EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
So I would like to take this opportunity to also welcome Marge to the Assembly and also the award-winning editor of Nunatsiaq News, Mr. Jim Bell.
Question 040 – 1(6): Update on the St. Theresa Care Facility
It is in regards to the St. Theresa care facility that will be built in Chesterfield Inlet.
I would like to ask the minister for an update on this facility.
It is good to be back.
I guess Mr. Speaker first of all it is my understanding that the functional program for the facility has been signed off now by the Department of Health and in respect of the size of the facility.
So that was one factor that was resolved last week.
Right now there are some discussions about the possibility of entering into a service contract with the Chesterfield Inlet Development Corporation to proceed in working on the final design drawings for the facility while we undertake the issue of resolving a lease versus cost analysis prior to funding the facility.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask another supplementary to the minister.
He is considering whether they are going to be either leasing or buying the facility.
When are you going to conclude the negotiations for this facility?
That will happen after we have the working drawings and scope of the whole project.
Now that it’s been confirmed on the size of the facility, obviously a lot of that costing will be contingent upon finalizing the design work.
That’s why we’re trying to enter into a services contract right now to allow that to happen.
And while that’s happening it gives us the opportunity to do a more detailed analysis and to analyse what options are there.
Can the minister tell me if there is intent to have the facility shipped and built this summer?
Mr. Speaker yes, the intent of the government is to have that facility and the materials for that facility meet the sealift deadlines.
That’s why we’re going forward, so as not to jeopardize that as we resolve whether or not we’re going to outright own the facility at the end of construction or enter into a lease to purchase arrangement for that facility.
Question 041 – 1(6): Salary and Benefits for Senior Government of Nunavut Officials
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister responsible for the Senior Personnel Secretariat.
I think that’s the Premier.
Will the minister table in this House, information concerning the salary ranges and benefits that are provided to deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers for this government.
I will be quite open to tabling ranges, salary ranges, within the legislature.
In that I asked the question of benefits, can the minister also table if deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers are receiving a supplementary pension and how much is this costing the government.  Also their bonuses and how much this is costing the government.
There are two questions there, Mr. Premier.
There are some discussions happening about those benefits right now.
We’re renegotiating some of the benefits and trying to reduce costs for our government.
Once those discussions are finalized, I’d be quite open to tabling any documents that may be produced out of those discussions.
Question 042 – 1(6): How Many Community Justice Specialists in Nunavut
I’d like to direct my question to the Minister of Justice.
My question is about probation officers.
How many probation officers are there in the communities?
Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Okalik.
There are different positions working in this field.
Could she clarify which she is talking about?
It is good to hear that there are different positions in the communities but I don’t see any in my constituency.
I am talking about the Community Justice Specialists in the communities.
I was not sure exactly how many there are.
I will get that information to the member as soon as I have it.
I think there are five or less Justice Specialists in the Nunavut area.
I think there is one position in Pond Inlet and they deal with the High Arctic area.
That staff member would be travelling to the communities that I represent.
Since the flights are not travelling from Pond Inlet to the High Arctic, how often do they travel to these communities now?
This is something that I would like to review to see how often they get to travel to the communities.
I will look into this further.
Speaker: Supplementary Questions.
This position is very important because they are involved in the court circuit.
They have to deal with individuals in the communities who are going to court.
When he is doing a review on these positions, would he be able to see how often they get to these communities.
Question 043 – 1(6): Update on Federal, Provincial, Territorial Ministers’ Meeting
Mr. Speaker, I understand that the minister was from here, one rock, he was down visiting another rock, at the federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers’ meetings in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland.
I was wondering if he can update this House as to how his meeting went with his counterparts and if any progress was made there for Nunavut.
I would be glad to.
Mr. Speaker, there were a lot of discussions, obviously on the pressures that all governments have had across the country, at provincial and territorial levels, in respect to the pressures that they have relative to health care costs.
Quite frankly, that was the issue that concerned all provincial and territorial jurisdictions.
The fact that there are escalating costs in the health care sector and the provincial and territorial budgets were having a hard time in dealing those issues.
That was an ongoing yearly, or monthly in some cases, adjustments that are required by health ministers to deal with their budgets.
So that was generally the focus in respect to pressures on provincial and territorial budgets.
There was some discussion on the new federal air security tax and quite a lot of concern around the table about whether or not there might be exceptions based on preliminary indications and preliminary services being provided.
We had a commitment from Minister Martin, the Federal Minister that in respect to the air security tax that he would take a look at that one, once some more information came forward.
