EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, in his fiscal update, a disturbing revelation in there was the fact that there was an over-expenditure of close to $4 million for the Department of Health and Social Services.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, as the Chair of Government Operations and Accountability for a number of years now, the Auditor General has been wagging her finger at the government for breaking the law and over-expending what has been appropriated.
Mr. Speaker, in April this year, after year-end, senior government officials informed the standing committee, as well as the Auditor General, and I’ll quote, for the 2005-06 year, which is just closing March 31, this was again, after year-end, “...our latest information from the free balance system, the main accounting system, is that no department will exceed their appropriations.”
And I know I was very happy, and I don’t know how many times since then I said finally, finally we’ve broken that cycle.
And then here we find out again now, today, that that isn’t the case.
So maybe I could ask the Minister of Finance to explain: how come they didn’t know about that after year-end?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. Minister responsible for Department of Finance, Mr. Simailak.
The over-expenditure, we were not advised of it until May, I believe it was, of this year, when the Department of Health found out that there was in fact going to be an over expenditure for the previous fiscal year.
So therefore, we will be coming forward very shortly with a supplementary appropriation bill to cover that. And once that supplementary appropriation bill is tabled in the House, I’m sure the Minister of Health and Social Services will make detailed information on what that over-expenditure was about available to the House.
Having worked in finance in the past, I have a little bit of an idea of how it works with commitments and that.
I’m just wondering how; two months after year end and how much money we spent on our financial system; they could not know. It took two months after year end for them to realize that there was a deficit.
Up until that time, I would assume then that you are indicating that they were saying, with all the financial information available, that they were going to be fine.
Just how could that happen?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, we weren’t aware of this problem and the over-expenditure of the Department of Health and Social Services, (interpretation ends) when we tabled the Interim Report for 2005-06, Interim Financial Report, un-audited I must point out, and I must also add that we tabled those on schedule in September 2006, the very first time since division.
And that is something we, as a department, are very, very proud of and hope to improve on even more.
(interpretation) The Minister of Health and Social Services could give you the reasons for the over-expenditure and I can only say that the Minister of Health and Social Services could give you an explanation of why they went over.
Again, I point out the minister’s comment of getting them done on time, and again I commend the department for that.
Maybe they need to pass on some of the lessons they’ve learned over the last few years to some of the line departments so that…as we all know, the Department of Finance is basically just a messenger and is putting it all together.
When we found out in May, I think he had indicated that there was an almost $4 million over-expenditure in the Department of Health. Did the department give you or your officials any kind of explanation as to why that happened? And if they did, can he indicate what he was informed of at the time as to what resulted in the over-expenditure?
Minister of Finance, Mr Simailak.
Yes, his comments are correct about working with other departments. We are doing that; we are working very closely with this and other departments in this government to make sure that their financial recording, gathering of information, and all of that is improved.
It is improving within the government, we will continue to do that, and we are doing that.
Were we advised of what the reasons were?
Yes, we were given an explanation of two areas of why that sudden over-expenditure was found, and that was to do with medical travel and with agency nurses.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Tootoo.
I guess given that explanation from the department, can the minister indicate whether he or his officials looked into what caused the delay in that information coming out?
Was it a delay in processing? Was it a delay in billing?
Have they figured out what it was that caused the delay so that hopefully that won’t happen again?
Speaker: Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. Minister Simailak.
The Minister of Health just informed me that it was a combination of both, processing and billing.
As I said earlier, she will have complete details available when we are in Committee of the Whole discussing the supplementary appropriation bill.
Member for Tununiq, Mr. Arvaluk.
Question 335 – 2(3): IQ Considerations in Decentralizing Medical Travel (Arvaluk)
I didn’t want to ask any questions as that’s in our Speaker’s riding, but the questions that we are asking are in regard to a concern that we have, not for the decentralized portion, it is for the unilingual elders travelling from point A to point B.
My question is: does the Department of Health and Social Services have IQ Coordinators and do they have one in EIA? When they were transferring those jobs to Pangnirtung, did they consult with the IQ personnel and EIA before they transferred that position to Pangnirtung?
We have, within the department, an Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit coordinator in Iqaluit.
I think it’s important to note there were about 10 departments decentralized out of Iqaluit to various Baffin communities over the last six years.
This is just one piece to finalize the transfer for Department of Health to Pangnirtung the last six months.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Your first supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.
As I said before, none of us here is against decentralization of some of the departments, even in a small way. We are all supportive of that. It is, however, difficult to understand that when the government had set up an IQ policy that those kinds of considerations would be given; the language issue; cultural; possible inconvenience to some citizens of Nunavut, etcetera.
I’d like to ask the minister: is there a similar problem of that kind in the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Aglukkaq.
