EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The fund will be used to promote collaboration and implementing the poverty reduction plans or to support community poverty reduction initiatives.
Donations, bequests, and other payments can be made to the fund. The minister at the time may accept conditional donations, bequests, or payments and the minister may make disbursements from the fund on the recommendations of the round table.
At this time, we have not discussed whether this is a tax deductible option.
I don’t believe we are setting it up as a charitable organization at this time.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.  Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Ell.
Yes, if I could get a firm commitment from the government to check into that and report back to us.
When I looked into it, my understanding is that if someone wanted to, you could actually send a cheque to the Government of Canada to say, “Pay down the deficit,” and you could actually get a tax deduction for that. As well, if you do something for the Government of Nunavut and say that here, you want to help with the housing problem or help pay for the health centre in Arctic Bay, you could make a donation to that and you should be able to get a tax receipt. Even hamlets are able to do that as well.
So if I could get a commitment from the government to look into it and confirm. The other thing that they could confirm is who would be providing the tax receipts, whether it would actually be the Government of Nunavut or the poverty reduction group.
I didn’t really hear a question, but he just wanted to get a confirmation whether they will be able to receive tax receipts.
Minister Ell, if you wanted to respond to that.
I will ask my staff to find out on the question of the member and let the members know.
While we are on clause 9, Ms. Ugyuk.
In section 9(b), it states, “to support community-driven initiatives and initiatives of local networks of community organizations engaged in poverty reduction that accord with The Makimaniq Plan and five year poverty reduction action plan.”
Will the communities be able to request funding for healing purposes?
I will have Ed respond to the question.
The general theme of healing and well-being is a prominent one, one of the principal themes in The Makimaniq Plan.
Community initiatives that wanted to address that theme would be recognized and funded if they were eligible, but that type of initiative would be recognized and eligible for funding.
Ms. Ugyuk, do you have any more questions? (interpretation ends) Please.
I also thank Mr. McKenna for clarifying this issue for me.
Last week, during our session, there was a statement made about the wellness programs offered in the communities and that there are guidelines they have to use. With respect to the second matter, when would this begin? I understand where it is coming from.
Currently, the Poverty Reduction Division has a committee dealing with this issue, although they have yet to hire their employee at this time. Ed McKenna can provide further clarification on this matter, as this is part of his duties in the division, Mr. Chairman.
If I understand it, the question concerns the wellness committees that we have in each community. In six communities in Nunavut, there have been wellness plans prepared.
That planning process will be extended over the next three years to all the communities in Nunavut.
He just remarked that there are six communities with wellness plans.
Does he know or have the information on which communities are included in this list?
Perhaps Ms. Ugyuk can repeat her question as I didn’t quite catch it.
Ms. Ugyuk, please raise your voice so it can be heard.
Yes, the earlier response provided by Mr. McKenna outlined that there were six communities with wellness plans completed with committees and they are already working on the implementation of their plans for their community.
Which communities don’t have these wellness committees as of yet?
Minister Ell, maybe that clarified the question.
There is a lot of healing and wellness programs being funded by the Government of Nunavut and these funds could be enhanced.
I’m not sure which one specifically the hon. is talking about, but I will ask the director of the Poverty Reduction [Division] to, perhaps, answer that question.
The program which is being used to extend the wellness plans to all the communities in Nunavut is managed within the Department of Health.
I don’t want to hazard a guess on all six communities, but I can give you, for example, Kugluktuk has a completed wellness plan, Arviat is another, and I think that those plans were made public, I believe, it was in November of 2011. They provide a good model for other communities to use in developing similar wellness plans.
We’re on clause 9. I have no more names on my list. I will continue.
In terms of the grants and contributions, I think one of the things that we want to make clear, it’s nice and great that we have collaboration and different groups working together, but sometimes when things start to come down to the wire, someone actually has to take responsibility. I think that’s where the fund has been established. It sounds like the Government of Nunavut will be taking on the responsibility of handling the financial aspects of it.
In terms of the grants and contributions, within the Government of Nunavut, we already have established systems through Culture and Heritage and ED&T has funding that businesses, communities, and individuals can apply for.
I think what Ms. Ugyuk was trying to get at is when individuals or organizations or communities try to access this funding, who is establishing the policies for this? Is it the round table that’s going to be establishing the policies or is it the GN?
