EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I remember reading something in the paper a while back that they weren’t being inspected on a timely basis. I believe it was contracted out and if it was a contract, it would be something that would be in here under Contract Services. So I was just wondering what the status is of the inspections of our elevators across the territory, whether there is a contact in place for it or whether we actually have a physical body or PY that is doing that for us.
The mandate for elevator inspection falls under the Electrical Protection Act through the fire marshal’s office, I understand. It is my understanding that most, if not all, of the elevating devices will be inspected within this fiscal year, Mr. Chairman.
You had mentioned electrical inspectors. If memory serves me correctly, there were supposed to be three across the territory. At one point, we were down to one.
I was just wondering: in terms of PYs and the status of the jobs, do we have a full slate of electrical inspectors?
Yes, I understand that we currently have three electrical inspectors on staff.
In terms of the Office of the Fire Marshal, how many staff is allocated to that office in terms of individuals who travel around the communities?
I know, in speaking to some of them, they don’t actually spend a lot of time at home because they are so busy travelling around to different communities.
I’m wondering: is there a need for more of them? Do we have a full slate of fire marshals?
If you’re asking in terms of electrical inspectors, if we need more of them, I think we will always have a need for more, but all the electrical inspectors do travel vigorously throughout the territory.
That’s part and parcel of why we fell behind in elevator inspections because those are the same people trying to inspect the housing initiatives and all that.
Something unfortunately gave and that was that. Yes, Mr. Chairman, our electrical inspectors are always on the go.
I’m just wondering: in terms of the number of fire marshals that we actually have on staff, how many positions do we actually have allocated for fire marshals?
If I could have my deputy respond to that question.
Currently, we have positions approved for seven fire marshal officers across the territory. Right now, we have four of those positions that are filled and we have one position right now that we have for competition.
We are still trying to recruit the remaining fire marshal officers.
Thank you for the questions.
I don’t know if ministers are wondering why I am asking so many questions specifically around the technical people who are involved with the inspections. It is my way of trying to ascertain whether we have enough staff or whether they are understaffed in terms of a very vulnerable area.
In light of some recent fires that have occurred and the tragedy that happens when everyone loses all of their belongings, it is nice to know that we have adequate staff to support that.
In terms of inspections that are done in communities, I know the fire marshals travel around to the communities and are constantly evaluating and trying to make GN buildings that they visit and the public places that they visit safer. I’m just curious to find out.
With those inspections, I know that there is generally an amount of time where some of the deficiencies can be fixed.
If they’re not, I think there is a collaborative partnership where they work together to try and solve the problems.
Are there instances across the territory where buildings have to be closed down or facilities have to be closed for public safety reasons?
I appreciate your questions, Mr. Elliott, and they are important ones.
Right now, there are no facilities that have to be shut down that we are aware of.
There are some issues, but not enough to close down a facility.
As part of J-7, there is a grant and contribution of $2,295,000.
That’s explains a little bit more on J-12.
So I was hoping to go J-12 under the grants, which is part of Protective Services.
It outlines that community search and rescue organizations receive $500,000 and the Fire Prevention Strategy receives $1,795,000.
I’m just wondering: in terms of that $1,795,000, where does that money go? Is that going to our local volunteer fire departments for assistance with the work that they do and training for them or is it a Nunavut-wide fund?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for highlighting that, Mr. Elliott.
That funding is used to train firefighters in the municipalities. We also use it to purchase equipment.
In terms of equipment, is it specifically the clothing that the volunteer firefighters would wear? I don’t want to mix capital with O&M, but is it for fire vehicles or fire trucks in the communities?
That equipment is for things like hoses, bunker gear, helmets, and things like that.
Mr. Elliott, your time for questions has just run out. Thank you.
I will talk in Inuktitut.
I would like to thank the minister. In regard to protective services under search and rescue, there are a lot of things that we should be thankful for.
It was especially hard this winter when we ran into something like that.
We have a father and son in Arviat who didn’t come back. It was extremely cold at that time. With the wind chill, it was about -67 degrees Celsius.
I would like to say that if they had wanted to get one helicopter, it wouldn’t have been okay. It came from three provinces.
They were working very well together at that time and nothing fatal happened.
Yesterday, during the session, the Premier was asked a question about search and rescue. She stated that she had talked with the Prime Minister regarding search and rescue.
We didn’t hear about what they discussed. I’m not really sure whether it was (interpretation ends) already capped or sovereignty related; which one it is. (interpretation) Maybe we could be provided with the details.
You might have to deal with it because the search and rescue provisions are under Protection Services.
I wonder what kind of help we want from the federal government. Are we trying to get a helicopter base here in Nunavut?
