EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, in celebration of this event, a commemorative medal has also been created by the Government of Canada to honour 60,000 deserving Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life.
The Diamond Jubilee Medal is just one of the ways Canada will be celebrating this event throughout the year.
Approximately 140 Nunavummiut are expected to receive this honour.
The Commissioner of Nunavut, Edna Elias, the Government of Nunavut, Member of Parliament for Nunavut, and the Senator of Nunavut have all been given a number of Diamond Jubilee Medals for presentation and are inviting Nunavummiut to nominate residents by contacting any of these offices for more information.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that I, on behalf of our government, am accepting nominations to be awarded to deserving Nunavummiut.
I have also invited all of my fellow MLAs to nominate individuals.
To nominate someone for a GN Diamond Jubilee Medal or for more information, Nunavummiut can visit our website at www.gov.nu.ca or call the government offices.
The deadline for nominations for medals to be presented by the GN is March 30, 2012.
Mr. Speaker, there will be Diamond Jubilee events, including the presentation of the medals, throughout the year and information will be made available as plans unfold.
Minister’s Statement 122 – 3(3): CGS-University of Manitoba MOU (Kusugak)
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Good day, Mr. Speaker and the people of Rankin Inlet and Whale Cove.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to advise the Members of this Assembly that last year, the Department of Community and Government Services signed an MOU with the University of Manitoba, School of Engineering, that will allow CGS to use higher year engineering students for summer employment as well as through the university’s student employment co-op program.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to emphasize that this agreement has a number of benefits for the signatories and the students.
The U of M has agreed to actively promote post-secondary education to students in Nunavut in order to attract students to pursue a career in the field of engineering.
At the same time, the Government of Nunavut will be able to fill vacancies for critical project work while providing students with much needed hands-on work experience.
Mr. Speaker, last spring, the U of M visited schools in Arviat, Baker Lake, and Rankin Inlet to promote their Engineering Access program (ENGAP).
I am very pleased to report to the Assembly that as a result of that trip, a student from Nunavut did enrol.
R.J. Oolooyuk of Rankin Inlet has been enrolled in the Engineering Access program since September.
He has been very successful with his studies and is ranked the top student in the program by the U of M Engineering faculty.
We are very proud of R.J. and his performance, and we congratulate him and encourage him to keep up the hard work.
Mr. Speaker, from January 23 to 27 of this year, University of Manitoba staff travelled to the Baffin region and conducted Engineering Access program presentations to high school students in Iqaluit and Cape Dorset.
We are optimistic that those presentations will result in more Nunavut students enrolling in engineering studies this coming September and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Community and Government Services is committed to increasing the levels of employment in technical fields for beneficiaries and Nunavummiut, and I look forward to being able to report back to this Assembly with success stories like that of R.J. Oolooyuk.
Good luck and keep up the good work, R.J. Ministers’ Statements.
Minister’s Statement 123 – 3(3): Departmental Report on EU Seal Ban Impacts to Nunavut (Arreak)
Good afternoon to the residents of Clyde River and Qikiqtarjuaq.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to my colleagues’ attention a report that was recently compiled by the Department of Environment summarizing the impacts of the European Union seal ban on Nunavut ringed sealskin sales and revenues.
The report was submitted to a hearing hosted February 7 by the European Bureau for Conservation and Development, during which Greenlandic officials met with Members of the European Parliament to discuss the impacts of the ban on the Greenlandic sealing industry.
We will be publishing the report on our website in the near future and sharing it with other sealing jurisdictions and stakeholders to raise awareness of the negative impacts this regulation has had on the market for Nunavut sealskins.
The non-functioning Inuit exemption to the EU ban is one of the topics discussed in our report.
Due to Greenland’s close European connections, it is widely believed that they may stand the greatest opportunity at working through the logistics of the exemption.
We will be closely monitoring any developments that may result from Greenland’s efforts and we remain hopeful that the legal challenge of the EU ban led by ITK and the Fur Institute of Canada will be successful in annulling the harmful EU ban regulation.
The department’s Sealskin Purchase Program continues to buy ringed sealskins from Nunavut hunters for almost double market price.
This is in recognition of the importance of this income to hunters who, in turn, provide large quantities of fresh, nutritious food to our communities.
The department remains active in the promotion of Nunavut’s seal and fur industry on the global market.
This year, we partnered with Fur Harvesters Auction to advertise at events in Beijing, Istanbul, and Montreal.
We have also made significant progress in making dressed sealskins available to Nunavut residents.
Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work to support and promote the Nunavut sealing sector.