It is pretty cut and dried when it’s a government-only program, but with this, it is going to be a collaborative memorandum of understanding of groups working together. For clarification, is it the GN that will be establishing the policies for the proposals and the reporting process that would have to follow through in terms of the financial spending of the funding for the groups or organizations that actually receive the funding?
Is it the GN that will be creating those policies?
The grants and contributions policy will be designed by the government and Finance will be reviewing it in collaboration with members of the round table.
The purpose of the grants and contributions is consistent with the use of the Poverty Reduction Fund. It’s to promote collaboration in implementing the poverty reduction plans and to support community poverty reduction initiatives.
That helps clarify that.
In the end, as well, I think we’re going to be getting on to the next section, which is reporting.
In terms of public accounts and what we have done with some of the committees within the Legislative Assembly, there always has to be accountability.
I’m assuming and just for clarification, a lot of the talk within the legislation talks about the minister, the minister, the minister.
Again, with a lot of the collaboration that’s going on, is it ultimately the minister who is responsible for the funding in terms of, at the end of the day, the accountability goes to the minister responsible?
Hon. Monica Ell: Yes, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Clause 10. Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): I apologize. (interpretation ends) Once again, I didn’t have my glasses on.
I wasn’t quick enough to go to my end.
In terms of the annual reporting, the question that I wanted to ask was in regard to the report itself.
Once again, for clarification on will it be the responsibility of the Government of Nunavut, I noticed that certain positions within the public service will be dedicated to this actual bill.
I’m wondering: will it be the Government of Nunavut that creates the report and ensures that it’s actually completed and comes before the Legislative Assembly?
Yes, it would be me, as the Minister of Family Services, or whoever will be the minister in the next government who will be providing an annual report to the Legislative Assembly. We have a secretariat as well that would be dealing with information to be provided.
Does the committee agree to Bill 59 as a whole?
Chairman (interpretation): Does the committee agree that Bill 59 is now ready for third reading?
We have completed Bill 59.
Does the minister have any closing remarks?
You can go ahead, Minister Ell.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank my colleagues.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Members of this House and, in particular, the Members of the Standing Committee on Legislation. The questions and comments I received and those provided to Minister Taptuna in the meeting of the Full Caucus last October have been insightful and constructive, and will continue to guide the work as we implement the provisions in the bill.
I also want to thank Minister Taptuna, who introduced this bill to the House and who oversaw the legislative process that has brought us to this day.
My thanks also to departmental staff for the work they have done in the preparation of the bill.
Mr. Chairman, all Nunavummiut need to work together to reduce poverty and this bill will help to ensure that we do.
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the minister and her officials out.
We have completed the bill. What is the wish of the committee?
Mr. Ningeongan (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) At this time, I move a motion to report progress.
There is a motion on the floor to report progress and the motion is not debatable. All those in favour, raise your hand.
Mr. Enook: Mr. Speaker, (interpretation) your committee has been considering Bill 59 and would like to report progress and that Bill 59 is now ready for third reading.
Bill 59 – Collaboration for Poverty Reduction Act – Third Reading
I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Rankin Inlet South and Whale Cove, that Bill 59, Collaboration for Poverty Reduction Act, be read for the third time.
The motion is carried and Bill 59 has had third reading and is ready for assent.
Moving on in our orders of the day. Item 22.
A reminder that there’s a meeting of the Standing Committee on Legislation tomorrow starting at nine o’clock in the Tuktu Room.
Orders of the Day for May 15:
Bill 64
This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, May 15, at 1:30 p.m.  And Mr. Kusugak can take off his nice tie now.
>>House adjourned at 16:32  Appendix – May 14, 2013
2011-2012 Annual Report of the  Information and Privacy Commissioner of Nunavut
Spring 2013 Sitting
The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and regulations made under the Act were inherited from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999.
Between 1999 and 2012, a number of minor amendments to the legislation were made to address conflicts with other territorial statutes.
The changes that have been made to the regulations since April 1, 1999, have been housekeeping in nature.
The list of public bodies has been amended to reflect changes to the organizational structure of the government.
Bill 38, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, received 1st Reading on June 1, 2012.
Bill 38 received Assent on June 8, 2012.
These amendments provided clear authority for the Information and Privacy Commissioner to undertake privacy-related reviews concerning personal information held by public bodies.
The amendments also established a statutory requirement for public bodies to notify the Information and Privacy Commissioner where a material breach of privacy has occurred with respect to personal information under their control.