I have not heard complaints from the Kitikmeot and Kivalliq in regard to patient’s airline tickets.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Your second supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.
Would she consider using the successful no complaints transportation system of the Kitikmeot and the Kivalliq to be used as a model for the Baffin to eliminate the problem that we have?
I guess what I’m interested in Mr. Speaker, my question is related to, for example, why not consider something more important for Pangnirtung for employment purposes, for example, Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, or something that is not so directly related to services department like health?
Health transportation is a service department. I feel that service must be where the service is required. If it is required in the hospital, then put the doctor or the transportation person there for the people who are being released from the hospital.
Can she consider then using the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot model for the Baffin region?
Speaker: Thank you, Arvaluk. (interpretation) Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Aglukkaq.
One of the differences that I think needs to be noted in the other two regions is that currently when a person’s travel is arranged, let’s use Whale Cove as an example, the health centre makes the referral to see a physician in Winnipeg, the travel is done out of Rankin Inlet.
Let’s use Kitikmeot as an example, if the health center says you need to see a doctor in Yellowknife, then again, Cambridge Bay would provide that service.
In the Baffin, for anything from Iqaluit up communities, all that travel is done out of Pangnirtung.
For any service required for travel to Ottawa, that service is provided through the hospital here.
So there is a difference in that the Baffin has a regional hospital. The Kivalliq and Kitikmeot don’t. They will eventually.
So we are looking at ways to improve the services. I will absolutely take recommendations on how we can better service that, but, again, on a bigger scale, we are trying to systemize the current referral system because we are dealing with situations, for example, patients in the Ottawa boarding home - why are they staying down in Ottawa longer than required?
Is that as a result that as airline schedules, say once a week from Grise Fiord, or is it because we’re making appointments far too advanced, and so on. We need to improve that. We recognize that.
But the travel piece is a very small piece of providing patient care services. At the end of the day, we’re trying to examine all those pieces to ensure that we are providing the best possible service to our patients in Nunavut.
Your final supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.
I thank you for the answer, and I am hoping that we will be provided with the plan that will eventually work.
Can I ask the minister then, in the meantime, if the extended hours are not long enough, would she consider, for example, some of the specialists who are coming from Ottawa or elsewhere, to see the patients until probably 9:00 or 10:00 at night?
And there is a flight sometimes too early in the morning with some of the airlines that work; the patient will not have time to get that entire transportation thing done.
So I would like to ask the minister if she would consider extending…no, my question should be: what hours have you extended to accommodate the travel requirements for the patients?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister Aglukkaq.
The hours have been extended in Pangnirtung to 6:00.
At the same time, there is a person on call over the weekend - not an answering machine, a live person that they can contact for after hours as well.
So those are the hours of operations that have been changed since the change had taken place.
At the same time, we recognize that most flights out of Iqaluit to northern communities occur in the morning until about noon.
And the flights arriving from the evenings sometimes have to overnight here and then go the next day, so we worked those hours around the schedules of the airlines as well.
So it was a factor in deciding which way we wanted to extend the hours of operations for the office in Pangnirtung.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. The allotted time for Oral Question Period is now over.
Return to Written Question 017 – 2(3): GN Contracting Practices (Clerk)
Return to Written Question 018 – 2(3): Correctional Facilities & Other Matters (Clerk)
Return to Written Question 019 – 2(3): Appeals Under the NNI Policy (Clerk)
I am tabling a response to Written Questions 17 – 2(3), 18 – 2(3), and 19 – 2(3) that were filed at my office by the appropriate minister.
There’s none. Item 11.
Tabled Document 147 – 2(3): Nunavut DEA Coalition (Tootoo)
Tabled Document 148 – 2(3): DEA/GN Contribution Agreement (Tootoo)
At this time I would like to table a couple documents.
Both of them, as I had indicated earlier in my questioning to the Minister responsible for Education, are showing the dictatorial-type directives sent from the Department of Education to the District Education Authorities telling them that they weren’t allowed to contribute $500 of their money towards this coalition.
Sorry, one of them is from the Kitikmeot, and one is from the Baffin.
Can you have that brought forward, please?
Tabled Document 149 – 2(3): Kitikmeot Regional Seniors’ Conference (Aglukkaq)
Tabled Document 150 – 2(3): Gjoa Haven Seniors Society Report on Empowering Seniors Conference (Aglukkaq)
Today I would like to table the Report on Empowering Seniors Conference in Gjoa Haven, October 1, 2, and 3, and the Kitikmeot Regional Seniors’ Conference meeting recommendations.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Please bring the copies up to the table officers.