Member’s Statement 167 – 3(3): Appreciation to Medical Staff in Yellowknife, Edmonton, and to Mr. Quirke (Ningark)
In representing Repulse Bay and Kugaaruk, I would like to inform the unfortunate people who experienced the loss of their housing last night that they are in our prayers and their plight is in our hearts.
Mr. Speaker, I have a statement stemming from my heartfelt gratitude to many people, to whom I have to express public appreciation.
I thank the hospital and staff in Edmonton as well as in Yellowknife, particularly the doctors and nurses who assisted me and who were able to help my family.
I apologize to the residents of Repulse Bay and Kugaaruk for not being able to represent them here in this House during a sitting and at standing committee meetings. Furthermore, I want to thank my colleagues for their hospitality and welcoming spirit as I return to this House, Mr. Speaker.
Additionally, the Clerk, Mr. Quirke, is another person whom I wish to thank as I was of the mind to attend to the sitting and meetings, but he as well as my doctors advised me to first return to good health prior to returning to my official duties and I am very thankful for that.
I was advised further by my friend and wife, Celine, to first return to good health before thinking of returning and to listen to the advice of the doctors.
So I want to express my immense gratitude to Mr. Quirke, my wife, Celine, and the good doctors who looked after my health.
In particular, I wish to thank my constituents in Repulse Bay and Kugaaruk for understanding the situation causing my absence in representing them.
We are very pleased to have you back with us.
Member’s Statement 168 – 3(3): Recent Murder-Suicide in Taloyoak (Ugyuk)
On the night of February 2, a fire enveloped a house in Taloyoak in which a mother and her children had resided with no survivors.
We now hear of various stories, including the suspicion that the mother set the fire to commit suicide and murder her children.
The residents of Taloyoak deeply regret this incident.
We don’t want anyone to even consider such actions in Nunavut because, as a mother, it has a tremendous impact on your heart to see this loss.
The residents of Taloyoak are very appreciative and thankful to the school principal, Gina Pizzo, because she has been a pillar of strength, providing counselling to the students and teachers.
We also thank the RCMP for conducting their investigation because we now know of the situation and what occurred, and they have kept providing the information as it becomes available to the residents.
Additionally, I thank the SAO of the hamlet, who has kept the focus on the healing process and everyone requiring assistance, whether it is for psychological or mental health issues. They have provided the services and we appreciate their dedication.
The people want to thank the firefighters of Taloyoak profusely for their skills and abilities. Even though many firefighters in our community are quite young, they were able to put out the fire in the four-plex, limiting the damage to the one unit where it started.
These young firefighters, while being very young, in my opinion, are very skilled as they were able to put out the fire, even though it took quite a while.
We are also very thankful for the assistance provided by the Anglican Church as they usually task a reverend to travel to our community. We are cognizant of the effect of prayers as residents of Taloyoak feel the grace sent from Nunavummiut.
The Baker Lake reverend, Moses Kalirraq, as well as Paul William’s wife, Naujaq, travelled to our community.
Further, we are very grateful to the people who volunteer for the Aijuaq group as they have provided foodstuffs and cooked meals to the affected families in our community, as well as spending time in their homes.
We also want to thank our local housing association for their tremendous support.
With the fire affecting the four-plex, they had to search for alternative units for the tenants.
We also want to the thank the Department of Health and Social Services for providing counselling services through their mental health division that was sent to Taloyoak.
We are currently grieving over this loss. However, we want to move forward to initiate healing in our community of Taloyoak and we are very grateful to all of the assistance we have been provided. On behalf of our families, I thank you.
Member’s Statement 169 – 3(3): Loss of Elder in Rankin Inlet – Bernadette Evaluajuk Saumik (Curley)
I want to wish a good afternoon to the residents of Rankin Inlet. I rise today to remark on the fact that we have lost an elder in Rankin Inlet and I wanted to inform my colleagues and Nunavutmiut on the public record. Our beloved elder, Bernadette Evaluarjuk Saumik, recently passed on.
Bernadette was originally from Repulse Bay and she resided in Rankin Inlet for many years when she was an elder. She was one of the most sympathetic persons I knew.
Whenever a person was undergoing difficulties or stress, she would always drop by and assist, and provide counselling to grieving people.
She would wait a few days until she felt they were open to advice, and then she would go and visit them until they were able to cope with their issues. Only then would she move on. She had many relatives.
In particular, one aspect that I want known is that way back when I was a young person in Repulse Bay, she used to carve.
Her carvings were amongst the most popular pieces and sold quite fast when available. She did precise artwork and a lot of her pieces were made from ivory.