As of May 1, 2013, these amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act have not come into force.
Testimony provided by Government of Nunavut officials during the Standing Committee’s April 18, 2013, hearings indicated that the government “aims” to bring the amendments into force during the spring of 2013.
The 2013-2016 business plan of the Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs indicates that:
“The Legislative Assembly passed amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act in June 2012.
The first draft of the Privacy Management Framework has been completed.
Subsequent training was provided to Government of Nunavut employees in September 2012 to ensure ability to use and implement the framework throughout all public bodies.”
Since her initial appointment in 1999, the Information and Privacy Commissioner has submitted a total of thirteen annual reports to the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut.
In 2005, the Government of Nunavut began the practice of tabling an annual report on the administration of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Its hearings on the 2010-2011 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner were held on November 24, 2011.
On November 25, 2011, senior officials from the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs also appeared before the Standing Committee to respond to Members’ questions concerning the administration of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Following its 2011 hearings, the Standing Committee presented its own report to the Legislative Assembly on March 5, 2012.
The government’s response to the Standing Committee’s report and recommendations was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on October 23, 2012.
The Standing Committee’s reports and the government’s responses to them are available on the Legislative Assembly’s website, as are the transcripts from the Standing Committee’s hearings.
The Standing Committee’s hearing on the 2011-2012 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner was held on the morning of April 18, 2013.
Senior officials from the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs subsequently appeared before the Standing Committee during the afternoon.
This appearance constituted the second time that departmental officials have appeared before a Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly to publicly account for the government’s actions in response to recommendations of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Standing Committee itself.
The April 18, 2013, appearances of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and departmental officials before the Standing Committee were held in the Nanuq Room of the Legislative Assembly and were open to the public and news media to observe.
Transcripts from the Standing Committee’s hearings are posted on the Legislative Assembly’s website.
Issue: Coming into Force of Amendments to the Access to Information  and Protection of Privacy Act, the Government of Nunavut’s New Privacy Management Framework and the Government of Nunavut’s Annual Report on the Administration of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
The Standing Committee applauds the Government of Nunavut for preparing and tabling an annual report on the administration of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The information contained in these annual reports is of significant importance to Members of the Legislative Assembly and the general public.
However, although the government’s 2010-2011 annual report on the administration of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act contained detailed information concerning the official languages in which requests were submitted under the legislation, the government’s 2011-2012 annual report did not contain this information.
The Standing Committee recommends that the Government of Nunavut’s response to this report clarify the timeline for the coming into force of the amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act that were passed by the Legislative Assembly in June of 2012.
The Standing Committee further recommends that the Government of Nunavut’s new Privacy Management Framework be tabled in the Legislative Assembly at the earliest opportunity.
The Standing Committee further recommends that the Government of Nunavut’s 2012-2013 annual report on the administration of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act contained detailed information concerning the official languages in which requests were submitted under the legislation in both the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 fiscal years.
This recommendation was reiterated in its March 5, 2012, report on the review of the 2010-2011 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The government’s most recent response to the Standing Committee’s recommendation stated that:
“In the interest of increased transparency, accountability and effectiveness, Ministers responsible for territorial corporations have issued directives to the territorial corporations and agencies to provide important information to the GN and Nunavummiut, including the tabling of yearly reports on procurement, contracting and leasing activities.”
Ministerial Letters of Expectation to the government’s Crown agencies for the 2012-2013 fiscal year were tabled in the Legislative Assembly on June 6, 2012.
As of May 1, 2013, the most recent Crown agency annual reports on contracting, procurement and leasing activities to have been tabled in the Legislative Assembly are as follows:
Nunavut Business Credit Corporation: 2010-2011 (Tabled October 23, 2012)
Nunavut Development Corporation: Not yet tabled
Nunavut Housing Corporation: 2011-2012 (Tabled March 1, 2013)
Qulliq Energy Corporation: 2009-2010 (Tabled February 24, 2011)
Nunavut Arctic College: Not yet tabled
The government’s response to the Standing Committee’s report stated that:
In its October 29, 2010, report on the review of the 2009-2010 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Standing Committee recommended that the Government of Nunavut table in the Legislative Assembly its disclosure and reporting protocols concerning reportable communicable diseases. The government’s response to the Standing Committee’s recommendation stated that:
The Standing Committee reiterated its recommendation in its March 5, 2012, report on the review of the 2010-2011 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
“The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health has developed a protocol for the Public Health investigation, management and reporting of communicable diseases and outbreaks in Nunavut.
