EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
If I understood his question correctly, it seems like he was talking about the shoreline. I apologize if I misunderstood his question.
If I understood his question, my response would be for minor capital. In our department, we have programs for improvement for boat launches.
This summer, many Nunavummiut will be going out by boat. I’m concerned about the boat owners as well.
Whenever they come in during low tide, there are rock hazards and boulder hazards in the low tide area that they have to contend with.
Is this under the minister’s responsibility as well?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, Mr. Kuksuk
I can tell my colleague that the community can make a detailed proposal and include all of their concerns about shoals or rocks in the beach area that are hazardous to boaters. If there’s anything that needs to be fixed or corrected, then the community can make a detailed proposal to my department to initiate the action.
When there are rocks and boulders on the shoreline or low tide flats, every year, the hunters go hunting by boat. We would like to know if the rocks or boulders that are in the way can be removed or moved aside so that when the hunters are leaving and coming back to the community, they can have a safer route.
Can your department look into this matter? It may not be too expensive to correct. Can the minister direct his officials to get them to look at the matter to see if it’s feasible instead of us making a proposal?
I can tell my colleague that if it’s a problem for hunters that use boats or small crafts, such as shallow areas, rocks along the route to where they have to dock their boats, I can get my department to look into the matter to see if the community can just do it on their own and correct it without making proposals.
Question 086 – 4(2): Proposed Airline Merger (Shooyook)
I say “good day” to the people in my Quttiktuq Riding and Nunavut.
I know one of my colleagues asked the question and I understood the reply, but as the people of Quttiktuq, we have a concern about the possible merger of First Air and Canadian North.
If they merge into one airline, we do not know if it will affect us, but I am concerned that it will cause more problems for us.
When there are two airlines competing, the tickets are usually cheaper. When there is only one airline, the prices go way up.
If the merger happens and there is only one airline, will the ticket prices go way up again in the future?
As I stated when the question was raised in the House, right now, our government does not have the responsibility for that. The airlines do that on their own. I also stated that there are many details that have to be worked out.
The government really has no input into them. However, after the merger has occurred, we will then be able to look into it.
We are very worried about the possibility of one airline servicing us.
I can use us as an example. In the High Arctic, we are serviced by one airline for Arctic Bay and Resolute Bay.
First Air cannot even go to the High Arctic.
When there is only one airline servicing us, people trying to leave town or leaving from Iqaluit to get back have to wait a whole week because the plane is full for that week.
I felt a lot of compassion toward an elder who tried to leave town three times, but it was always full and he always had to go to the boarding home.
People in the High Arctic are going through a lot of inconvenience. This also includes the food that is brought up there. The produce becomes totally useless by the time they reach our communities.
Due to that problem, it’s totally inadequate to have one airline servicing us. All the food that the companies pay for arrive and are just thrown away.
Everything is so expensive in the High Arctic and that’s what we have to go through.
I’m not sure if his last comment is a question. I think it’s just an additional comment that he wanted me to hear. As I have always stated, this matter is dealt with by the airlines.
We really don’t have a say in the matter. It’s up to those businesses that will be running this. It’s in their hands right now.
After the merger has occurred and we see what’s happening, the government can look into the matter and look at the high cost of transportation in the north. We have to try and make some strategy on how to deal with that. We will be doing that and be able to voice our opinions at that time.
I thank the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation for clarifying that properly.
I understand now that we really can’t do anything about the merger. We will just have to wait and see what comes up, even though it probably won’t be convenient for us because we go through practically impossible things in the High Arctic as Nunavummiut.
Question 087 – 4(2): Mary River Project (Enook)
Mr. Speaker, this past week, the Nunavut Impact Review Board issued an amended project certificate for the Mary River project.
This is good news for the people of Tununiq.
Mr. Speaker, one of the terms and conditions in the project certificate is to try to come up with a development partnership agreement.
The Nunavut Impact Review Board has stated, “The proponent and the Government of Nunavut are strongly encouraged to enter into discussions to negotiate a development partnership agreement.”
What are the Government of Nunavut’s next steps in making this agreement happen?
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I thank the member for asking a good question.
My colleague should be fully aware that there is one DPA active right now with a mining company.
In the future, we plan to develop more agreements with other resource companies.
We expect to make more agreements like that as a government with other resource companies.
The Department of Economic Development and Transportation’s Development Partnership Agreement Policy states that a development partnership agreement may include infrastructure development and investment.
