EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Indeed as I said, every national meeting that I’ve gone to with the Ministers of Education, it’s been an issue and a topic raised.
What we’re trying to do, because our communities are a little but smaller, we’re able to work in a cooperative fashion with the district education authorities, with the school support systems, with school community counsellors. As the member knows, we’ve actually hired additional school community counsellors in our last budget to address some of these issues.
Question 118 – 2(4): Federal Budget (Curley)
We heard about the federal budget and the President of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities has stated that the federal budget is not going to improve the lives of Nunavummiut and it’s not going to help those that are trying to make a living.
(interpretation ends) I rose in the House last week to express my disappointment at the federal budget.
In his statement the Minister of Finance basically agreed with me when he said, “We are not there yet, and that the Government of Nunavut needs to have more talks with Ottawa with respect to our unmet needs.”
Can the Premier tell us today what his government’s strategy will be to get Ottawa to recognize our needs?
Minister of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Premier.
We are continually working with the federal government because our needs are not going to be met right now.
As a government, on our own, we cannot keep up with the needs, like for example, the capital needs.
We will also lobby the federal government. Each minister will lobby the government.
There is a small increase although it’s going to help us a bit more but we will not catch up to the needs that we have.
I would like thank the Premier because Nunavummiut are very interested in hearing that. As I stated earlier on, the presence of the Canadian Forces in the Arctic has been increasing but we have still not seen decisions regarding the permanent training facility and deep water port.
When was the last time that the Premier raised these questions and issues with Ottawa and what was the reply?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have let them know we are still waiting.
I wrote a letter to the Minister of National Defence and I’m still waiting for the Minister of Defence to reply.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Thank you. My second supplementary question is that the Minister of Finance indicated last week in the House that the increase in our Territorial Funding Formula for 2007-08 will be approximately $37.6 million more than what he projected in his territorial budget earlier this month.
How will the government decide where to allocate these additional dollars, $37.6 million?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have not dealt with that. After this session is over, I know that the Cabinet will meet and I know each minister will want to get all the funding for their department.
I also know we will have to discuss this further.
This is going to be very beneficial because our previous federal government had agreed to a 3.5 percent increase but this new government that has been elected, with the support of various parties, this budget is going to be more beneficial to us.
We then will have to start planning how these additional dollars will be spent.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): The federal government’s campaign platform promised to work with the provinces and territories to increase the number of, and expand the educational programs for doctors, nurses, and health professionals.
We have spoken a great deal in this House during our session about the need for more trained-in-Nunavut nurses and the need for federal support for more Akitsiraq-type programs.
Has the Premier reminded the Prime Minister of this campaign commitment and if not, why not?
Yes, the federal government’s Health and Social Services Minister has been talking about this.
This funding is going to be used for Akitsiraq-type programs for accounting training programs.
I know that we still have a lot of work to do.
We will want to see more Inuit working in the health services.
Question 119 – 2(4): Medical Travel and Escort Policies being Fairly Implemented (Tootoo)
I am trying to follow up on some questions that I was asking last week in regard to the medical travel and escort policy that the government has been questioned on lots and I know it has been a very controversial topic, and we’ve always been told that it has been applied fairly across the board.
Mr. Speaker, my question to the minister is; in the document that was tabled last week and it has the breakdown by region of costs for medical travel, we have I believe it’s like 42 percent of the total cost coming from the Kivalliq region, 35 coming from the Baffin, which is over double the population, and 21 percent coming from the Kitikmeot.
If she could indicate whether or not the disparity in those numbers have caused her or her officials any concern in whether or not the actual policy is being implemented fairly across the board.
In response to those questions last week I also stated that the medical travel budget is one line item.
It’s not divided up by three regions, it’s based on needs.
So if the person travels from Rankin Inlet, Baffin or what not, that funding comes out of one pot. So it’s based on need.
It’s based on sick people; the number of people that need to be transported by medevac. So it’s not divided equally by three regions but rather one pot of money, one line item in the main estimates, and all the travel is coming out of that pot.
I’m not saying that it’s not based on need but if you just look at like I raised last week that there’s over 100 more escorts sent out of the Kivalliq than there were actual patients.
If you look at in the Baffin region, there were over 1,000 less escorts sent out than patients. And in the Kitikmeot, there were a little over 200 less escorts sent out than patients. There were 16 age categories.
