EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
But the Inuit are also in a bad state right now because NTI is taking the federal government to court on the gun registration, but the stores have to realize that the Inuit people are in a bad situation in trying to acquire firearms and to renew their license and registration for guns, but they still ban them from purchasing firearms or ammunition.
It stated that they were allowed to use their gun license for about five years, but some of the people are in a bad situation where they are told that they have to renew those things.
At this time we are on B-5.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $1,666,000.
Going to B6.
Communications, Policies, Planning, and Evaluation.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $2,224,000.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the minister and his assistants for appearing today.
Question on the comment there, it says in the description provided, serve as a resource to GN departments and agencies with respect to evaluation and performance measurements, and a couple days ago, the Minister of Finance mentioned that in his budget speech.
I wonder if the minister could expand on what his department will, what services the department will provide to government departments in terms of evaluation and performance measurements in the upcoming fiscal year?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, each department usually asks our department to do the evaluations.
Right now we are currently working on suicide prevention and decentralization. Other than those right now there are no plans for other evaluations at this time, but that doesn’t prevent us from receiving requests from various departments and carrying out evaluations.
On Page B-6 of the department’s business plan, at the top there is a reference to establishing a Government of Nunavut Performance Measurement system, and then a second reference to providing input to the development of the Performance Management Program.
I am wondering if the minister could explain the difference between a measurement system and a management program.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Well the distinction between the two is that one sets the benchmark and the other is assisting the various departments on how to get there.
On Page B-7 of the Business Plan there is a reference under decentralization that the Government of Nunavut is looking at various issues that are impeding the filling of decentralized positions.
I am wondering, for the benefit of the regular MLAs, if the minister could expand on what are the issues that are impeding the filling of decentralized positions?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, there are some vacancies throughout government and what we want to do is evaluate what we have to do to fill those positions.
We’re currently running a pilot program with the high vacancies in Pangnirtung to see how we can meet the targets that we have set out in the decentralization plan.
I recall in the September 30, 2006 report that there were 124 vacant decentralized positions across Nunavut. It appeared to be a very high number.
I am wondering…I ask the minister again if he could provide some clarification on what are the issues that are impeding the filling of those decentralized positions.
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have vacancies throughout government and it’s something that we deal with every day. In decentralization there have been varying degrees.
That’s why we’re trying to get to the bottom of the problem. That’s why we’re doing a pilot project so that we can find the best way of meeting those targets and work with it. So it would be pointless for me to do the pilot project if I knew the answers already.
So that’s what we’re trying to do.
Could the minister provide an update on how many vacant decentralized positions there are currently across Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Other than the September response I don’t have any update right now, but once it get it I’ll table it in the House.
Chairman: Thank you. We are on B-6.
Communications, Policy, Planning and Evaluation.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) B-7.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $436,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) B-8. Nunavut Cabinet.
In regard to what I said earlier, the Premier stated last summer that there was going to be a mini-shuffle within the Cabinet.
One of the senior ministers; he was already a minister at the First Assembly and we know he has the experience, and you called it a mini-shuffle when it was not.
It seemed like you demoted a particular minister.
Can you advise Nunavummiut why this was necessary?
Yes, I work with the ministers daily and I work very well with them; I talk with them and have discussions, and I try my best after talking with them.
Because I communicate with the ministers regularly and in agreement we do that and that’s what I will do.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, the Nunavummiut have put their trust on the mandate for Nunavummiut and we have to trust the ministers.
The Premier does not own them but the Minister of Finance has a big responsibility and he has to go down and negotiate.
There are positions within Economic Development and we know that he has a heavy responsibility.
Yes, you said why it was clear, maybe you were not happy with his performance, and the Nunavummiut have to have a good representation. The big responsibility is under the Minister of Finance.
Is there going to be another mini-shuffle soon?
We don’t know what the future holds.
At this time I can’t give him an answer but when the opportunity arises, then we have to come with an answer.
I have been given the authority to make sure that every minister performs to their ability.
If you feel that I’m not doing my job, then you can remove me.
I try and work very closely with the Cabinet Ministers and that’s the practice that we take.
If you are unhappy with our performance, we are under your hands.
If I feel there need to be improvements, then I try and do so because that’s my responsibility.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Premier, for making that statement.
You probably had a good discussion but it was clear that there might have been some dissatisfaction with one of the Cabinet Ministers.
