EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
The corporation’s announcement stated that “Inuit now have a substantial stake in a financial institution that will offer financial services initially through the establishment of a branch in Iqaluit and agency banking in selected communities.”
While the standing committee recognizes that the government itself cannot be expected to establish new financial institutions, members encourage the department to offer whatever assistance and cooperation may be practical with respect to expanding access to banking and financial services in smaller communities.
The Government of Nunavut’s Mineral Exploration and Mining Strategy was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on March 14, 2007.
The strategy indicated that the GN “will commission an independent review of the permitting and regulatory structures in the territory.
Following an independent review the Government of Nunavut will facilitate a workshop in partnership with the federal government,” Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the three regional Inuit associations, Nunavut Planning Commission, Nunavut Impact Review Board, and the Nunavut Water Board.
The department’s 2008-09 business plan indicated that a priority for 2008-09 was to “Coordinate an interagency workshop to review and implement recommendations from the Review of Permitting and Regulatory Structures project.”
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicates that this workshop has been “delayed pending a response from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated on co-hosting.”
The standing committee also notes that on July 17, 2008, the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs released The Road to Improvement, the report from Neil McCrank, Special Representative for the Northern Regulatory Improvement Initiative.
McCrank offered several recommendations in this report on how to improve the northern regulatory system.
On June 4, 2007, the Government of Nunavut issued a news release announcing the establishment of six principles to serve as a guide for uranium mining in the territory.
The release indicated that “The principles will serve as a framework for the development of a uranium development and mining management plan for the Government of Nunavut.”
The standing committee encourages the minister to regularly update the Legislative Assembly and Nunavummiut on developments in this area.
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicates that its priorities include establishing “an effective framework for assessing and monitoring major development projects including completion of guidelines for socio-economic impact statements and ongoing support for the operation of socio-economic monitoring committees.”
The standing committee looks forward to ongoing updates on the work of these bodies.
The department’s proposed main estimates for 2009-2010 includes $2,175,000 in grants and contributions funding for tourism development, including funding for Nunavut Tourism.
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicates that the department has “Completed a review of the tourism industry” and has “decided to defer amendments to the Travel and Tourism Act until an updated Nunavut Tourism Strategy has been drafted.”
The standing committee notes that the department has spent a significant amount of money over the past several years on engaging consultants to review tourism issues.
The standing committee looks forward to the tabling of an updated tourism strategy and encourages the Department of Economic Development and Transportation to work closely with the Department of Environment and the Department of CLEY given that these departments have responsibility for such tourism-related matters as parks and heritage sites.
The standing committee also looks forward to the minister resuming the practice of tabling Nunavut Tourism’s annual reports, which will help enable all Members of the Legislative Assembly to evaluate the success of the government’s investments in the tourism sector of the economy.
On November 21, 2006, the Legislative Assembly passed a formal motion that recommended that the “Government of Nunavut work with the airline industry to bring forward an action plan to improve the availability of affordable, reliable air service to Nunavut’s smaller, under-served communities.”
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan indicates that the department will “continue to improve Nunavut’s airports, harbours and community access roads, and it will work with our smaller communities to identify solutions to the high costs of air travel.”
The department’s business plan also indicates that one of its priorities is to “Release the Nunavut Transportation Strategy and prepare a plan for the implementation of its recommendations.”
The standing committee looks forward to the tabling of this strategy.
During the minister’s appearance, members raised the issues of airport landing fees and airport improvement fees as possible sources of revenue to help fund improvements to the territory’s transportation infrastructure.
The department’s 2009-2010 business plan also indicates that its priorities include continuing work in relation to a number of significant megaprojects, including the Nunavut-Manitoba Road.
The standing committee looks forward to ongoing updates from the minister on these issues.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my opening comments on the 2009-2010 Main Estimates and Business Plan of the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Komoartok. You can take a break now.
Before we begin, I would like to ask Minister Taptuna if he has any officials that he would like to bring to the witness table.
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes.
Chairman (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the minister’s officials in.
For the record, minister, please introduce your witnesses. We know who they are, but we must let our audience know the names of our witnesses.
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee members.
To my right is Methusalah Kunuk, Assistant Deputy Minister for Transportation, and to my left is Jane Cooper, Assistant Deputy Minister for Economics.
I suggest to members that wherever possible you ask your detailed questions during the page-by-page review of the departmental estimates. We will be reviewing both the business plan and the capital estimates and you will be able to ask questions on either one, but you will need to identify which one you are referring to so that the officials at the witness table can respond properly.
Before we begin, the minister made his opening comments and I believe we have different numbers.