Given those numbers and the information that the minister did provide to the standing committee, I guess she’s saying that she has no concerns of whether or not that the policy is being implemented fairly based on those numbers.
The policy is implemented on the basis of the current patient needs. That’s how the policy is implemented. It’s not implemented on a budget line item.
It’s implemented on the conditions of every person and every individual’s medical condition. So that’s how it’s applied.
Then I guess these numbers don’t cause any concerns or haven’t caused any concerns with the minister.
When I look at it and I’m sure when anyone looks at it, when you see a number disparity like that, you’re going to want to make sure that things are being done properly because that’s what those numbers show that there seems to be a disparity in how it’s being implemented.
Has the minister looked into that to see if in fact it has or not been implemented fairly compared to the disparity that the numbers show?
Is she saying that this is being dealt with like that but the way those numbers come out like that, she’s got no concerns about that, is that correct?
I stated many times in this House that we are concerned on the high volume of usage for medical travel in the north. We spend approximately $40 million in transportation before we treat a sick person, whether that is a patient or the escort.
Yes, we are concerned about that and we are trying to deal with it within the government in trying to reduce those numbers by providing more services at the community level.
And, I think it’s no secret to this House that it is a huge amount of money spent on transportation before we treat a sick person and it is a concern that we have heard from members, as well as ones that we’ve dealt with in the House.
And the numbers here and the way the policy right now is implemented, again, is based on the person’s medical condition, and each case is different and every patient needs are different, so based on that, the policy is applied.
Overall, are we concerned the high volume of money spent on transportation, absolutely.
As I indicated in the numbers of patients and escorts, the patients we don’t have control over; escorts we do have some control over.
Where it says here, and I asked last week to the minister, in what kinds of situations would they send multiple escorts out. She indicated if an individual was down for a long period of time and there was a need for the first person to come back and then switch with someone else. That’s totally understandable.
Can she indicate if she’s aware of it, and if she’s not, could she look into any situations where multiple escorts were sent out, particularly at the same time?
I can look into that.
Question 120 – 2(4): FASD Issue (Peterson)
My question is for the Minister of Health on her Minister’s Statement on the FASD research and prevention update.
Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of kids in schools who are struggling, we have jails full of inmates who have had difficulties in their lives and there are many people walking the streets. Nobody’s saying that it is related to FASD, but we expect that it is.
My question for the minister: how serious is the FASD issue in Nunavut?
In terms of the numbers, that’s part of why we are partners in the FASD Group. We are looking at partnering with jurisdictions and jointly researching the number of people that may be impacted with FASD in each of our jurisdictions.
At this point in time we don’t have an exact number but it does exist in our territories and the same with other jurisdictions as well. The research network that we are involved in is looking at collaborative ways of the best ways to treat individuals with the disorder in our society.
The minister mentioned that there’s a workshop or a training event that helps frontline workers recognize and respond effectively to mental and physical disorders. It doesn’t specifically say FASD.
My question for the minister: the frontline workers, are they health professionals? And if so, are they diagnosing babies early on when they have FASD?
The work that we’re involved in is to address the member’s question: how we can better diagnose individuals that have FASD or the disorder in our communities. And, by working with organizations that have studied this disorder in Canada, as well as international, we’re looking at ways of utilizing that in our communities.
We’re also looking at ways of focusing in the whole area of prevention around the disorder in our communities. There has been some work done to try and do some diagnoses early on at the community level.
So we are working on those tools to better diagnose individuals with the disorder early on in order to come up with ways of developing support systems, or whatnot, with each of the individuals that may have the disorder.
I asked the former Minister of Health two or three years ago if there are any diagnostic tools being developed to help medical professionals diagnose babies early on who may suffer from FASD.
The minister just mentioned that they are still working on diagnostic tools.
Can the minister tell the House when the diagnostic tools will be available for medical professionals at the community levels to diagnose babies with FASD?
I missed the last part of the question.
To speak to that a bit, we are trying to develop the tools in the early diagnosis of children in our communities. The other piece is that we also have to be able to work together with other departments and agencies to develop programs to better understand the disorder, not just from the actual baby born with the disorder but rather the support systems for the parents. At the same time the school system in teaching the individuals with that disorder.
We are working on developing the tools in partnership with the seven provinces that are involved in the partnership.
The information coming out of that research has been very useful to us in that we will be able to adopt those ways of diagnosis.