This protocol will be included in the Nunavut Communicable Disease Manual now under development.
Some communicable diseases and all outbreaks are reportable to the Chief Medical Officer of Health in Nunavut as per the Public Health Act and Communicable Disease Regulations.
Each report is followed up with a view to preventing further transmission of disease by implementing various public health measures as per the Communicable Disease Manual.
In addition, these reports of individual diseases and outbreaks are tracked as part of the communicable disease surveillance system.
This information is used to produce regular reports.
Some of these reports are currently in place while others are in the development stage. The reports include: Nunavut Respiratory Watch; Monthly Communicable Disease Report by Region and by Territory Overall: Annual Communicable Disease Report by Region and by Territory Overall: and Outbreak Reports.
During outbreaks or unusual situations, it may also be necessary to inform the public of a specific situation including the steps required to protect the public.
Decisions on the release of information at the community level are made on a case by case basis taking a number of key factors into consideration.
These factors include:
The characteristics of the situation or the disease such as infectiousness and mode of transmission;
Interventions or prevention measures required to interrupt disease transmission;
Confidentiality and privacy. Note that if the number of cases is to be disclosed at the community level, no number less than 5 is reported in order to prevent identification of an individual;
Minimizing any chance of stigmatizing the community.
A copy of the Communicable Disease Protocol from the Department of Health and Social Services will be tabled by the department, as per the recommendation of Standing Committee.”
However, as of May 1, 2013, this protocol has not been tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
“The Department of Health and Social Services had said that they did create a policy on this and, ultimately, it was up to the Department of Health and Social
Services to look into the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s recommendations. It’s something we’re working on further. They have also created a consent form, which was recommended by the Information and Privacy Commissioner, which allows them to get the consent of constituents to be able to contact them via the radio when necessary.
“Policy 05-027-00, Contacting Clients Through Local Radio, is part of the Department’s Community Health Nursing Standards, Policies and Guidelines.
This communication practices directive states that “The Department of Health and Social Services staff shall not use the local radio as a means of communicating with individual clients.
The announcement of individual client names on the radio is a breach of confidentiality […]”.
The policy further states that although telephone contact is the most efficient method for reaching clients in the community, in instances where clients do not have access to telephone services, alternative methods which preserve the client’s privacy will be sought; i.e., appointment cards to be delivered to the client’s home.
The policy on Contacting Clients Through Local Radio from the Department of Health and Social Services will be tabled by the department, as per the recommendation of Standing Committee.”
However, as of May 1, 2013, this policy has not been tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
The issue of the application of access to information and protection of privacy legislation to municipalities has been an ongoing concern for Members of the Standing Committee.
At present, Nunavummiut have rights under federal and territorial legislation concerning access to information and protection of privacy in relation to the institutions of the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut.
However, there is still no legislative framework concerning access to information and protection of privacy with respect to the municipal level of government in Nunavut.
“The Government of Nunavut agrees that municipalities should, in some way, be accountable under access to information and privacy protection legislation.
Further consultation regarding their inclusion under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act is required and the Government of Nunavut intends to include all stakeholders who may be affected by these changes, including the Nunavut Association of Municipalities.
In its March 5, 2012, report on the review of the 2010-2011 annual report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Standing Committee recommended that:
“The Standing Committee reconfirms its support for ensuring that all levels of government have appropriate systems of access to information and protection of privacy in place.
The Standing Committee further recommends that the annual report account for collaborative training initiatives involving municipal employees, Government Liaison Officers and other parties.”
“On November 23, 2011, all municipal councils were sent a letter from the Government of Nunavut (GN) seeking their input on their possible inclusion under the ATIPP Act.
No responses were received.
On April 2, 2012, a letter was sent to all Senior Administrative Officers inviting them to take part in a three (3) day session around the ATIPP Act.
Two (2) days consisted of in depth training on the legislation and its purpose and the third day was dedicated to next steps in working toward their inclusion under the ATIPP Act.
Three (3) municipalities participated in the sessions, Kimmirut, Repulse Bay and the City of Iqaluit.
In total, seven (7) municipal employees took part in this session.
The Information and Privacy Commissioner was also present for this session.
The discussions were extremely beneficial to both the municipal employees and the GN. We were able to get a better understanding of what issues are currently facing municipalities, and what type of support they would require moving forward.