Tabled Document 151 – 2(3): Interim Financial Report (un-audited) of the GN for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2006 (Simailak)
Tabled Document 152 – 2(3): GN Responses to the Recommendations by the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Accountability on the Report of the Auditor General (Simailak)
I am pleased to table the following document: the Interim Financial Report (un-audited) of the Government of Nunavut for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2006.
And also, the following document: the Government of Nunavut Responses to the Recommendations by Standing Committee on Government Operations and Accountability on the Report of the Auditor General.
Please be patient while we are waiting for the copies to be brought up here.
Member for Baffin South, Mr.Akesuk.
Tabled Document 153 – 2(3): Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers Meeting – March 24, 2006 (Akesuk)
I wish to table the following document:  Atlantic Council of Fisheries and Agricultural Ministers Meeting – March 24, 2006.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Tabling of Documents.
Tabled Document 154 – 2(3): Petition on Unwanted Presence of a Potentially Dangerous Offender (Picco)
I do resent being called a dictator, a benevolent despot maybe.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition that has been signed by over 1,000 residents of Iqaluit.
Mr. Speaker, I will be forwarding this document to the Federal Minister responsible for Corrections Services of Canada, the Honourable Stockwell Day.  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow I will table also in the House, my letter to Mr. Stockwell Day on the above issue.
Tabling of Documents. I have some documents to table too.
Tabled Document 155 – 2(3): Statutory Requirements for Tabling of Reports and Other Documents, November 2006 (Speaker)
Tabled Document 156 – 2(3): Inuktitut Translation of the 2006 Report of the Auditor General on the WCB of the NWT and Nunavut (Speaker)
Tabled Document 157 – 2(3): Final Report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission (Inuktitut and English) (Speaker)
I wish to table the documents Statutory Requirements for Tabling of Reports and Other Documents to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut. (interpretation ends) This list is regularly updated by the Legislative Assembly and tracks the status of documents that are legally required to be tabled in the House.
The current version of the list indicates what documents has been tabled as of November 21, 2006.
I trust that all members will find this document useful.
I wish to table today the Inuktitut translation of the Report of the Auditor General on the Workers’ Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Finally, pursuant to Section 24(4) of the Nunavut Elections Act, I wish to table the Final Report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission in Inuktitut and in English.
Inuinnaqtun and French translations will be tabled later during our sitting.
As discussed by Caucus, this report will be considered by the House at our next sitting in February and March of next year.
Tabled Document 158 – 2(3): Response to Petition 04 – 2(3) Tabled June 13, 2006 (Clerk)
I am tabling a response to Petition 04 –2(3) filed in my office by the appropriate minister.
There being no more. Item 14.
At this time I wish to recognize Mr. Tootoo.
Motion 021 – 2(3): Legislative Assembly Appointments – Notice (Tootoo)
Bear with me, I was having too much fun with my good friend Fidel.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, November 23, 2006 I will move the following motion:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Cambridge Bay, that James Arvaluk, Member for Tununiq, be appointed a Member of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit and the Standing Committee on Health and Education, and an Alternate Member on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Accountability.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I would like to seek to consent to deal with my motion today.
Bill 26 – Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2007-08 – Notice
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on November 23, 2006 that Bill 26, Appropriation (Capital) Act, 2007-08, be read for the first time.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills.
Item 16. Orders of the Day. Item 16.
Motion 020 – 2(3): Airline Service in Nunavut (Barnabas)
This motion is regarding airline services in Nunavut.
WHEREAS the Government of Nunavut’s March 2003 Nunavut Air Services System Implementation Options Document includes a vision of air transportation in 2021 where “all Nunavut communities receive more frequent air services than today, transporting passengers and delivering perishable goods with minimal delay”;
AND WHEREAS Nunavummiut are reliant upon air service to travel between their communities;
AND WHEREAS the cost of living is highest in the smallest, most remote Arctic communities;
AND WHEREAS concerns have been expressed by Nunavummiut with respect to the high cost of air transportation and the limited number of carriers serving the smaller communities;
AND WHEREAS Nunavummiut aspire to fully benefit from such federal programs as food mail;
AND WHEREAS the Government of Nunavut has a responsibility to ensure that our territory’s airport infrastructure is of high quality and to work with such stakeholders as the Northern Air Transport Association;
AND WHEREAS the Department of Economic Development and Transportation is currently undertaking a review of the Government of Nunavut’s 2001 Nunavut Transportation Strategy;
AND WHEREAS the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce is commissioning a pre-feasibility study to determine the viability of a direct route connecting Greenland and Nunavut;
AND WHEREAS the Government of Nunavut’s innovative Fuel Tax Rebate Program to encourage exploration and mining activities in the territory demonstrates the capacity of the government to introduce incentives for economic activity and development;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Kugluktuk, that the Legislative Assembly recommend that the Government of Nunavut work with the airline industry to bring forward an action plan to improve the availability of affordable, reliable air service to Nunavut’s smaller, under-served communities.