Obviously, it’s fairly early in that regime, of that taxation right now.
He was willing to take a look at what those, the analysis of some of the numbers once there was some more concrete information.
In respect to the health care financing difficulties for provinces and the territories, he did recognize that there was a problem there.
Of course he was sympathetic, but at the same time, there wasn’t any concrete dollars put on the table.
He did indicate that from the Federal Government perspective, they were waiting for the Report of the Romanow Commission which was reviewing health care systems across the country right now, to see what kind of recommendations might come forward from that commission, before the Federal Government would take up a position on what they would do in respect to the health care funding issue.
Basically, Mr. Speaker, those are the two larger issues that were discussed besides the usual state of the nation and the economic conditions in different provinces and territories and nationally as well.
Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the minister could update us or give us the status of the joint Nunavut-Canada fiscal review that he announced in last year’s budget.
I believe it’s last year that this was going to be undertaken.
I’m wondering if he can give us the status of that and if it was discussed at all in his meetings.
That is a different question maybe.
But I will say that it wasn’t discussed specifically at that table.
It wasn’t the appropriate forum because we were dealing with national provincial/territorial issues.
I did have an opportunity to speak privately with the minister and he is aware, as members know that we are coming to a final report on that matter and it will be pursued at the appropriate time.
Since this is not my final supplementary I’m going to save one.
Based on the minister’s responses when can we expect, he talked about a final report on that, I'm just wondering when we can expect to hear that and see that here in the House.
Speaker: Mr. Ng, it is probably up to you if you want to answer the question.
I believe the member has the same topics, but if you wish to answer, go ahead.
Mr. Speaker, it is a collaborative effort with federal finance officials, so there is an issue about working over the draft document with them before it’s in a presentable form for both ministers.
I believe my officials have been in ongoing discussions with the appropriate Finance Canada officials on that and I would be reluctant right now to give a definitive date until I have a chance to ask my officials on the status of that.
Mr. Speaker, I apologize I was asking about discussions he had at his meetings and that was informally something that he talked about so that’s why I was asking about it.
I’d like to ask him if he also discussed at his meetings with his counterparts especially the federal ministers about concerns over the way smaller jurisdictions like us get their financing by per capita.
It seems to be very unfair to us for per capita funding formula.
If he had any discussions on that and any progress I guess to maybe see some changes to that.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of the per capita allocations that all or a large majority of federal government departments and programs use to fund programs and services to provinces and territories, is always an issue that comes up.
Not just from myself in respect of the finance ministers' table but I know a lot of my colleagues and also the Premier at Premiers’ conferences.
So it is an issue of more and more awareness of that fact with the federal ministers certainly that it doesn’t necessarily work for smaller jurisdictions and as you know there are a lot of smaller provinces as well that articulate that same issue.
So I think that I would say there is progress being made on that recognition, and dealing with smaller jurisdictions outside of direct per capita funding.
Question 044 – 1(6): Compensation for Hunters Due to Bad Gasoline
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question regarding snowmobiles.
That are a lot of people in the communities that have damaged snowmobiles due to bad gas and I would like to ask the Minister of Sustainable Development if they can get compensated for their losses.
Speaker: Mr. Alakannuark could you identify the minister to whom you are directing your question.
I’d like to direct my question to the Minister of Sustainable Development as to whether the harvesters could be compensated when their snowmobiles have broken down due to bad gasoline.
Hon. Olayuk Akesuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) I would like to thank the member for his question.
There are funds available for hunting purposes in the communities and the community wildlife officers are available to assist members in the community to hunt wildlife due to bad gasoline.
In the communities the harvesters aren’t aware of the different programs that are available to assist them especially if they are going through hard times.
Are these funds available for harvesters for these situations?
There is some funding available and the wildlife officers can work with the HTOs in the communities and then the wildlife officers in turn can work with my department.
The wildlife officers in the communities know that this funding is available for hunters that want to obtain country food because of breakage in their machinery.
Question 045 – 1(6): Who is Allowed to Receive Bilingual Bonus
I would like to welcome back the Minister of Finance, Mr. Ng. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance.
The employees in the Government of Nunavut that have a bilingual bonus, the people that speak Inuktitut have a certain amount of money that they receive as a bilingual bonus.
For example, if the individual is the principal at the school, to which employees is this bonus directed.
My reason for asking this question is there are people that are bilingual that are becoming principals or principal’s assistants.
I wanted to find out who the bilingual bonus is direct to.
In the Government of Nunavut if an individual speaks two languages they receive bilingual bonuses.
