EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Can the minister clearly describe what steps his department is taking to develop a long-term plan for providing the appropriate care for Nunavummiut elders?
I would like to thank my colleague. An elders care facility is being completed that will house the elders in Cambridge Bay and we will be opening the facility as we approved the budget this session.
This is a start and our needs aren’t being met even with this facility, so we are making preparations towards that goal.
Question 367 – 4(2): Quality of Community Health Services (Mikkungwak)
Mr. Speaker, as an MLA, it is difficult at times to know how best to support our constituents, especially when they are going through a very difficult period in their lives and they are understandably concerned about their health, the health of family members, and their future.
I recognize that the (interpretation ends) patient relations office (interpretation) is there to assist people in addressing their health care concerns.
Can the minister clearly explain what options are available to Nunavut residents who have contacted the patient relations office and the regional headquarter offices and discussed their situation with the nurses at the community health centre, but still cannot get a resolution to their problem?
During the recent Committee of the Whole meeting, we provided that information. There were approximately 147 calls throughout the year to the Office of Patient Relations regarding concerns about health care or the department.
I mentioned the number earlier.
This office is open to residents and the lines are used, which has benefited many Nunavummiut.
Although that office can’t provide a complete answer, they try to assist the person to address their concern as that is their job.
This includes the role of nurses in the provision of health care and further, there is an external review underway. I will try to be patient in awaiting the findings. It seems obvious that recommendations will surface to improve the health care that is provided to Nunavummiut.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Mr. Speaker, it is important that our government can reassure the residents of Nunavut that steps are taken to ensure that the quality of service at Nunavut’s community health centres is the best it can be.
Can the minister describe what measures are put in place to ensure that community health centre nurses and other health professionals deliver a standard quality of health service to all Nunavut residents?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I also want to thank my colleagues for approving our latest budget, which increased capacity in the communities.
It will be putting in place nurse practitioners, which will greatly increase our capacity throughout Nunavut.
As I said earlier, we’re undertaking an external review which will examine how we deal with patients and, in particular, complaints in relation to health care in the communities.
I await the outcome of that review and I will do whatever I can to assist the review.
I look forward to receiving the report in the fall. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Mikkungwak: Mr. Speaker, it is very important that the people of Nunavut have confidence in our health care system and the level of service that they can expect to receive at our community health centres.
What assurances can the minister provide that complaints and concerns raised by Nunavut residents will be considered, addressed, and responded to in a timely manner?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Minister of Health, Mr. Okalik.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As I said, there is an external review that will be taking place, and I look forward to the findings of that review and doing whatever I can to assist in improving the health care system in our territory. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 368 – 4(2): Family Mediation in Nunavut (Angnakak)
Ms. Angnakak: Thank you, Mr. Chairman…oh, Mr. Speaker.
I don’t want to start that again.
Mr. Speaker, today, my questions are for the Minister of Justice. He’s on the hot seat today.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that the Community Justice Division is responsible for administering the department’s mediation and family counselling program, which aims to help families to resolve conflict and move on peacefully as a family unit.
Can the minister indicate which communities currently have a resident family mediator?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) I don’t have that information with me right now.
I look forward to receiving it from my department. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to ask: how does the department currently provide family mediation services to communities that do not have a resident family mediator?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As I said in my earlier response, I don’t have the number for the number of mediators at this time. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I feel that family mediation provides a safe and honest setting for Nunavut families to build respect and enhance their relationships in times of conflict.
I recognize and support the fact that one of the department’s ongoing priorities is to “Explore options to improve family mediation services to Nunavummiut.”
Can the minister indicate what specific changes are currently being considered for the family mediation program in Nunavut?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) We are continually evaluating the services that we provide to the clients we encounter throughout our court system. The issue of family violence is something that involves other departments and we cooperate with all departments in making sure that we provide the best service for our fellow Nunavummiut. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 369 – 4(2): Swimming Pool for Repulse Bay (Mapsalak)
Mr. Speaker, I think the minister has heard me ask this question before.
There is some history there. I brought the issue up when I was MLA in 2004.
I have raised this issue already in the past and I will continue to raise it in the future.