To the motion. I would like to recognize Mr. Barnabas.
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to rise today in order to speak to the motion that is before the House.
I would like to thank my colleague from Kugluktuk for seconding this motion.
Most of us represent communities that are facing challenges in this area.
I am grateful for his support today.
I see this motion as a positive step forward in highlighting the importance of this issue and identifying a number of areas for action.
All of us are well aware of the importance of airline service in our communities and our constituencies.
The communities that I represent in the High Arctic have been conveying concerns to me for some time and I have written a number of letters on their behalf to the airlines which serves my communities.
I have specifically invited representatives of the airlines to come to my communities and speak with my constituents.
Indeed, the community of Grise Fiord has also written to our Member of Parliament on this issue.
I recognize that the issue of airline service is also a national one.
Canada’s geography has traditionally posed a challenge to the provision of air services. The country has seen many examples of air carriers that have not succeeded.
I believe that the government and industry can work together to address the issues identified in my motion.
For example, the government has the responsibility to ensure that our airports and runways are in good condition and can handle the newer models of aircrafts used by northern carriers.
Federal investments are important in this regard.
The government should also look at ways to encourage carriers to improve their services to small communities.
I urge all members to join me in supporting this motion.
The motion is in order. Comments to the motion.
I am pleased to speak in support of this motion before us today.
I would like to thank my colleague from Quttiktuq for moving this motion as he indicated in his remarks, both of us representing communities that have expressed concerns about the airline services they receive.
In the past, Kugluktuk was served by a number of airlines and in recent times the choices available to my constituents have decreased.
Mr. Speaker, in March of this year, I rose in this House to make a statement on this issue and at the recent Kitikmeot Trade Show, delegates addressed this issue.
In March and June of this year I posed Oral Questions to the minister on this issue.
I was pleased that the minister agreed with me on a number of points in his reply. He indicated that the goal of the Government of Nunavut is to see that every community has a choice of at least two airline carriers.
I believe that the minister recognized the benefit of competition.
He also indicated a willingness to look at the different options for encouraging carriers to serve small communities.
I also urge all members to support this very positive motion.
Orders of the Day. Item 16.
At this time I would like to seek consent with this House to deal with my motion today.
The member is asking for consent to proceed with his motion.
Motion 021 – 2(3): Legislative Assembly Appointments (Tootoo)
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues.
AND WHEREAS Section 17 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act provides for the Legislative Assembly to appoint such committees to aid and advise it as it considers necessary; and
AND WHEREAS Rule 89(2) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly provide for the striking committee to recommend members to serve on standing committees; and
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Cambridge Bay, that James Arvaluk, Member for Tununiq, be appointed a Member of the Standing Committee Ajauqtiit and the Standing Committee on Health and Education, and as an Alternate Member on the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Accountability.
All in favour of the motion please raise your hands.
There is no Committee of the Whole for today.
A reminder for meetings tomorrow: Standing Committee Ajauqtiit at 9:00 in the morning at in the Nanuq Committee Room, and at 10:00, Management and Services Board in the Tuktu Room.
Orders for the Day for November 22, 2006:
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. This House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 1:30.
>>House adjourned at 15:49
Minister of Health and Social Services; Minister responsible for the Status of Women Council
Minister of Economic Development and Transportation; Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation
(Rankin Inlet South – Whale Cove)
Deputy Premier; Minister of Community and Government Services
Hon. Patterk Netser
Minister of Environment; Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Board
Striking Committee;  Management and Services Board
Government House Leader; Minister of Education; Minister of Energy; Minister responsible for Multiculturalism, Homelessness and Immigration; Management and Services Board
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Pages 2231 – 2282
Opening Prayer 2231
Ministers’ Statements 2231
Members’ Statements 2234
Oral Questions 2241
Tabling of Documents 2260
First Reading of Bills 2261
Second Reading of Bills 2262
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 2263
Report of the Committee of the Whole 2280
Wednesday, November 22, 2006 2231
115 – 2(3): National Homelessness Initiative (Picco) 2231
116 – 2(3): National Housing Day (Akesuk) 2232
117 – 2(3): 2006 Summer Student Employment Equity Program (Tapardjuk) 2233
287 – 2(3): Food Mail Improvements for the Baffin Region (Barnabas ) 2234
288 – 2(3): Coral Harbour Soccer Team Members (Netser) 2235
289 – 2(3): Congratulations to Cousin Who Gave Birth (Aglukkaq) 2236