In the Government of Nunavut what we have done is, there used to be eight different languages during the GNWT years, but now with the Government of Nunavut we have two languages that are spoken here in Nunavut, English and Inuktitut.
So what we do is we provide a bilingual bonus to those people that speak both languages.
I think they have a policy or some guidelines as to who gets the bilingual bonus.
There are some people that speak two languages and do not receive this bonus.
Are you using the old GNWT policy for paying out bilingual bonuses?
Maybe I didn’t quite understand him at the beginning.
At this time we are looking into the bilingual bonus that we give to our employees.
We are reviewing it and there are various departments that have given out various bonuses.
If they use it in their workplace what they do is they determine the bilingual bonus in each department.
Perhaps the minister didn’t understand my first question.
Perhaps I could clarify it for the minister.
What is happening today is there are deputy ministers that are bilingual and they also have assistant deputy ministers that are bilingual.
Do they receive a bilingual bonus?
Perhaps if I could clarify to the member that deputy ministers and the assistant deputy ministers go through the Premier’s office and if they’re identified as having to receive bilingual bonuses then the Premier’s office is responsible for them.
The reason I directed this question to the Minister of Finance at the beginning was because I wasn’t really sure whether to direct it to the Minister of Finance or Human Resources.
So, I will direct the same question to the Minister responsible for Human Resources.
I wonder if the Minister of Human Resources could provide me with a list of people that are eligible for a bilingual bonus starting with the deputy ministers, assistant deputy ministers and so on.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I could ask my colleagues at the Cabinet level to provide me with a list of various departments’ policies or a guidelines or a list of people who receive the bilingual bonus and which do not.
Because various departments have various needs and they give out bilingual bonuses based on whether they use the Inuktitut language in their workplace.
After consulting with my colleagues I will provide the member with a list as soon as I can.
Before we continue I’d like to acknowledge and recognize the large delegation from the Ottawa and Quebec region with the Career Assignment Program.
Question 046 – 1(6): Status of Decentralization in the Communities
I just want to talk about the decentralization in the communities.
I would like to get an update on the progress of decentralization and the staff housing issue.
Mr. Speaker, we are in the process right now of a Request for Proposals for an additional five condominium-type project for Kugluktuk and at the same time we’re assessing the lease component of leased staff housing across Nunavut right now to formulate a plan of where we want to go in respect to additional potential needs as far as staff.
I wanted to find out what the status was on what he mentioned.
In the community of Kugluktuk when will you find out that these will be built when will you know for Kugluktuk and the other communities.
I would like to know about that.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, the request for proposals for the second set of decentralized community staff housing requirements is currently just in the process of having been advertised.
We’re expecting to turn that around obviously as soon as possible.
I would say realistically, in a four to six weeks time period so that we can try to make the sealift deadline for all the communities that may be impacted.
Question 047 – 1(6): Change of Staffing Policies to Fill Inuit Social Workers
This was a question posed by the Amittuq member about social workers.
Because some social workers don’t know Inuktitut they have a difficult time counselling them.
I’d like to ask the minister, because we now have the Nunavut Government, is there any policy changes that are going to occur so that they can hire more Inuktitut counsellors in the communities.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, we’ve done several things over the past year including the last staff retreat with the Department of Health and Social Services in Pangnirtung, which focussed solely on Social Services.
Three major issues were brought forward under policies and procedures.
One Mr. Speaker, is to reintroduce the social work program and have it delivered in different locations in Nunavut.
That is in co-operation Mr. Speaker, with Nunavut Arctic College.
Second, we’ve created positions within the Department of Health and Social Services which are entry level positions to allow people who have not maybe the academic standard at the present time as CSW3 to be able to enter the field.
And third Mr. Speaker, and most importantly, ongoing training with other people at the community level; although there may not be a social worker who can speak in Inuktitut Mr. Speaker, we do have community wellness counsellors, for example, at the community level, 95 percent Mr. Speaker, are Inuit.
We also have community workers Mr. Speaker, at the community levels that are able to do counselling.
Mr. Speaker, specifically, those issues have been put into place.
At the same time, as I said in the House last week, Mr. Speaker, with the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit sessions that we have now in the Department of Health and Social Services, we need to be able to look at the systemic barriers that are in place that may be preventing unilingual people from getting employment, not only within the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Speaker, but also with other departments within our government.
I would like to thank the minister for that response and, just to state that we have not seen the progress that the minister is talking about yet.  Whenever the minister answers a question about social workers it is all talk and no action.
We have asked him numerous times, for three years, whether there have been any changes to the policy in his department in respect to social workers.