I rise today to say that the swimming pools are an important and vital resource in Nunavut. I feel that there is a pressing need for a swimming pool in the communities, as several residents have drowned who could have survived if they had the ability to swim. If a swimming pool had been available to provide these lessons, these people who drowned may still have been with us today.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to ask the minister the status of this swimming pool issue and whether a new swimming pool can be expected in the communities that I am advocating for. Can you tell me what your future plans are in this area?
Obviously, as the Department of Community and Government Services, we support any local initiative related to physical fitness or growth and how we can assist them in developing the facilities.
However, the member first raised that question when I became minister of the department and my response will be the same as when I first answered it.
The hamlets have to identify their priorities in the (interpretation ends) integrated community sustainability plan (interpretation) as a local need. Within the plan, you can prioritize the capital projects and identify which of the projects is the immediate priority.
With that type of detailed plan submitted, after the local council has approved the plan, it would move forward within our department.
Indeed, this isn’t the first time the minister has heard about this issue, as I have raised it in the past on behalf of my two constituency communities that are adamant about acquiring local swimming pools, which fill an essential need.
With his response, do I understand the minister that even when I raise the issue time and again through questions, this concern expressed by my constituency communities which they want me to voice and I have committed to voicing their concerns at the Assembly… ?
Now I seem to understand the response from the minister this way: upon the community identifying the project as befitting their local priorities under the plan, which is how I seem to understand it, as this is their first priority, as they have identified them, with the communities already identifying the swimming pools as a priority, it seems your department feels the opposite, that it isn’t important as they haven’t identified it as the first priority.
Is that how I understand this response?
I’m not sure how to make it any clearer, but I want to be clear in my response.
The communities identify through this process their first priority and label it (interpretation ends) priority number one (interpretation) and highlight it.
Nonetheless, if the swimming pool is labelled as their first priority, the community also has to take into consideration their water trucks, fuel trucks, and sewage trucks. If these are secondary to the community, then the swimming pool would be the first priority in the community plan.
However, the councils have to approve the plan and submit them. The committee then reviews these plans prior to final approval.
I am fully aware that water trucks and sewage trucks are funded through a separate fund that the hamlet receives as block funding related to water and sewage services equipment purchases.
The water and sewage rates are put into the fund to pay for their trucks.
This process is separate from the capital planning exercise.
However, the capital plan would seemingly include a swimming pool, as it requires a building to house the swimming pool, and they are expensive to construct and this would include the operational requirements.
Nevertheless, that is a different process.
I am unsure if I understand, with the processes being different, how his response included them both. The community identified it as a priority. I understand, perhaps, that the hamlet councils in my constituency haven’t identified the swimming pools as being their top priority.
That is how I understood it. Is that correct?
The capital plans identifying the priorities aren’t on my desk, unfortunately. With respect to the prioritization list, I can’t recall seeing them as of now.
I can’t speak to the list of priorities because I haven’t seen them.
However, as per my earlier response, the hamlet has to identify the swimming pool as their number one priority as part of their plan.
The committee would review the plans afterwards.
Question 370 – 4(2): Western Hudson Bay Polar Bear Population (Savikataaq)
I brought the subject up many times in the past and I’m probably going to bring it up again, the management of the western Hudson Bay polar bear population.  The government has stated on numerous occasions that IQ, or Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, is to be used and assisted in many things.
I believe that Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit is not being used to assist in the management of polar bears in Nunavut.
I also believe that even scientific data is not being used to its full extent in the management of the polar bear population in western Hudson Bay.
Outside pressures from Nunavut and the media is being used more and more and has more influence in the management of the western Hudson Bay polar bear population, specifically the total allowable harvest.
Mr. Speaker, for example, the Department of Environment’s own scientific data from 2012 shows that for the last ten years, the western Hudson Bay polar bear population has been stable, yet the total allowable harvest is much lower than what it was ten years ago.
If it has been stable, the TAH should be stable. I don’t just bring these up on my own. People notice these and see it.
Recently, NWMB was taking submissions for the total allowable harvest from the western Hudson Bay polar bear population.
The Kivalliq Wildlife Board, which is made up of the Kivalliq HTOs, put a submission in to NWMB and their submission was to increase the total allowable harvest for western Hudson Bay.
The Department of Environment also put a submission in and their submission was to keep the current TAH of 24 at the current level for the next three years.