Perhaps we could just get a little bit of information exactly what we are requesting from the federal government.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): I thank Tagak for the question.
It’s very stressful when there is somebody who is lost in the community.
I would like to thank everybody who has been doing search and rescue. As I said, people don’t go out to get lost.
They are looking for food for their families, but they didn’t expect to be in a disaster or they didn’t expect to be lost. I thank all the people who have helped out.
I can’t speak to the Premier’s statement about meeting with the Prime Minister and other government officials because I’m not involved in that at all. They are dealing with it. The Prime Minister and the Premier are in discussions on this. (interpretation ends) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) I thank you as the Minister of Community and Government Services. We use the Canadian Forces at the present time.
There has to be a better way because Nunavut is a vast area. (interpretation ends) It’s huge. I think it spans across at least five provinces or more. We need improvement.
We can’t just sit back and say, “We need to have a strategy. We need to have a plan.” That plan should be followed.
It shouldn’t be just at the scoop of the Premier, along with these meetings with the Prime Minister. We’ve got to have a plan. If we don’t have a plan, it’s not worth talking about it.
My question is: who is responsible for developing a plan to have more effective, on-site locations in Nunavut so that we don’t have to wait sometimes 12 hours at least to bring in a helicopter from somewhere?
That was the case. It was touch-and-go for awhile.
I believe we need a more effective plan developed so that we can all put in our share in continuing to push for the federal government to bring in closer-to-home rescue equipment in terms of airplanes and helicopters.
We do appreciate their help and they are responsible, but we need to have them moved up to Nunavut eventually.
So I wonder if the minister can help us out in whether or not that is the route to go. If not, what should be the basis for attempting to improve if we do need to improve search and rescue services that are based in Nunavut?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I agree. I think we need to.
I think the hope of all Nunavummiut is make the air search and rescue closer to home. I think the work that our Premier is doing and meeting with her counterparts is a very important first step in that.
Our department continues to meet with other emergency measures ministers in Canada. We will continue to push to have that part heard.
Maybe at some point, it is important to build a good strategy in order to make it a reality.
At some point, it has to be a reality because time is important when we’re doing searches and it would be good if we could have air searching planes located in the north. I couldn’t agree with Mr. Curley more.
I don’t have any more names on my list. Mr. Aupaluktuq.
I would just like to make a couple of comments and hopefully just advise the minister and his officials that I will be following up inside the House and other forums.
As the minister and my colleagues are aware, I tabled the infrastructure and hamlet resolutions in the House. Prior to that, we had the honour and the privilege of having Prime Minister Harper as well as our MP, Leona Aglukkaq, visiting Baker Lake at the Agnico-Eagle Mines.
At the time of discussion, they expressed the desire and the need to probably have Coast Guard presence. Maybe with the counterparts at the federal level, this would also be nicely addressed simply because environment safety is a concern as well as human safety.
In regard to fire prevention, there are issues that have also been raised in the community about the old and expired fire truck that was in the capital as well. The community would like to continue to see that being put back in the books and maintain that.
Mr. Chairman, I would also like to address one of the issues raised at the community level by community members and hamlet councillors that the Baker Lake detachment is too old and too small. In particular, when it comes to court dates, there is severe overcrowding as well. Basically that is a safety concern.
In regard to fire prevention and emergency preparedness, I think one of the avenues that we should also explore and keep in mind as well is the BA (breathing apparatus).
I can proudly say that I did serve as a volunteer firefighter. There have been some experiences where I did witness breathing apparatus lines that have frozen.
That was a detriment to the safety of the firefighters and also an obstacle in order to take out the fire for the safety of those who are being affected by fires.
I just wanted to mention as well that we commend the work that is being done with CGS. We know for a fact that infrastructure needs under capital and O&M are demanding all throughout Nunavut. Simply because of the fact that under the Protection Services of J-7, I just want to note with the minister as well as his officials that there are some of these genuine concerns that do affect every community.
I basically would like to state that I wanted to address these under J-7. I just wanted to emphasize that.
I also advise the department that there will be further questions and written letters coming from the community on behalf of our constituents.
I appreciate the comments. I would just like to reiterate what I did say that I had the privilege of meeting with the Baker Lake Hamlet Council when I was there a couple of weeks ago.
I just wanted to reiterate that in terms of infrastructure needs and requirements, there is a protocol and procedure in place for all municipalities and that is through the infrastructure advisory committee and through the Nunavut Association of Municipalities infrastructure advisory committee.
That is the proper channel to put those through, and I would recommend again that the hamlet council in Baker Lake use that channel. That is the way to get your infrastructure for your municipality, including fire trucks.