At the same time, we do not have the capacities in our jurisdiction to do the kind of detailed research this network has been able to do.
Once we have more of that information, I would be glad to share, with the member and the House, what is being produced.
If we don’t diagnose babies early on with FASD, we are probably condemning them to a lifetime of hardship and disability. As I mentioned earlier, struggles with school, jail, walking the streets, they can’t hold a job. It is not fair.
Even before they are 10 minutes old they are going to be struggling.  My question for the minister: can the minister tell me what the social and financial impacts of FASD are long term for Nunavut if the FASD prevention or the programs do not succeed in Nunavut?
FASD, the disorder is a totally preventable illness.
We are looking at ways of trying to prevent the disorder in our communities through public awareness, through public health, and through initiatives with the communities.
In jurisdictions where the programs and services are available, it costs a child $1 million annually to treat a person with the disorder. That is based on estimates we have received from other jurisdictions but not particularly for here at this point in time. The cost could go up to $1 million.
Again, that would also depend on the severity of the disorder that individual has. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 121 – 2(4): Renewal of Driver’s License (Kattuk)
I have a question regarding a driver’s license.
I’m not sure which minister is going to answer.
I have some constituents that have applied for renewal but one has been waiting for three months and the other one has been waiting for eight months.
They are employees and they have to have driver’s licenses.
My question to the minister is: what is the reason for taking so long to renew their license?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I don’t know the status of this matter but I will look into it and make sure it is resolved because that’s way too long, in my opinion. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 122 – 2(4): Passport Issue (Barnabas)
I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Multiculturalism.
(interpretation ends) I was asking questions on passports and the minister promised that we would have an answer to our questions on passports.
My question is when will he know? When will we know about the passport issue?
Minister responsible for Multiculturalism, Homelessness, and Immigration, Minister Picco.
I would hope to be in the position over the next 48 hours to make that announcement.
Can the minister let the members know if all the people of Nunavut will be given a passport photograph?
Once the announcement is made it will encompass all of Nunavut.
In my constituency of the High Arctic there have been a lot of people that are waiting for their passports and they have paid a lot of money for them. The process is very slow so one of my constituents had to pay out some money for that.
How much will the passport cost for the photographs and the others.
The cost of a standard passport, and again this is a federal responsibility; I believe is $80 per person per passport. At the same time there are other costs associated with getting a passport.
One of those costs is the photo. That’s what we’ve been talking about here in the House, and that was the commitment that we’ve made as a government, to try to help facilitate Nunavummiut being able to get a passport photo. There will be a cost associated with the photo.
Right now, depending where you get that picture taken, in the south or in the north, it can range from $20 and $60. I would suggest that the cost for the photo on the commitment that we’ve made as a government would fall within that range.
Question 123 – 2(4): Avian Cholera (Alagalak)
Can the minister give us some information about the duck migration?
We have not heard this summer how those ducks are in that place that we were concerned about.
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Last year in August 2006 there were approximately 3,400 ducks that died around the Coral Harbour area.
Last year, the year before, and the year before that, I’m not quite sure exactly…I asked about this summer, just last summer of how many died.
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) This was in August 2006.
There were approximately 3,400 ducks that died of the avian cholera.
The sickness that the bird has, and they have a name for it, is that any danger to the public if they caught it?
The sickness to the ducks near Coral Harbour is not dangerous to the public.
Yes, even though it isn’t dangerous to the public, somewhere around the 1930s there was some disease that was known to people but there are a lot of us that are not full-blooded Inuit and they were dangerous to those people at the time.
I think there are a lot of questions whereby: has there been a study done of whether they’re absolutely no danger to the public?
Hon. Patterk Netser: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Avian cholera, they say is not dangerous to the public at all, and there’s also the avian influenza that is a sickness for geese and snow geese.
Apparently people can catch that.
Question 124 – 2(4): Employment Opportunity for Disabled Youth (Tootoo)
My question isn’t for the Minister responsible for Multiculturalism or Immigration. It’s for the Minister responsible for Human Resources.
One of the best programs that this government runs is the Summer Student Equity Program.
Last year, the minister informed the House that 207 students from across Nunavut gained valuable work experience through the program.
I’m just wondering if the minister could tell us today if any of the students who took part in that program were disabled.
Last year the summer students that were employed with the Nunavut Government, we had one disabled individual that worked in one of the government departments.