Minister Taptuna, would you like to explain that, please?
I would like to make a clarification on the total I had given in my opening comments; the total should be $54,055,000.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. (interpretation ends) I thought there was going to be $1 million towards my airport added on at the end.
(interpretation) The floor is now open for my colleagues to make general comments and our elders should always be placed first.
Mr. Ningark, do you have a general comment?
On page 3 of the minister’s opening comments under continuing priorities for the Department of Economic Development, one item that is under review is the NNI Policy.
I wanted to say a few things and I will follow up with a question.
In my community of Kugaaruk, the only business in the community that runs a general store and has been contracting with the government is the local Co-op.
In that co-op, Mr. Chairman, we have over 300 active memberships and that co-op employs a significant number of local people.
In the last 40 years, I’m sure that many of those young people who started at the local Co-op have now gone to other organizations.
Now, they have the security of making money and earning wages, and so on.
Also, the local Co-op has reduced the burden of the government on income support dependency, more than I can say for anyone for that matter.
My question, Mr. Chairman, to the minister is: is a co-op in Nunavut, such as the Pelly Bay Co-op or the Kugaaruk Co-op, considered an Inuit owned business by the government?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Ningark. (interpretation ends) Yes, I have been to Kugaaruk and if anything moves, it’s the Co-op.
You have a very good point. (interpretation) Minister Taptuna, do you want to try and answer that question?
Hon. Peter Taptuna: Thank you Mr. Chairman I will have my assistant respond to that question. (interpretation) Thank you.
As far as I know, any company in Nunavut can apply for the NNI Policy, it then goes through the criteria, and then they decide whether it’s Inuit owned or not.
As far as shareholders in the Co-op kind of situation, I really can’t tell you, but we can look into that and get back to the member and let him know. It may be a loophole that we haven’t looked at.
Let me get back to the old perspective of the business.
Many years ago, 40 years ago, many of the Co-ops in the Northwest Territories before Nunavut were called Eskimo Co-ops and I think that speaks for itself.
So when I get back, I will be going to the board of directors meeting and tell them that wonderful thing of how they can apply under the policy to be considered as an Inuit owned business.
I thank the staff for that.
Are there any other questions or comments?
Mr. Rumbolt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is along the same lines as Mr. Ningark’s.
The Co-op in Sanikiluaq has been there probably for 30 to 40 years now and when they renewed their NNI Policy this year, they were turned down because it couldn’t be proven that they were Inuit owned.
They have been in the community for so long that it should be just a given, it just doesn’t make any sense.
I’m just wondering why this kind of thing can happen to a local co-op.
Do you want to try and answer that question, Minister Taptuna?
Yes, I feel sensitivity in this and of course, NTI, or Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, has the authority and holds the authority, under the NNI article, that they are the ones that make the final decision on what is Inuit owned and what is not.
On a different issue, in your opening comments, you talk about recent improvements to the broadband in Nunavut.
Can you explain these improvements?
Chairman: (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Rumbolt.
Minister Taptuna, do you want to try and answer that question?
The improvements are ongoing.
As the community well understands, that system was originally designed for 2,500 clients, 2,500 users, and at this time, in Nunavut, we have about 5,000 users of the service and of course, that puts a lot of strain in the capacity of what it can do.
Of course, the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation, with the assistance of ED&T, is improving that situation.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Taptuna.
At present, in our communities, I think Internet at best is probably at a snail’s pace on dry ground.
I’m wondering if he anticipates any timeframe of when the speed will be picked up.
That’s a very good question. (interpretation) Minister Taptuna, can you try and answer the question?
At this time, the corporation is intending to hire a northern projects manager for the infrastructure too.
The improvements are ongoing at this time and I’m really not sure when the process is going to be completed, hopefully within the next four years.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. (interpretation ends) Perhaps you can report later on with an update.
You are here for a couple of more days, I am sure, in the community, so perhaps you can look into it further and report to the House come Monday.
Are there further comments or questions?
Mr. Elliott: No, I had no comments.
Chairman (interpretation): I apologize, (interpretation ends) I thought you had your hand up.
You have a very active body language, so it’s hard to tell when you want to ask a question or not.
(interpretation) Mr. Aupaluktuq, would you like to ask a question?
Mr. Aupaluktuq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In your opening comments on page 2, it mentions the fact that this year, “The department has received additional financial resources to support the Nunavut Employees Union salary increase…”
This is a little bit sensitive, in a sense, to constituents and beneficiaries from the position that there are some beneficiaries who feel like they’re not getting adequate representation or having a proper appeals process in terms of their employment, or even as well as their interactions within the departments or their respective employers.