We are on J-7. (interpretation ends) Protection Services. (interpretation) Total Operations and Maintenance. $5,721,000.
Before we go to that page, our colleague was just informed that there has been a death in his family.
Mr. Enook will not be returning back to the House for the rest of the afternoon.
That is for the information of the members.
Please wait one minute.
We will resume. (interpretation ends) Community and Government Services.
Capital Planning and Technical Services. Total Operations and Maintenance, to be Voted. $38,549,000. (interpretation) That’s on page J-8.
We keep our colleague and his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Under J-8, (interpretation ends) maintenance and management, (interpretation) particularly the management required under the Gas Tax Fund, I have a question.
Is it one and the same?
It was NAM that was responsible for that, (interpretation ends) Nunavut Association of Municipalities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Ningark (interpretation): I’m not going to debate this issue on behalf of NAM.
Could you give us an update on this issue that NAM had wanted to deal with?
I don’t want to argue. I just want some information.
From what I understand, it is not a concern for NAM anymore. It has been dealt with.
My question relates to the minister’s opening comments on page 2, the last paragraph.
He said, “In reference to waste management, research into the performance of wastewater facilities in Nunavut is continuing with the cooperation and assistance of Dalhousie University as part of our ongoing partnership.”
It speaks to the P3 partnership that they’re hoping to come up with the minister in terms of the capital planning and how they’re going to deal with that. I was just wondering when.
In terms of using Dalhousie University and the research that they have been doing, I know they met in Grise Fiord and checking out the sewage lagoon there and whatnot.
How long is this going to be going on? Is it a five-year partnership? Is it a ten-year partnership?
It will conclude in 2014.
I’m assuming that moving forward on dealing with these issues will be reflective of the research that’s presented.
Will the Legislative Assembly have an opportunity to view this information? Will it be tabled?
I don’t see any issue with tabling the document once it has been completed.
In terms of waste management, I know that in all three of the High Arctic communities, the issue of dumps is a concern and something as simple as, maybe, getting a fence put around the dump to stop it from having garbage and debris blow into the water lakes is something that would be nice.
When you’re talking about waste management, are you talking about our water system, where water is taken from the water lakes, the sewage lagoons and our sewage waste, as well as the garbage that is taken and put in the landfills?
We’re mainly talking about waste management, excluding garbage dumps, I think, in terms of Dalhousie.
J-8 is the Capital Planning and Technical Services. To me, it’s a very important part of how we get things done in terms of capital planning and what projects are being done, but also project officers, I’m assuming, are in this.
Recently, in November, we actually did a supplementary appropriation of $600,000 for six new program management people in the department. I’m assuming, and when we talked about it at the time, it was to actually help fill the need for getting projects pushed faster through the department.
I’m wondering: in terms of those positions, have they been filled?
I believe the $600,000 was for training and development dollars that Mr. Elliott is referring to.
So there was not an increase of the number of program management officers in this department.
In this budget, we’re asking for two positions.
So in terms of the $600,000 that was approved in November that was training up until March 31 of this year, will that full $600,000 be used for the training of the employees?
Mr. Green can answer that for me, please, Mr. Chairman.
The $600,000 was for the workshops that we were planning to arrange this year. So far, we travelled to Pond Inlet and met with their staff for a week. So that money was used for training and development materials.
It’s also for the travel arrangements. We’re also planning another major workshop in Iqaluit some time in March. We suspect that the majority of that money will be spent before the year-end.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Green. Mr. Elliott.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I must have misunderstood. My understanding in November, when we approved it, I thought it was actually for four positions, and I was putting my mind at a little bit of ease knowing that there was going to be more project officers.
What I am finding is we approve capital dollars to do projects and we are constantly being told that some projects are being pushed back and has so many different factors involved; whether it is stuff coming up on sealift in time, whether it is tenders being above what the price was when it was put out. For all members, we want to have our capital carryover projects catch up, and I am assuming this would be the place where it all happens.
We have the technical people there, we have the project officers there, and if you have trained and good project officers that are on top of everything, then you do not have the overspending or the change orders.
When I first came in 2008, I remember there was something close to $6 million in change orders for the airport in Arctic Bay, and when questioning it, it was like that is not supposed to happen.
There was definitely a capacity issue within the department in this area.
The reason why I am asking the question is because I would want to make sure, and I am hoping that we can get people trained up, get enough employees in there and get some of these projects and get a lot of our projects back on track.
I’ll use the health centre in Arctic Bay. We want to make sure that those things keep moving forward. With the money that is provided and the training that is going on, can we see some improvement or has there been improvement with moving past some of these capital carryover projects?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak: Thank you. Unfortunately, when we had programs such as the Building Canada Fund and stuff that have to be committed prior to sometimes a year or two before, it created a lot of that.