I know for a fact that the residents of Rankin Inlet have lost a tremendous resource. To her family in Rankin Inlet, her daughters who are quite numerous, as well as her sons and adopted children, on behalf of all residents of Rankin Inlet, you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Member’s Statement 170 – 3(3): Forward Momentum on Sports (Ningeongan)
Before I make my Member’s Statement, please allow me to express my deepest sympathies to the residents of Iqaluit on yesterday’s tragic incident.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for the announcement that was made in last week’s Budget Address concerning the transfer of responsibility for sport and recreation to the Department of Community and Government Services.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, I have been one of the members who has been urging the government to review this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I can say today that the government has clearly listened to these concerns and I applaud the responsible ministers for taking this action.
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that bringing sport and recreation back home to the Department of CGS will be a positive step forward.
Over the coming months, I encourage the minister and his department to also review the other issues that have been raised in this House concerning sport, including such matters as team selection processes.
Member’s Statement 171 – 3(3): Baffin Mayors’ Meeting in Iqaluit (Elliott)
I would like to welcome all the mayors from across the Baffin to the Baffin mayors’ meeting being held here in Iqaluit this week.
It is our mayors that do a valuable service to their communities by providing local leadership.
Mr. Speaker, at times, much like our jobs, it’s definitely a thankless job.
I know my three mayors are very dedicated to their responsibility of being a mayor and I would like to personally thank them.
In Iqaluit from Quttiktuq are Meeka Kiguktak from Grise Fiord, Tabitha Mullin from Resolute Bay, and our Deputy Mayor, Geela Arnauyumayuq from Arctic Bay, as His Worship Frank May was unable to attend.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all members to join me in welcoming all of the mayors from across the Baffin. I know their meetings will be very productive.
Before we proceed with oral question period, I wish to make a brief statement.
Having reviewed Friday’s Hansard, I am satisfied that the oral questions posed by the Member for Baker Lake to the Minister of Community and Government Services were in order.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind members that your supplementary questions should flow logically with your main question.
In some cases, members’ questions are extremely specific; in other cases, the subject matter is broader.
However, all four of your questions should be thematically consistent.
Your Chair will continue to manage our proceedings accordingly, and I also remind all members that ministers are always at liberty to decline to answer any questions that is asked of them at any time.
We will now proceed with Item 6.
Question 258 – 3(3): Protocol for Emergency Measures (Curley)
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to raise a question with respect to fire response, particularly services provided by emergency measures.
Many of us witnessed the horrific event last night when the townhouses were completely engulfed by fire, burning it down completely. These units are amongst the oldest units in the city.
There were over 20 families affected by this tragic event, as per the Premier’s statement earlier.
Based on the coroner’s office report, I regret the fact that we have been informed there may be several victims as a result.
Last night, as one read the news, there was a statement that the fire department and RCMP were still investigating whether or not all occupants were able to escape from this conflagration and they were marking off names from the list.
However, if you read the Nunatsiaq News story online, when the general manager was being interviewed about this fire, Don Chenier stated that all occupants had been able to escape the fire.
Perhaps it may be better for the minister to enact a policy that while any incident is under investigation, affected people, even the owners, have to defer their comments via an investigation protocol.
I wonder if the minister can put forward a protocol to resolve this as some of us were led to believe that there were no injuries based on these stories.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Thank you for the question, Mr. Curley.
Like you, as we read the online news, one wanted to hear the updates on the event, especially to see how we could provide assistance to those affected when an incident occurs of this magnitude.
I will look into this matter to see if the Emergency Measures Organization has an existing protocol they apply to incidents such as this.
As we all know, news media reporters tend to go to the public to ask their opinion or to request comments on the event.
All they want is a response, irrespective of the context or connection to the story they are following so that they can submit their audio clip or article about the event.
The media has to be professional enough to do some research, both on the stories they submit and any communication protocol that may be in place for specific events.
Even if we are not notified immediately of the situation, it is usually fine as we can get more details in the report.
Mr. Curley, what I can state to you is that I will look into this matter to see what kind of protocol is in place for communication and first response line of command structure so that we know who has to be informed of what details at what time. If the system needs revision, I will ensure that it is revised for any future events.
I thank the minister for that response. In my opinion, it is not just the protocol that needs review but also the enforcement aspect of it. This is due to the statement made by the Nunastar manager that all of the occupants escaped.
The question here is: where did this information come from? The statement was made while the fire was still being fought and the fire marshal’s office still had not made their report neither had the RCMP released their assessment. This was not appropriate in my estimation.
I believe that there needs to be an investigation as to why the manager made that statement to the public about the occupants escaping. As further news was released; it caused dismay because we found out that there were victims contrary to that statement.
The information released that night turned out to be incorrect.
I thank you for providing more details in your supplementary question.
Yes, the entire incident will be reviewed and that is obvious. At this time, the fire department is still dealing with the incident with the fire investigation still ongoing.