If there’s going to be a shuffle, then there should be a balance between the responsibilities of the ministers because some ministers have heavier responsibilities.
It isn’t the place where if you disapprove as to what I do, then you can remove me.
If you don’t want to be a minister any longer, then you can remove yourself.
If it was left to us where we want to remove a minister, then our constituents wouldn’t be satisfied.
There have to be some adjustments in the departments.
Nunavummiut have to be happy with the shuffle, not putting a big responsibility on one minister.
There should be a balance.
I’m not just saying it because I don’t like what happened; I just want a balanced responsibility between the ministers.
The ministers, especially at this time, don’t travel to the communities so much.
I wonder if you will be able to do another mini-shuffle. If we ask the public, we would hear a lot of dissatisfaction from them. So we are asking for you do to another mini-shuffle within the Cabinet.
Yes, as I responded earlier, we get people who are not satisfied with some things and we have to give responses.
I meet with the ministers and we try and make improvements in any way we can.
We are very open and I try and assist them when they need my assistance because that is my responsibility.
Up to now, we have done that and I will try and keep it that way.
I would like to thank the minister for responding.
I’m sure the ministers will not complain to you that their plate is too full and I’m sure they’re just waiting for you.
So therefore, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation is not holding enough portfolios.
There’s a President and the officials are all available.
So therefore I believe the portfolios should be balanced and evened out.
Although you may believe that the ministers are doing their jobs properly, I don’t know why you weren’t happy with one of the ministers. Perhaps you should announce that to the public.
Yes, we try to operate smoothly and sometimes we have to deal with confidential issues.
So therefore I can’t disclose that information.
To date, I have worked very closely with the Cabinet members and I would like to thank them.
I was being supportive, that’s how the government system works; we have to support each other to make sure all of the departments are running and operating smoothly.
We will just go the way we have been going.
We’re on B-8. (interpretation ends) Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $4,044,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Total Operations and Maintenance. $227,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
My question, we heard just recently through the media, perhaps if you can provide information, perhaps starting now, in regard to the residential school compensation through the federal government, and I’m sure that people are asking about that.
I was wondering if the minister can update us on this because I was asked by an individual who was a student of a residential school and they have no place to go, and they don’t even know where to go because that individual is hurting emotionally so that individual wanted to ask what is happening, I didn’t want to update him, or tell him, because I have no idea what the position is.
So perhaps the Premier can update us on the approved residential school compensation and what kind of impact it will have on Nunavut and how you will publicize this information?
We weren’t involved because the residential schools were operated outside of Nunavut so therefore as a government we have no jurisdiction. That’s why we are not involved.
But we try to provide any form of assistance and support to NTI and we look for ways we could provide more assistance.
It’s NTI that was responsible for this because they are representing Inuit beneficiaries, so therefore NTI has been working on it and being involved more so than us.
I seem to remember that Nunavut Government seemed like they set aside some funds for compensation.
If that’s the case, if something was geared towards the residential school students I think government is in some ways involved.
Perhaps if you can give us an update or provide us some information as to what is happening so that we can publicly announce to the Nunavummiut so they know what’s happening now because there are many provinces in Canada that I’m sure that they provide provincial ministers and I’m sure that they provide information to you.
Therefore I would like to get clarification on that, or if it’s true then Inuit will have to ask NTI to get an update on this?
Federal government and NTI are working on the residential school compensation. We were responsible for Ed Horne compensation issues.
Although we are not fully involved, we’ve mainly dealt with Ed Horne compensation.
But Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated is working with the federal government. I can ask them to provide us an update and table it in the House.
Yes, I will conclude my line of questioning on that so I would like to ask another question or different question in regard to the Energy Secretariat.
I would like clarification on whether the minister can state to the House that … when you are sitting on this side, we really don’t know who’s responsible for the decision-making of the Energy Strategy.
Is it Minister Picco who is responsible for decision-making on the policy, or is it you that is responsible in regard to making decisions on the Energy Secretariat? Is it you that is responsible for that, or is Minister Picco involved with that decision-making process?
Which one do we go to for that?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Minister Picco is responsible since he’s the Minister of Energy, and through the Energy Secretariat we try to provide advice and support to the minister. Yes, it was quite difficult to place the secretariat, so that’s why it was in our department. Our department tries to provide support and advice, and the Government of Nunavut has a budget set aside.