I would like to ask the minister if he can commit to ensuring that this is a key part of his department’s negotiations to come up with a development partnership agreement that benefits the community of Pond Inlet.
With respect to development partnership agreements with other resource companies in Nunavut, in order to benefit more, we would try to get that. We would work with the resource companies through development partnership agreements.
Other agreements will be negotiated in the future with other mining companies this year, actually.
I agree with my colleague that these things will benefit the communities and businesses. Negotiations will start getting these agreements in place, I assure my colleague.
Under the DPA policy that your department uses, it states here that a DPA may include benefits identified by relevant stakeholders.
The question I would like to ask to the minister is: will you commit to fully involving the Municipality of Pond Inlet in this negotiation process? Can you say that the Municipality of Pond Inlet will be involved in this process?
Mr. Speaker, as I stated previously, we will have DPAs negotiated for activities that don’t have them and involve the surrounding communities.
We will also include other stakeholders in the communities that should be involved. Different resource companies will be worked with to that affect. That’s what I can say right now.
Minister of Culture and Heritage, Mr. Okalik.
Tabled Document 015 – 4(2): 2011-2012 Annual Report of the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit (Okalik)
I am pleased to table the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit Annual Report for 2011-12.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters. Bill 2 and Bill 3 with Mr. Enook in the Chair.
In accordance with the authority provided to me by Motion 3 – 4(2), the committee will stay in the session until it reports itself out.
Before we proceed with the Committee of the Whole, we will break for lunch and report back at 1:30 p.m.
>>House recessed at 11:33 and Committee resumed at 13:28
Welcome to the House. I would like to welcome the people who are watching the meetings on television.
We wish to continue with the review of the main estimates for the Department of Community and Government Services, followed by the Department of Education and the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Does the committee agree that we deal with the Department of Community and Government Services?
Does the committee to bring the Minister of Community and Government Services to the witness table?
Hon. Minister, please introduce your officials for the record.
On my right is my Deputy Minister, Roy Green, and on my left is the Director of Gershom Moyo.
Mr. Green and Mr. Moyo, welcome to the chambers.
We are on page J-6 in English, and in Inuktitut G-6.
Yesterday we adjourned while I still had names on my list. If you want to ask questions, please raise your hands.
We will begin with Mr. Hickes.
My question is under the Utilities Management section. I’m anticipating the answer, hopefully, will branch out over across a couple of different parts of the budget.
I noticed under the third party agreements detail of projects funding.
In the estimates from last year there was approximately $838,000 funded by third party agreements, including the $100,000 under Utilities Management.
Yet in the 2014-2015 category I see zero dollars of third party funding agreements.
Would the minister be able to educate me on what type of third party agreements are being negotiated right now?
Hon. Minister, I also understand that you want to make a comment before you answer the question.
Minister Sammurtok.,
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Yes, there are just a couple of things that I would like to inform the committee on. First of all, if I may, I would like to ask the committee to join me in wishing Roy Green a happy birthday today.
I’d like to read a brief statement, if I may, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to clarify a statement that I made in the Committee of the Whole yesterday on questions asked by Ms. Angnakak in relation to why hamlets are in a deficit situation.
In my reply I referred to incompetence at the community level as a possible reason why hamlets may be in a difficult financial situation.
Mr. Chairman, I did not intend our municipal SAOs and financial directors are not capable of doing their job.
While there is room for improvement at all levels of government.
It was a poor choice of words on my part and I wish to apologize to our municipal employees out there. (interpretation) Thank you.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, minister (interpretation ends) for that comment.
If I might continue. So you get a good answer, did you want to re-ask your question, Mr. Hickes?
I can summarize it.
Basically, I’m looking at what the department is doing to access third party funding to fund projects under Community and Government Services.
Chairman: Thank you, once again.
The only third party agreement that I know of (interpretation ends) is the $100,000 contribution agreement with Sport Canada and Sports and Recreation. (interpretation) Thank you.
Under last year’s report, there is approximately $500,000 that was accessed under that fund in third party agreements.
So the minister is saying that there are no other negotiations ongoing currently to access outside dollars to enable his department to contribute to other projects.
We are currently in negotiations with the federal government.
I will switch gears. Under the procurement contract supporting logistic services, I noted with interest that the 2011-12 annual report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly by the previous minister on October 29, 2012.
I have not had the pleasure of seeing the government’s 2012-13 annual report on procurement contracting and leasing.
When is he anticipating on tabling that document?
I will be tabling them during this session.
I look forward to reading that report.