I know in a number of Canadian jurisdictions disabled persons receive some form of priority hiring consideration in recognition of the barriers they already face in gaining access into the workplace.
Can the minister tell us if he has given any consideration to allocating some places in our Summer Student Program for disabled students?
At this time we have nothing for the summer students with disabilities because the Human Rights Act already protects them. Also when they are in school and when they take a summer break they are quite capable of doing the work that they have to do in the government departments.
They are able to do the job they’re assigned to do and they have protection under the Human Rights Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I know that small businesses often find it challenging just to survive here in Nunavut, as it is, but it’s even more challenging if they are to hire a disabled person because of the extra costs that could potentially be involved there.
Would the minister commit to working with his Cabinet colleagues to try and look at developing some type of a program, perhaps a wage subsidy program, for businesses that would encourage the private sector to hire disabled students?
Minister for Human Resources, Minister Tapardjuk.
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Human Resources does not have resources to give some assistance for disabled people who would like to work in the private sector. The Economic Development and Transportation Minister could probably provide you with a better answer.
I will write a letter to the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation and copy the Premier, as well as the Government Leader.
Can the minister indicate what initiatives his department is working on to improve access to the workforce within the civil service for disabled Nunavummiut?
The government does not look at the disability of the individual, but rather they look at the ability of the individual under the Human Rights Act. If we follow the Human Rights Act, and our duty to accommodate, and we were to hire a disabled individual, as a government, we would look at assistance for that individual.
If that individual is working for the government and has gained another disability while working, we would have to look for something to support that individual. If we feel that individual cannot perform their duties, then as a government we would look for a job that’s suitable for that disabled person while working for the government.
Question 125 – 2(4): Funding for Elders and Youth Facilities (Barnabas)
My question is directed to the Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Mr. Tapardjuk.
In the smaller communities that I represent, they can’t gain employment because there is no place for them to work. They have to try to raise some funds to open an elders’ centre or youth centre in the communities.
Would there be any money, from his funding, available for the elder and youth centres?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): We can provide some funding from our capital funding but there is no new money at the present time for elders’ and youth facilities in the communities.
There is $200,000 that we can give out from the old funding.
For new funding, we will have to look for it elsewhere.
There are two things the hamlet can request funding from.
Can the minister work with Community and Government Services because they should be able to get some funding from new money.
Can the minister work with Community and Government Services to find some funding to build a youth and elders’ facility?
We can work with the department.
The funding that is from the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth is there for swimming pools. If we try to provide the funding, they would have to get a very shallow swimming pool but they can ask for funding from Community and Government Services.
The recreation directors in Nunavut and in Canada are currently soliciting the federal government for recreation facilities and I have mentioned this to my colleague ministers.
If we were able to obtain such, then we would have to get $18 billion in Canada.
We will work with the federal government until we can come up with that money.
Would they use the same criteria for the smaller communities I represent?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under our capital, when we are asking for funding, it doesn’t specify.
Over a year ago, we didn’t even expend all the funding that was available up to March 31.
If there is money left over, like last year, whether it is in September or October, we will let the public know that we still have some funding available.
If they were to provide their own money or other third party funding, then we find that it’s easier to provide funding for them.
During the GNWT days we were able to use portable swimming pools, whether they were in garages, or in the summertime when they were able to park the vehicles outside, as long as there was an adequate change room or a washroom.
Has this been considered for those smaller communities to use a building like that?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Barnabas. (interpretation ends) Minister responsible for Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, Minister Tapardjuk.
If we get an application, then we certainly can consider it.
Question 126 – 2(4): Cost Savings Using Spiral Light Bulbs (Tootoo)
This time my question is for the Minister responsible for Energy.
Last week, the minister did a Minister’s Statement regarding a plan to ban incandescent light bulbs and use the spiral light bulbs throughout the territory.
It said that the move to spiral light bulbs makes sense, and not only is our money saved, it’s fewer greenhouse gases that are produced.
Does the minister have any idea of how much money will be saved as a result of that legislation and the switchover to spiral bulbs?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. (interpretation ends) Minister responsible for Energy, Minister Picco.
We do know when we look at the amount of bulbs that we’re talking about being replaced over that period of time, and when we would actually implement the legislation there would be over 1,300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
The amount of savings, of course, would be dependent on the uptake of the number of bulbs that would be used in the housing units, and of course, the amount of energy that people would use. So that figure will vary.