By the end of the day, after the investigation is completed, it is clear that recommendations will be forthcoming with respect to the circumstances leading to the fire.
We are reviewing all of the operations to ensure that this does not happen again and we will work to try to correct the system.
That much is clear. I will task my officials to look into this event. I will ask the people who usually conduct these investigations to find out how this type of statement was made prior to confirming all the facts and how we can correct this down the road.
With respect to the manager’s statement, he made that statement on his own and I don’t know whether we can look into that matter as he stated that based on his information.
However, we will endeavour to review all of the pertinent information related to this incident and figure out who dealt with this release and when and who gave that information to the manager. We will look into these matters.
Question 259 – 3(3): Establishment of Total Allowable Take of the Southern Hudson Bay Polar Bear Subpopulation (Rumbolt)
Mr. Speaker, I recently saw a public hearing notice in the Nunatsiaq News concerning the establishment of the total allowable take of the southern Hudson Bay polar bear subpopulation, which was issued by the Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board. Does the Government of Nunavut have a representative on this board and will he or she be attending these public hearings?
I thank the Member for Hudson Bay for his question.
At this time, I’m going to take the question as notice.
Member for Nanulik… . Oh, sorry. Member for Akulliq, Mr. Ningark.
Question 260 – 3(3): Employment Payment from Contractor (Ningark)
I wish to first apologize to the Member for Nanulik as I am not the member for that riding.
The question I have in mind is going to be directed to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
I don’t recall if I have asked the newest minister any questions since he was appointed to his position.
When people first start employment, their housing rents are immediately reassessed and adjusted in the communities.
Furthermore, we have contractors currently arriving into the communities to work on the units and the people working with them have their rents raised immediately.
Mr. Speaker, even though the rents for these seasonal workers are immediately raised to reflect their income, when the contractors run out of the funding for the units they are constructing, as per a constituent’s observations from one of my communities relayed to my attention, perhaps they ran out of funds since the workers in one of the communities were not paid for the work they did in these units.
I believe that we have legislation in Canada specific to labour and wages. If you are hired and work for a number of hours or weeks in a month, you are to be paid for that work.
This brings me to my question to the minister. What is going to happen to those workers who were not paid for their work in construction projects because the contractor refused to pay them?
Is there any legislation applicable or any rule that the Nunavut Housing Corporation has that can be used to resolve this?
Hon. Fred Schell: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for asking that question.
First of all, I need clarification if that was through the LHO or a contractor.
Mr. Ningark, could you clarify for the minister, please.
The workers were not paid by a contractor who was flown into the community, not by the LHO.
I suppose that the contractor ran out of funds.
Speaker: Thank you for the clarification, Mr. Ningark.
Well, if the employee hasn’t been paid by the contractor, they can go directly to the housing corporation and complain about it, and we can investigate it.
Would the hon. minister clarify what the last answer was?
Hon. Fred Schell: Sorry I missed the question.
The other option, of course, also is to go to the Labour Standards Board, which is responsible for all employees in Nunavut.
Question 261 – 3(3): The Makimaniq Plan - Community Freezers (Elliott)
On Friday, the minister released The Makimaniq Plan, which outlines how the government will work to tackle poverty in our territory.
One such way of reducing poverty was to have better access to affordable food and, in particular, country food. This was to be accomplished through improving the community freezers in our communities.
A year ago in the 2011 winter sitting, we approved funding to his department for community freezers.
Could the minister provide an update on this initiative?
I thank the member from Quttiktuq for that very important question.
Mr. Speaker, although we set aside some funds for community freezers and advertised to the communities in Nunavut of available funds for potentially building community freezers or renovations, the response has been very slow, the uptake has been very slow, and one of the main reasons is the communities are unsure of the ownership of the infrastructure when it comes to building a community freezer.
In terms of ownership, is that ownership with the community or individuals or is this ownership within different departments?
I’m assuming you’re talking about operations and maintenance and who would cover costs like that. Maybe if the minister could expand on ownership.
Absolutely, the ownership has been, at times, a stumbling block for these communities. We spoke to the regional wildlife organizations, HTOs, and other departments.
Although it has been an ongoing issue, we have nine communities that had applied or showed interest in trying to renovate or even build new community freezers for community infrastructure for their communities, but again, as I say, the uncertainty has slowed the process right down.
Again, to me, this is a very important program, as the minister has stated.
When does he think some of these hurdles will be taken care of and dealt with to be able to start getting the funding directed to the communities, and then having the community freezers put in the communities?
We’re working with economic development officers of the communities, including the wildlife organizations and the community HTOs, to try and determine the best ways to alleviate some of these concerns.