Mr. Chairman, on the business plan on page 153 in the priorities for 2013-14, his department implemented the plan for GN records management functional classification system.
Mr. Chairman, in the status it says that the scope of the system project has been redefined to apply only to the Department of Community and Government Services.
Why has it switched from a department-wide system to just a CGS system?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) I will defer the question to Mr. Green.
At the first phase, we are implementing the records management functional classification system within Community and Government Services, and once we complete it we will be rolling out the functional classification to all GN departments.
Also in the priorities 2014-15, it is listing that the department is going to develop a strategic telecommunications plan to address emerging technologies.
I understand he answered a couple of questions or Mr. Green answered a couple of questions regarding this yesterday. With the emerging technologies, especially here in Iqaluit, they are still maturing.
As they are maturing, services are getting faster. Like you mentioned, 3G access is coming soon.
How fluid is this strategy going to be?
I responded to some of the questions from the members. We are trying to make sure that we have an understanding of the new technology and to see if they are in par with all the new stuff that we are going to receive from the communications.
That more or less answers my question.
Under the Information and Planning Services Division of this there’s an increase in the budget line of approximately $4 million.
Would the minister be able to give me a breakdown as to why there is such a substantial increase in funding?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The new funding increase is related to new funding of IT bandwidth and the internal relocation of funds for IT. (interpretation) Thank you.
Chairman: Thank you, Minister Sammurtok. (interpretation) A reminder to the members that we are on page J-6. Community and Government Services Branch Summary.
Government Services. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $88,145,000.
Turn to page J-7.
We are on the Branch Summary.
Ms. Angnakak. Just before she begins, you can put your hand up if you have questions.
I would like to ask a question under Emergency Management Organization.
Can you let us know what kind of activities has the department done in this area in working with the communities?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Ms. Angnakak. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister.
We train people in safety and prevention through the Fire Marshal’s Office, with respect to emergency preparedness.
Thank you.  Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister.
Ms. Angnakak: Can the minister inform us as to how many communities have prepared plans in place that are up to date and relevant?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): To date there are 22 communities and 3 communities are incomplete. We are working with them.
In terms of the fire marshal inspections. How many fire marshals do we currently have in Nunavut?
The Hon. Minister.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): At the present time we have 3 fire marshals.
Can you elaborate about where the fire marshals are located?
If they’re located in Iqaluit, how often do they travel into the communities?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, there’s one in Rankin Inlet and one in Cambridge as well as one here in Iqaluit.
Can you tell us what kind of work they do in the communities and how often they travel to communities?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Whenever possible, they try to visit communities twice a year.
Can you tell us more about the implementation of the Nunavut Fire Prevention Strategy? Has this been fully implemented? How are you informing relevant stakeholders?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: If you can give a few moments, please.
If I may defer the question to Mr. Green.
Basically, the responsibilities of the fire prevention strategy is to work with communities to provide training on firefighting, improve the quality of the firefighting equipment, improve fire prevention and regulatory inspection.
Part of this budget, there is about $900,000 that we allocate to the MTO to carry out firefighting training with the local volunteers across the territory.
About $400,000 or $500,000 of that money is also used for equipment for repairs to fire trucks and any firefighting equipment within the communities.
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Green for that answer.
Your department’s 2014-17 business plan indicates that one of its goals for the 2014-15 fiscal year to work with the Department of Education to finalize and implement the Fire Safety Planning Guidelines for school facilities, and also to begin to develop an implementation plan to broaden the Fire Safety Planning Guidelines to include other facilities in other departments.
What facilities and departments will be prioritized for inclusion under the Fire Safety Planning Guidelines?
If I may again, I defer the question to Mr. Green.
At this point in time, we pretty much finalized the emergency plan procedures for the Department of Education, as per the OAG audit report, in terms of making sure that the gatekeepers within those facilities under their responsibilities.
The intent in 2014-15 is to amend this document to reflect all GN departments across the territory.
We feel this draft document can be used to meet all the emergency evacuation requirements, and making sure that proper fire inspections are done in those buildings.
We are on page J-7.
I won’t take long. I have a short question.
There are financial resources that are also used for search and rescue.
A lot of people are now using the SPOT devices and they are now utilized almost in every community. We encourage hunters to use them.
There have been two or three occasions when those devices were pressed when the users were not lost. It was because of ignorance.
Then action is taken and money begins to be expended in terms of the use of aircraft, gas, or snowmobiles. Every time 911 has been pressed, even if it was activated by mistake.
Is the proper use of SPOT devices also part of the training process?