When we try to work with the social workers that have been hired in the communities by the Department of Health and Social Services we have a difficult time because we do not speak English.
As Members of the Legislative Assembly in smaller communities there should be more Inuit people hired to work as social workers.
Why aren’t these people being utilized?
Mr. Speaker, indeed the member is probably correct.
What the department has done in March as an example, the advisory committee of the social work program including ten of the students involved in the program as well as the Campus Director Mr. Speaker, for the Kitikmeot Mr. Isnor, held a meeting where we have an advisory council for social workers to look at some of the barriers with getting more Inuit involved in the field of social work.
The actual Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, the hiring of social workers is done through the Department of Human Resources. We follow the same policies, guidelines and procedures as every other department in government as it comes to hiring of staff.
As an extra incentive Mr. Speaker as I said, we have created positions within the department that will be able to facilitate with hires.
At the same time there are statutory obligations under legislation.
Child custody matters and so on where there is a need to have fluency in English because the courts have been acting in, as you know, in English.
So there are certain professional and academic standards and qualifications that need to be in place for the position.
At the same time on the counselling side of things, like I said before Mr. Speaker, we do have other counsellors available at the community level.
In his response he is already putting down Nunavut residents.
We as Nunavummiut are requesting this and in his response he said that there are some professionals who have to speak English to go through the court system.
As Nunavummiut we need Inuktitut speaking people in the court system because that is where you are very wrong.
Why do you see Nunavut residents as a smaller people even though you are a Nunavut MLA?
Mr. Speaker for the record let’s clarify what the translation was probably saying and what I said.
What I said was there are statutory regulations in place Mr. Speaker, for example, from the court services.
A social worker has to follow legislation, policy, child protection.
In cases Mr. Speaker, where that is in English you need a fluency in English.
I also said for the record, Mr. Speaker, that we have been trying to get more Inuit into social work.
That is why what we have done the different things that I’ve already outlined.
I am not going to repeat those.
At the same time for counselling services, 95% of the community wellness counsellors at the community level who provide counselling Mr. Speaker, are Inuit and are able to converse in Inuktitut.
Mr. Speaker let us be clear on that point.
I didn’t try to put people down.
I wouldn’t be in this position to do that.
I want to make sure that is on the record.
Mr. Speaker in answer to the member’s questions, we have moved forward Mr. Speaker in the past year and a half.
The retreat in Pang was an indication of that.
And I am the first person to admit, Mr. Speaker, we haven’t been as successful to get more Inuit in the position of social worker.
That is one of the major tasks that the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Specialist that we hired, to look at and see if there is a systemic barrier.
Is there a barrier for hiring of Inuit?
Where are the academic qualifications?
Can we go back to CSW I, II which we used to have in the past.
Mr. Speaker, so we are endeavouring to do that.
We’ve had some success Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, in hiring in the last few months.
Several communities now have had a social worker for the first time.
However Mr. Speaker, we weren’t able to hire all Inuit and that’s something that we’re trying to do, in co-operation with Human Resources and in co-operation with the Inuit Employment Plan, the IEP which is government-wide.
So I hope that helps clarify and answers the member’s question.
Mr. Speaker, yes his second response was much better than the first one.
But the first question that I had asked he did not respond to and he has not responded to my first question and this is my final question.
So my question is again, I was wondering if you can renew the policy and have the Act amended so that it could be more Nunavut friendly.
I was wondering if your department can change your policy so that it will be friendlier to Nunavummiut.
Mr. Speaker, just for clarification I thought I had answered his original question.
As I said earlier Mr. Speaker, the government has a priority hiring policy which is Inuit first. As well Mr. Speaker, we have the Inuit Employment Plan.
So there is a policy already in place on behalf of the Government of Nunavut, government-wide, not just the Department of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker as I said before, I believe as a government we need to be able to redouble our efforts to make sure that every advantage is being put forward to make sure that we have more Inuit hired in the Government of Nunavut.
As a department that’s what we’ve done with some of the plans that I’ve already outlined in my previous answer.
So the member is correct, there is a priority hiring policy in place which is government-wide and we also have the Inuit Employment Plan as the member is quite aware of.
Question 048 – 1(6): Muskox Harvest Denied After Inspection
I was going to ask another question but a few days ago I ran out of time and I did not have the opportunity to ask it.
Mr. Speaker, in regards to my member’s statement about the Kivalliq meat and fish plant, they’ve earned the European Union Certification and they were very excited but their inspection was denied so my question is directed to the Minister responsible for Sustainable Development.