In terms of being able to do a better job in those areas that Mr. Elliott is talking about, that is why we have four existing positions. We are asking for two more to bring it to six staff. Maybe that is where there was a bit of confusion in your numbers.
This $600,000 that he referred to is to train more of our project officers so that they can do their job more efficiently and effectively. They do a great job as it is, but this is to give them more tools to be able to do things even better, Mr. Chairman.
I really do appreciate all of my colleagues in their support in approving these funds so that we could be more effective.
Mr. Elliott: Thank you, Mr. Tapardjuk. I was done. Thank you.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. I have no more names on my list for page J-6.
I mean J-8.
I do not have my glasses on. I’m sorry. (interpretation ends) Total Operations and Maintenance.
Capital Planning and Technical Services. (interpretation) Total Capital Planning and Technical Services. $38,549,000.
Chairman (interpretation): We will go back to J-3, but before we do that, the Premier would like to provide clarification. Please proceed, (interpretation ends) Madam Premier.
Hon. Eva Aariak (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is regarding a question that was brought up yesterday by Jeannie about my meeting with the Prime Minister with regard to search and rescue.
I stated that I didn’t bring that topic up in my meeting with the Prime Minister.
Earlier today, I mentioned that I was referring to the government and the Arctic Council regarding this issue, not the Prime Minister.
Chairman: Qujannamiik, Madam Premier. (interpretation) Before we go back to J-3, there is one other item that we have to deal with.
J-9. (interpretation ends) Petroleum Products Division.
Mr. Curley.  Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you, Mr Chairman.
I would like more information on quite a number of issues.
First of all, I think we all know that the Rankin Inlet headquarters had over 10 employees in 2004. There were 17 positions or thereabouts before they moved to Baker Lake.
I would like an update on how the Petroleum Products Division is going to be set up. They were cutting jobs and the manager was fired at that time.
We were told that the headquarters would be moved here. All of the responsibilities were taken over by headquarters. I would like to get an update because I am sure it has an impact.
If the management is going to be moved over here or to headquarters, what is going to be happening with the positions? Are you going to be relocating those positions from Rankin Inlet to Iqaluit?
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Nothing is going to be moved from the Petroleum Products Division in Rankin Inlet to Iqaluit.
I don’t know where you heard that from.
The office is not going to be moved from Rankin Inlet to Iqaluit.
This is the first time that I have heard about this.
I didn’t hear of any positions being moved here, Mr. Chairman.
I don’t know how to respond to that.
Mr. Curley: Thank you. (interpretation) I respect the minister.
Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying.
The manager was fired when they were evaluating the fuel contracts and that was done by headquarters, not by the region.
The senior officials didn’t have any.
Now I would like to understand what the status will be.
I brought up these questions because I hear that this will become part of the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
I would like to be given an update and where the management would be located.
Very likely, the movements will start in April.
Hon. Lorne Kusugak (interpretation): Nobody is being moved anywhere.
The Petroleum Products Division is not going to be moved to Iqaluit and PPD is not going to become part of the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
I hope that is clear enough.
The Petroleum Products Division will stay in Rankin Inlet. There’s nobody being relocated to Iqaluit and Petroleum Products Division is not going to become part of the Qulliq Energy Corporation. This is the first I am hearing of this.
There was a review process, a departmental review, and that seemed to be the case.
We weren’t given any information or any announcements on this issue.
However, I think it’s true that when there is an evaluation process, the tenders and everything that had been the responsibility of Rankin Inlet were done by the headquarters in Iqaluit.
They reviewed all the contracts.
I just wanted to clarify this point: do they have a manager there now at the Petroleum Products Division or did they resign on their own accord?
I didn’t hear about anything being moved anywhere. PPD is not moving and it’s not being amalgamated with the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Of course, there was no announcement or publication because there was no such thing happening.
Regarding the review of the contracts, the deputy at that time did it that way and I’m sure that this deputy is not going to be doing the same thing.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you. This is a very important service.
Do we now have a new manager? Have those positions been filled? Are they in full capacity or do they have vacancies?
The management positions are filled and some positions are still vacant, but the director position is filled and they are going to stay in Rankin Inlet.
This is the current status of the Petroleum Products Division.
I’ll move on. Some of the contracts have been published because they do get published and are made public.
I think there was one that when it was tendered out, it cost approximately $4 million more than the amount that was awarded for.
Do we look at the numbers? I don’t know exactly what the criteria are, but that’s what I saw in the published report. This contractor made a tender for a little more than $6 million and the other one at $2 million.