Yes we can include the proper use of SPOT devices in part of the training.
Even though that is the case, I think that the trainers should be going directly to the communities and that way they can train that many more people who may not understand what the consequences of making mistakes would cost. I think it would be better for them to go to the communities and give training in the communities.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): I agree with his words wholeheartedly and we will consider them.
I think it would be proper to provide a message.
We will be providing them to all the gas stations because we know that hunters often have to buy gas before they go out.
They will be situated in the gas stations so that they can be handed out.
That would be an excellent thing to provide to the communities.
I had some questions during the opening addresses however one of my colleagues had asked about it. But I’m going to ask about another aspect of search and rescue.
The search and rescue budget in the business plan on page 155, they had a budget of $550,000. Now in this fiscal year it will be $800,000.
What is this increase attributed to?
The increase is for the increased use of aircrafts.
Thanks for that answer. Last year in the opening address for 2013 there were 222 searches.
That would entail roughly 450 people. This was stated in the opening address. Was the $550,000 how much it cost to search for those people?
You have probably heard that last year, a lot of people were getting lost and they needed to be searched and rescued, so there was going to be a shortfall as a result. The increase is attributable to that.
The increase in the annual budget is fine by me. However, I would like to ask in relation to the search and rescue volunteers because I, too, was searched for. A lot of them use their own satellite phones that they have bought.
They usually use their own equipment and sometimes their own equipment breaks down. Has that been considered?
I think I mentioned that yesterday or the day before.
However, today, our department has been having meetings with NAM, NAMA, RWOs, HTOs, and NTI and we have been discussing all the aspects of search and rescue as to what the best policies we should have.
It could be part of that discussion.
Mr. Mikkungwak (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, for that answer.
Let me ask a different way.
When I was asking questions yesterday, part of the answer was that the federal government will not be providing them with funding for search and rescue anymore. In talking with their federal counterparts, is it likely that in the future, they may revisit their decision? The people in the Arctic will always be in jeopardy.
We are always in touch with the federal government. We should eventually reach a conclusion.
Earlier he responded to my question regarding aircraft searching which assist the local search and rescues. (interpretation) It is very beneficial when aircraft are used and the only time they are used is because the ground searchers can usually travel during blizzards.
How can they utilize more Inuit knowledge?
It’s in relation to what I answered earlier. We will be having discussions with our various partners and we will discuss aspects of that.
Are you done, Mr. Mikkungwak?
Yes? Okay. (interpretation) Thank you. (interpretation ends) Moving right along, Mr. Hickes.
During my questioning during the opening comments section, I touched on the Nunavut Building Advisory Committee and the minister responded with a list of backgrounds that are used to make up this committee.
The committee itself is not to be made of more than 13 members appointed by the minister.
The minister read out 10 different professional backgrounds or nominated positions to the committee, yet when I looked at the Nunavut Gazette, I see nine members currently appointed under this committee.
I realize that still gives it forum. However, I am wondering which group, society, or representative from the list is not represented.
It was only earlier this week that I had discussions with the President of NAM. Over the past six months, we have been trying to get NAM to appoint a member to represent on the committee for the building code.
I have been advised that it will be submitting a representative from NAM within the next two weeks.
I thank Mr. Green for that response.
It also states that there is up to three additional members as the minister considers appropriate. Is the minister anticipating appointing any positions under his authority there?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, (interpretation ends) Mr. Hickes.
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: The answer is yes.
Will the minister commit to tabling an annual report with us in the Legislative Assembly on the activities of the Nunavut Building Advisory Committee?
Hon. Minister
Hon. Tom Sammurtok: Yes, we would, Mr. Chairman.
Minister Hickes.
I will drop that topic for now. I appreciate the answers.
In the business plan, on page 155, the very last priority on that page under the 2014-15, it lists that the department will work with client departments to develop departmental emergency plans for evacuation of buildings.
Mr. Chairman, I have partaken its health and safety officers for a couple of different positions I have had in the past and we have always had an evacuation plan in the building.
How is it anticipated that these emergency plans will differ from plans currently in place?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I will defer the question to Mr. Green.
Chairman: I have deferred the question to Mr. Green.
The intent of the department now that we got 22 municipal emergency plans in place and we are in the final process of updating the three emergency plans for those communities, basically, what we want to do is update some of the departmental emergency plans to reflect some of the changes that were identified in the community emergency plans.
What are some those changes that were recommended?
I apologize to the member, I do not have that information at this time, but we will provide it to you.