We don’t want to operate separately; we have to work together because we would like to see the price of fuel and energy going down.
At some time in the future can they expect to see, even if it’s not at the present time, that the Energy Secretariat is provided in one department? Can we expect to see that some time in the future?
The reason why we are operating the secretariat in our department is because of lack of funds. If we try to run this as a separate department, it’s going to cost more. So that’s why we’ve been operating that way due to lack of funds.
We don’t want to just leave it idling. We want to progress on fuel and energy savings.
Your officials and you as the minister know that there is room for improvement in Nunavut.
Some of us are looking at ways of how to improve the energy alternatives.
So I believe we need to be more open to Nunavut; there’s oil exploration happening in the north, like the federal government doing oil exploration.
We don’t hear that on a daily basis.
Although it doesn’t occur right now, perhaps the minister could provide an update. It doesn’t have to be in the House. Somewhere have a meeting, or update us as to how much oil reserves there are in the north, or how much potential oil reserves we have.
We don’t know much about energy issues and we don’t have conferences on energy issues.
I was wondering if you and your department can consider making a report or update.
If some officials can come and update us, that way I’m sure the interest will grow.
I am sure the private businesses on oil and fuel can start being established and I am sure that it would generate income in Nunavut so this is a huge opportunity for consideration, perhaps if you can have information provided at a meeting or some sort of event.
Currently I cannot respond to that question as to how it can be today.
It is the responsibility of the federal government on oil and fuel and they believe the 10 percent, we hold the 10 percent oil reserves of Canada and we believe we have 10 percent of the oil reserves.
For natural gas they say we hold 15 percent in Nunavut.
So those are the ones that we know, they might even be higher but we don’t know.
The oil exploration, looking at the act, they did not move or progress ahead. The companies cannot start exploring for oil by themselves, so there are stringent rules.
It’s not just Nunavut that has stringent rules, it is Newfoundland too that they froze all the licenses.
This could be of concern if we take on the responsibility.
Although we want to get royalties, if this trend continues then we won’t be able to get royalties, but to date that is why we have not progressed any farther in Nunavut.
Thank you very much for that and I think that we are part of the problem since we don’t have any jurisdiction over those reserves then we just leave it as is.
From what I understand I think that if we participate, if we ask to be kept updated, if we ask for information, then we’ll be able to distribute that information out to the public and there is going to be more and more concern and we would get the process going.
Nobody says anything about it.
We know that a lot more people want it but we have to make sure that the information outside is out there; we’ll have to make sure that we keep working on it.
The Inuit have to be involved in the planning process even though this is under the Federal Jurisdiction.
All of the three territorial governments have to be involved and if we want to devolve these natural resources to the government we have to be involved.
There’s more and more, the global world is looking at the north and they’re looking at the natural resources that are untapped.
I think that the whole process will begin going once we talk about it and insist on being part of the plan.
We’re talking about the ownership of these natural resources; we should be the owners and not just the labourers.
I think that it’s up to us to work with the businesses.
If the people of Nunavut know that we have 10 percent of oil reserves and 15 percent of natural gas, and if the people out there know that then I think that, not only the government and the businesses and the people of Nunavut would start talking about it, talking about getting shares and talk about getting royalties.
With that, I would urge you to at least have a conference with some of the parties to get all these discussions going.
I would just like to state my support to you Mr. Premier because we’re the only ones who can become self-dependant.
Chairman (interpretation): I didn’t hear a question, but Mr. Premier, if you would like to respond, please.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): From what I know, I think there are approximately 50 businesses that have these licenses, and they all have equal shares.
Petro Canada tried to buy some shares but weren’t able to do so even though they were financially competent.
These shares are given out using federal laws.
We’re looking at how this is going to evolve.
We would be in full support of the process especially if this should be part of the devolution to the Government of Nunavut in regard to the natural resources up in the High Arctic.
On page B- 6 of your business plans, under objectives for intergovernmental affairs, you have a bullet that says coordinate the Government of Nunavut’s relationship with Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, and other federal departments and agencies.
I wonder if you could give us an indication today of what the relationship is between the Government of Nunavut and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.
I must say that it is much better than years past.
I’m glad to hear that answer from the minister.
A few years ago, we in Nunavut had been lobbying, calling for an economic development agreement for Nunavut.
I’m wondering if in your discussions, and relationships with that department, if that initiative is continually being brought forward to the federal officials and your minister?