My question to the minister is: why is his submission only for 24 bears when scientific data shows that the population has been stable for the past ten years?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank my colleague for that question and for his presence here in the House. For a brief while, we became concerned that inclement weather would cause you to miss the session.
Yes, this is a matter our department deals with and I am glad he brought it up in his line of questioning. The issues surrounding this matter were based on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. I feel it is Qaujimanituqangat.
Is that right? This includes the researchers, as they too have different positions on this knowledge in the past.
Due to the conflicts between the groups, there was a requirement to conduct a terminology study on the reasons for the conflict between IQ and science when it came to population estimates, particularly in the western Hudson Bay region, in the southern Kivalliq area.
The research papers have provided a foundation for the western Hudson Bay polar bear population estimates. In the past, the TAH for the region was set at a very low number with increases implemented as more information came to light. Part of the findings of the research indicates that the population is stable as opposed to declining.
This went (interpretation ends) from declining to stable. (interpretation) The numbers indicate stability.
During the public hearing held by NWMB in Rankin Inlet during the month of December, not on Christmas Day, as I mistakenly said, the hearing included representatives of the government.
They submitted their information on the population that is the subject of the hearing. Any person can submit their thoughts on the issue. Therefore, the Government of Nunavut also submitted their positions on the western Hudson Bay population.
After the completion of the hearing by NWMB, our department is awaiting the decision of NWMB.
We, too, are waiting for their decision so that we can move forward.
The minister is right in saying that there was a slight increase in the TAH of western Hudson Bay three years ago, but that increase was made even before the 2012 report came out.
Since the 2000 report came out, he is still asking for the same number of polar bears, 24 a year for the next three years.
His data shows that it is stable.
I didn’t hear an answer to my question from the minister, so I will ask another question.
If NWMB recommends a TAH of more than 24, will the minister agree to that recommendation?
NWMB has to process all of the information submitted by the various levels of government, as well as from the Kivalliq Wildlife Board and different Inuit organizations or bodies that collect Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit on this subject.
During the hearing held by NWMB on that population of polar bears, it includes a decision process with timeframes involved. I can’t even speculate on the TAH figures for the management zone because it still hasn’t been determined.
I can’t speak to this issue until I have received their decision, as I am waiting for the decision from the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
Your final supplementary, Mr. Savikataaq
NWMB is going to make a recommendation to the Minister of the Environment.
It’s not if; it’s not when; they will.
After submissions are all taken in and they are, I believe, they’re going to do a recommendation to the Minister of Environment.
If the recommendation is for more than 24 bears of the TAH in western Hudson Bay, will the minister go with the recommendation that the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board presents to him?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister of Environment, Mr. Mike
I will say it again that the decision is currently before the NWMB board.
I will carefully consider the decision that NWMB will make.
Question 371 – 4(2): Community Access Program Funding (Hickes)
I’ve got a question today for the Minister of Education.
Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday, I had asked some questions regarding CAP funding for community computer access programs across the territory, but specifically here in Iqaluit.
At that time, it was brought up that the society status was not in place for the Friends of the Iqaluit Centennial Library.
Upon hearing that, the chair of that committee spoke to the treasurer and got confirmation that their society status is in good standing and have correspondence confirming that on April 27 of 2014.
Mr. Speaker, there seems to be a little bit of confusion on how to access funding under this CAP program across the territory right now.
Maybe the minister would be able to just elaborate a little bit on how communities are able to access this funding.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I would just like to reiterate that the department itself fully supports CAP programs and its mandate throughout Nunavut.
Again, the department provides funding to CAP at about $85,000 a year, but again this has not been done so in this past year because the Community Access Program is not currently in good financial standing.
Let me just briefly explain that the Community Access Program has its own Nunavut-wide board and it is the board that, right at this time, we cannot provide funding due to the societies that are not in good standing.
That is the Nunavut board that I’m talking about. The Community Access Program is a program which is run by the board.
At this time, as I said earlier in my statements, the board is not in good standing.
Again, according to the Financial Administration Manual, it prohibits my department from providing funding to societies that are not in good standing. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker
Mr. Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is interesting to hear from the minister.
I’ve got some correspondence from the chair of that board and I’ll just put a couple of brief quotes within the correspondence.
It is saying that at this point, NCAP has lost all of its administrative assistance provided by the Department of Education and that they have been trying since April of 2014 to work out the details of the new MOU, which would include the CAP sustainability funding, but nothing has materialized to date.