This can be bridged towards the Department of Human Resources and Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs is quite aware of that.
I just wanted to ask the minister if there’s any mechanism in place in order to monitor to make sure that all beneficiaries or constituents are well represented in relation with the Nunavut Employees Union. And more specifically, with the salary increase of $487,000, what would that be geared towards?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Aupaluktuq. (interpretation ends) I think we have increases all throughout the board and I think the question would be best asked of the human resources minister when we get there (interpretation) if it’s okay.
Mr. Aupaluktuq, do you have another comment?
Mr. Aupaluktuq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for that clarification, which is why I said that this might extend to the Department of Human Resources as well.
On page 5, you mentioned in your opening statements that there is going to be increased support for culture and arts. I know for a fact that in the region of Kivalliq, there seems to be a misplaced agreement or contract between economic development as well as small business grants and delivery in the region.
Can the minister tell me and this committee as well whether or not there would be something in place to ensure that small business grants specifically… Because we have a lot of artists and a lot of them access the small business grants as well as other agencies, can you tell me what steps will be done in order to ensure the increased support for culture and arts? What deliveries will you provide?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Aupaluktuq.
Minister Taptuna, can you try and respond to that question?
I’ll have my assistant respond to that question.
Chairman (interpretation): Ms. Cooper, you can answer the question.
Ms. Cooper: Nakurmiik, Mr. Chairman.
The artists can apply through the small business grants and contributions.
As well, there’s a special provision for them under the Arts and Crafts Development Program in areas such as marketing. For example, they can attend an arts and crafts show in Toronto to market their art.
Also, there’s a program to purchase small tools and we have enough funding in there for about 100 artists.
It also supports soapstone gathering and finding materials.
Also, this year, we helped renovate one of the art galleries in Nunavut, in Iqaluit, the Red Boat Gallery.
Artists can apply under programs to help them with web-based marketing and so on.
So there are lots of opportunities and if the member wishes, we can send him a copy of the policy and the programs that are in place.
Are there any general comments or questions?
On page 7 of your opening comments, Mr. Chairman, I note that it talks about the Arctic Bay Airport Terminal Building.
I’m sure the minister knows that in Nunavut, the terminal building in Chesterfield Inlet, for example, is very old.
I would like to know which communities are identified to receive airport terminal buildings after the project in Arctic Bay has been completed.
We’re not on capital, but since it was mentioned in the minister’s opening comments, I will allow a response to your question.
Minister Taptuna, if you want to try and answer the member’s question.
I’ll have my Assistant Deputy Minister of Transportation respond to that question.
Chairman (interpretation): Mr. Kunuk, do you want to try and answer the question?
Yes, it’s true; the terminal building in Chesterfield Inlet is very old.
Before the completion date of Arctic Bay’s terminal building, Qikiqtarjuaq and Chesterfield Inlet will be considered for new airport terminals if we can find additional funds.
We are dealing with O&M. Are there any more questions on the minister’s opening comments?
There are no more hands up and we can now begin the page-by-page review.
We’re on K-4.
Do members have any questions on K-4 of the main estimates?
Total Branch.
Operations and Maintenance. $10,652,000.
Moving on to K-5.
Total Branch. $23,060,000.
Mr. Ningark, you can now ask questions.
Under the activity earlier, the minister talked about the mining Prospector Assistance Program.
Many of the programs in the government, according to people I have talked with in the past few years, seem to be inaccessible.
I don’t know why, but will the minister commit to giving me some applications for the Prospector Assistance Program within a few days?
Minister Taptuna, would you like to respond to that question?
Yes, I will commit to that. I’ll make sure that all of the members have access to the application forms.
Are there any questions on page K-5?
Mr. Elliott would like to ask questions on that page.
I do have my hand up this time. I just had a question about the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation.
I was noticing that it’s under Economic Development, but if you turn to page K-7, it’s under the grants and contributions that are provided.
The business plan talks about $200,000 being given last year, in 2008-09, but then it was revised here up to $325,000.
Was $325,000 given to the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation last year?
Yes, there was extra funding that we had last year that the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation required and we were able to access funding to help them out.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Ms. Cooper. (interpretation ends) Mr. Elliott, does that answer your question?
Again, this year, in the main estimates for 2009-2010, the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation is going to be getting $200,000. If they required $325,000 last year, is there any reasoning behind why it wasn’t kept at $325,000?
Ms. Cooper, can you try and answer that question?
The Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation was able to access federal funding this year and so our commitment for $200,000 is sufficient for their operations, along with the infrastructure money that they’ve got to upgrade their system and so on.
Mr. Elliott: I just want to check again because I know I’ve had conversations with people from the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation and I have heard that they have always struggled with funding, so I would kind of beg to differ.
The $325,000 would actually be more beneficial than the $200,000.
But just to clarify: were you saying that the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation had said that $200,000 is all they require, or is that all the government is willing to spend?
I can’t give you a sound answer on that as I’m not sure what the discussion had been with Nunavut Broadband.
They had successfully secured $21.6 million in federal funding over the next four years.
In 2008-09, they had a legal problem that they had to resolve with the dispute with the Qulliq Energy Corporation and part of that extra funding went towards dealing with that legal issue.
Are there any other questions on this page?
I wanted to ask the Minister of ED&T and his officials as well. The Atuqtuarvik Corporation of Rankin Inlet has announced its partnership with the First Nations Bank of Canada. The corporation has stated that this partnership will result in the establishment of a branch in Iqaluit and also agency banking in selected communities.
Is your department involved in any way with respect to facilitating the expansion of banking services to smaller communities?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Aupaluktuq. (interpretation ends) That’s a very good question.
I’m sure, including all of the departments in the GN, that some of the financial institutions do not operate in the smaller communities.
I understand, yes, what you were saying about Atuqtuarvik and the First Nations group setting up some of these financial services in the major centres.
This department will look into how we can facilitate or even review how we can assist the smaller communities in handling financial services, such as a credit union or whatever the case may be.
Chairman: Qujannamiik, Mr. Minister.
The Bank of Nunavut, I guess.
Mr. Aupaluktuq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I look forward to that as well as working closely with your department and hopefully sharing any information in regard to all of that with the rest of Nunavummiut.
As we know, there’s a booming economy in Nunavut, in a sense, in terms of the mining sector. At the time, I believe booming was the choice word to use with some delicacy in regard to the economic recession in this country.
However, with the development happening in communities, it would be nice to be able to provide some financial economic development as well within these communities to serve the rest of Nunavummiut.
In regard to mining as well, I’ve got a different question here, Mr. Chairman.
On June 4, 2007, the GN issued a news release announcing the establishment of six principles to serve as a guide for uranium mining in the territory.
The news release indicates that the principles will serve as a framework for the development of a uranium development and mining management plan for the Government of Nunavut.
As of today, what is the status of this initiative and what feedback have you received from the communities? Ma’nalluavik.
Chairman: Ma’na. (interpretation) Minister Taptuna, do you want to try and answer the question?
At this time, there are 25 uranium companies doing exploration work out there, exploration projects, and it’s mostly in the Thelon and the Kivalliq regions.
There were 15 companies involved in exploration last year… make that 2007.
They spent over $30 million on exploration programs, just on that alone.
For 2008, the estimates are still being looked at and finalized, and I don’t have that number for you yet.
The six principles were based more or less on what the communities wanted and I can’t tell you the status on what were the next steps taken; I can’t assume that anything significant happened since that time.
I would very much appreciate it if you guys could provide me and my constituents as well as the rest of Nunavummiut updates regarding this sector.
Basically, it’s a very sensitive issue.
I support development and economic development in our regions for the sake of creating new employment, but also one other aspect of it is that there are some concerns about environmental issues.
So the more people are informed the more educated they are.
I think people are going to have a better impression of what their views are as educated comments and questions will be coming out of it.
So basically I would ask the minister and his department to keep us informed, with me in particular.
Since the fact that uranium mining may be happening in Baker Lake, there are a lot of people who are questioning the pros and cons of the development.
So if you can keep us informed, I would very much appreciate it.
Chairman: Ma’na, Mr. Aupaluktuq.
Yes, of course, throughout the whole review process that’s done by the Nunavut Impact Review Board, there are usually daily activity reports and daily updates throughout the whole environmental process.
This government does have a socio-economic committee in all three regions.
What we’re trying to do with these committees is have more community participation of just regular community members, with no highly technical usage of words and scientific words that most Nunavummiut don’t understand.
With these committees, we will have more participation from community members and more updates on the issues that they’re really thinking about.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister Taptuna. (interpretation ends) I don’t have any more hands up for this page.
The budget for the department’s Mineral and Petroleum Resource Division is decreasing from $2,732,000 in 2008-09 to $2,068,000 in 2009-2010.
The number of PYs in the division is decreasing from 17.5 to 13.
Why are these decreases being made?
Minister Taptuna, if you want to try and answer that question.