I know that there has been money set aside for the three territories akin to that of EDAs in the past, and it’s scheduled to sunset next year I believe.
So, we’ll continue to work on it.
Just for a point of clarification, could you tell us what that program is and the amount of money that is involved?
I don’t have the exact figures, but off the top of my head, I think it was $40 million over three years for Nunavut.
Mr. Peterson: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank the Premier for that answer.
Again, for clarification, was that funding for economic development activities or for other activities in Nunavut?
Primarily for economic development I understand.
You’ve probably seen these ads that the three territories have been promoting through the Canada Winter Games. Some of that was used for that purpose: to promote our interests to the rest of the country.
As we all know in Nunavut, we heard from the Minister of Finance the other day in his budget speech, we really have to start developing our economy.
We’re 80 to 90 percent dependent on the Government of Canada for our operational funds, and our economy is not very well developed.
That is probably going to cause us some hardships in the years ahead.
So, we really need some form of economic development instrument from the federal government that allows them to invest in Nunavut to help us develop our infrastructure to support industry, for example, and invest in our various businesses.
With that in mind, Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the minister if the regional development agency has ever come up in discussions in Ottawa. Not just for Nunavut alone but maybe a joint regional development agency for Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Peterson. Mr. Premier.
I know that when we’re lobbying hard for economic development dollars, that was one of the things that we were impressing on the federal government.
The federal government responded with some money set aside to the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs.
And as I said, this money will sunset this coming year, and I’m sure this will be rekindled in the coming months ahead.
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Premier. Mr. Peterson.
I hope that the federal government does take a serious look and quits putting us off onto the back burner.
As the Minister of Finance again indicated in his budget speech the other day, we have a lot of promise and hope in Nunavut. We have oil and gas, and mineral resources that are waiting to be developed.
We have renewable resources as well right across the north in Nunavut, so we really need some help. And I’m not referring to handouts from the federal government. I’m referring to investments from the federal government.
Surely, you would think that if they invest in Nunavut and help us out we can put people to work so that our businesses can develop and everybody will be paying their taxes and contributing to the federal coffers, and increase our gross domestic product and theirs as well.
With that in mind again, Mr. Chair, an initiative that is important for the Kitikmeot is the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project. I’m sure the minister has probably talked to his counterparts in Ottawa and I’m wondering if he can give us an update on where the negotiations or lobbying are in Ottawa with respect to an advance in the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project in Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have not lobbied on one particular project.
I’ve lobbied on spending for just basic infrastructure for Nunavut. I’ll continue to impress on my colleagues, not just the federal government, but our provincial colleagues have been very supportive.
I recall that we did submit a comprehensive strategy to the federal government for transportation needs, and the Bathurst Port and Road was on that list of projects.
So that’s something that we continue to impress upon the federal government. I do hope that we’ll get a favourable response because I know one of the studies that were undertaken, the O’Brien report, identified that Nunavut is far, far behind in terms of infrastructure, as opposed to the rest of the country.
So hopefully the current government will heed that advice and will move on some of the projects.
I thank the minister for that answer, it’s good to know about that the minister and Premier is getting support from his colleagues across Canada.
I’m sure it’ll come up again at the Western Premiers Conference that’s supposed be held in Iqaluit in July and I’m sure that’ll be a topic of discussion.
I’m curious, I don’t know if this is a flippant question or not, but when we see the title Indian and Northern Affairs Canada we don’t technically think of Inuit. I am wondering if there have been any discussions with your federal colleague about the creation of a separate and distinct division in the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada for the Government of Nunavut to deal with Inuit specifically.
Do they have to go in there and deal with all the federal programs and just deal with programs that are specific to Nunavut and to the Inuit in Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I know that the federal government has established an Inuit Secretariat within the Department of Indian Affairs so that’s an improvement from past practice, where there was none in the past so I hope that that is an indication of things to come.
Let me just, before we adjourn at 2:00, just a couple of quick questions, nickel it in before the weekend. Maybe just a comment, I know that discussions earlier about devolution and resource royalty sharing agreements.
I know that all members would support you and whoever else is lobbying the federal government for that but if you do run into any difficulties there, you know, maybe we need to follow, it wouldn’t hurt for us to follow the example led by our islander neighbours in the south in Newfoundland and take down our Canadian flags and send them back to Ottawa until they start treating us equally as the rest of Canadians as well.