility for the approach designs submitted for airports in Kimmirut, Pangnirtung and Qikiqtarjuaq.” That would be handled by NAV CANADA.
Can you elaborate on why Nunavut Airports won’t be responsible for them anymore and will be transferring them to NAV CANADA?
I want to respond properly. You are using your Chairman’s role very well. We are in (interpretation ends) Corporate Management (interpretation) and I would like to ask if the member can ask his question again when we reach the Transportation Division.
I would likely have to call upon another witness for that question.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. Thank you for calling me a good Chairman.
Mr. Joanasie, you can ask that question once we reach that branch.
Do you have a question under K-4?
While I’m waiting for that, I also have a question on page 201 under bullet 6. It states, “Identify funding opportunities available through the New Building Canada Fund and the Airport Capital Assistance Program.”
I recently asked the minister about this issue, probably on February 24, with respect to the situation in Kimmirut. I believe the department was going to look for funding for this. My question is: if they find funding, what will be the result?
I’m trying to get some clarification.
I don’t know if the minister can respond to that. It also falls under transportation. Minister Ell-Kanayuk, you have the floor.