In there, he is quoting to a proposal that “I would say that there will be no CAP sustainability funds available this year,” and even if an MOU was to be signed, they don’t have any staff to administer the funds. I don’t see anything in this correspondence where it talks about the society status of the board. I found it interesting that the minister just stated that their financial status is in question.
What precludes any individual society from applying for CAP funding on a community basis, as these funds are available within the Department of Education, and it’s obviously a very well used program across the territory?
Is there any way where individual proposals could be submitted to the Department of Education to access this funding?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague for raising this concern.
Yes, I concur with the member that the Community Access Program labs are very beneficial and we all know that their usage is increasing in the communities within our local libraries.
I just wanted to explain that NCAP is a fund which we have requested funds from, but we haven’t heard back from them to date and I hope that is understandable.
With the status of the board, they are currently investigating the (interpretation ends) society status. (interpretation) To date, that process hasn’t resulted in any approvals due to their failure to provide the requested information. Without the proper operations of the society, we can’t provide any funding.
As per my earlier response, we set aside $85,000 towards this program and the funds are used to purchase computers and software, but it doesn’t include any operational funds.
It is only for computers and Internet access, including related matters that are funded from this $85,000 fund.
Let me reiterate that the (interpretation ends) Community Access Program (interpretation) board doesn’t have a legitimate society status and without that requirement being met, we can’t provide further funding.
I appreciate the minister’s position, that he is very supportive of this program and recognizes the need for it across the territory.
One of the concerns that I have is, in addition to providing the computer equipment under this program, one of the other costs allocated is, for example, Internet charges that are paid for by these societies, which in turn gets claimed back to NCAP or to the Nunavut committee that is under question right now.
I have a concern that this may leave some of the individual community societies in a deficit position whereas some communities may have a lot more active fundraising activities where maybe they could offset.
What I would like to get some clarity from the minister on is if individual societies can apply to the Department of Education to access this CAP funding without going through the board committee that is under question right now.
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank my colleague for that question.
The funds we contribute are specific towards this $85,000 fund which is for an entire year.
The actual amount is finite and it is for assisting these programs, as per my earlier statement.
However, as a government, we can make contributions to certain bodies. DEAs must have society status that is in good standing.
With that requirement met, it makes the contribution easier to process when a proposal is submitted from a society with paperwork up to date and if they meet all legal requirements, it does occur.
Nonetheless, we want to provide contributions to these local computer access programs, (interpretation ends) CAP programs. (interpretation) We want to assist them as soon as we can.
As per my earlier response, contributions can only be provided with organizations with the proper (interpretation ends) society status. (interpretation) I do fully support this program and we look forward to providing assistance, as residents utilize the computers in the communities.
I also believe in the benefits of this program.
Question 372 – 4(2): Fuel Delivery Services in Sanikiluaq (Rumbolt)
As the minister will be aware, a situation developed in Sanikiluaq on Friday concerning the community’s fuel delivery services, which are provided by a private entity under contract to the department.
It is my understanding that two of the contractor’s three trucks have been in need of repair for some time.
On Friday, the third truck experienced mechanical failure which took it off the road, causing a disruption in service.
These trucks deliver fuel to homes, government buildings, and the airport.
Mr. Speaker, aircraft that land and take off from Sanikiluaq rely on these fuel delivery services.
Can the minister indicate what actions his department took to address the situation?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Yes, the member is right.
The community of Sanikiluaq experienced some problems with their fuel delivery trucks.
However, once we found out that there was a problem, we sent a mechanic on March 1 and the main fuel truck is now operational. (interpretation) Thank you.
Fuel delivery services are essential in all Nunavut communities.
Can the minister indicate how his department works with fuel delivery contractors to ensure that their equipment is regularly inspected and kept in a good state of repair?
Hon. Tom Sammurtok (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) Although we haven’t had any regular vehicle inspections, it is one of the things that we have been looking at.
During my appearance in COW, we mentioned that we are hiring more staff to do community monitoring, and this will be one of the things that these people will be doing as well. (interpretation) Thank you.
Three trucks don’t break down in one day; it happens over a period of time.
I’m sure there are reporting processes in place so that the government knows the state of repair of vehicles in our communities.