EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, we're hoping in the next 6 to 8 weeks to bring forward the pamphlets and the posters, and other items ready for the Legislative Assembly and for our communities.
At the same time Mr. Speaker, we have been working with the Department of Education, when we had the British Columbia team here, we also had some of our senior people from the Department of Education looking at outlines that we can forward at the school level and also work that we can do with our Community Health Representatives at the schools.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure I emphasize, and again I appreciate the member’s questions, that this anti-smoking strategy is not a, thank you Mr. Irqittuq, is not a six month or a one year deal. It is a multi-year strategy.
There are other components that we have had to look at, taxation, legislation, and so on.
We are only at the preliminary stages.
I am hoping to be able to bring forward, to this House, and to the members, the members have been very supportive, he is on the Standing Committee of Health and bring some of that information, the promotional material to that committee and to the House, and to the people here in Nunavut.
I think it was in March, that we approved a 3.7 million dollar budget for the coming years that will go towards the anti-smoking campaign.
As of today, I have not seen anything set up yet in Pond Inlet, however, when I get back to my community, I will look forward to seeing some kind of assistance being provided to my community because I know we approved a budget that would be used for such programs as this one.
I think he said that he would be producing only some pamphlets for the schools, that will be used as part of their curriculum.
Do you think all the funding we approved will be for pamphlets only.
Mr. Speaker, I think it is safe to say, Mr. Speaker, that there is probably no one as disappointed as I am.
I actually do not have a physical material to bring forward.
When we introduced for passage that budget in the Legislative Assembly, here during the budget debate, we had to lay the ground work.
Not only do I have to be able to bring the material forward, and make sure that it is understandable, have it translated into Inuktitut, have it translated in Inuinnaqtun, have it available for the different languages, but we also have to have something that is user friendly.
Now most of the members know that Pauktuutit had brought on an excellent program about breathing easier it was called a couple of years ago.
That was funded by the Federal Government and is available in Inuktitut.
So we are looking at that with education, that the meeting we had here in July, to see which, should we use that package, shall we use the BC package, or should we use the Newfoundland package.
I said to the member that within 6 to 8 weeks that we hoped to have that material, promotional posters and so on, to bring forward.
We are also working with our CHRs so that they know the issues around anti-smoking and the anti-smoking message.
We are doing that.
We have been working with Pauktutiit.
We got that package that they have.
We have that package on what Newfoundland is using.
So, we want to make sure that when we deliver a strategy it is not just a sign do not smoke.
There has to be some substance to get that done and it is going to take a little bit of time.
I appreciate the support of the members on bringing this forward.
If we do not have it Mr. Speaker, on December the 15th or 20th I bet I will go outside and smoke a cigarette.
The minister stated that he would be doing more work on the anti-smoking campaign to promote posters for up to 6-8 weeks.
I do not know at this time if he has used that funding that we put aside.
Can the minister indicate how much money has been used to date.
Mr. Speaker I do not have the actual dollar values with me right now, what we have actually spent as of today on the budget on anti-smoking.
Mr. Speaker, I will bring the information to the member.
Again it is a multi-year strategy so when we get to the budget debate later on and with the approval of the business plan by the Standing Committee, we will probably have more information on what we are planning for the coming year.
So I do not have the information now Mr. Speaker, but I will be able to get that information and make it available to the member.
As the minister stated, I will wait patiently as to how much they have used up to date on the funding.
I hope he will give out the information to all the members and the people of Nunavut.
Question 597 – 1(3): Expenditures on Anti-Smoking Campaign
My question is to the Minister of Health & Social Services.
This is a supplementary to what the member was talking about.
The funding that was approved, that 3 million dollars that was geared to anti-smoking campaigns, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the minister if that has been used at all.
Mr. Speaker, the actual budget amount as I remember, there was no line written anti-smoking program approved in the budget.
What was approved in the budget was the item population health.
As stated we hope to use it in the anti-smoking program, as well as proactive initiatives within that budget area.
Money has been spent and I have already committed to the member that I will have money spent up to date made available.
The total amount approved by the House for the total program of anti-smoking was discussed and the members approved it.
I believe it was 2 million dollars.
I do not have the figure with me.
I will let you know when it is available.
He just stated that some of the funding has been used on anti smoking campaigns, maybe his department indicated as to who were contracted out to do the anti smoking campaign. Who did they give funding to work on this campaign or have there been any airfares used.
Hon. Ed Picco (interpretation): That’s a good question.
We have contracted an outside agency to develop promotional material ending, as I was saying earlier when the budget was approved by this House in May, what we did was looked at under the budget for what is available out there right now.
As you know Mr. Speaker no Government in the Northwest Territories, or the Government of Nunavut has ever brought in an anti-smoking program, so this would be a first for the Nunavut Government to do that. We want to be able to do that right, we don’t want to re-invent the wheel. I will make it known to the member his question, specific question, how much has been expended, there were no contract dollars used for airfares, the British Columbia people came up here, Mr. Speaker on our invitation and they brought their own staff up, that was covered by the BC Government.
We approved the funding to be used and we raised some question on this topic also, about the money, because our year is almost up.
We’re only 5 months shy of the new year and before we finish the new budget, maybe the minister can indicate as to what kind of strategic plans they have come up with and what kind of anti smoking campaign they will be producing.
Hon. Ed Picco: Thank you Mr. Speaker, that’s a good question, maybe I should go back to the first and earlier question.
What we’re trying to do Mr. Speaker is put out a promotional campaign. Now that was the answer to the member from Pond Inlet and we’re doing that. We might go out and access the private sector forces, some of the promotional company communications people, go out to do that, and the member is right.
So we’re moving forward on that. On the information that has been provided so far, and members again, we've worked with education, so far, to see what’s available and what we should be using.
We’re going to be targeting young people and that was what was announced in the budget, that’s the material that we’re trying to bring forward, we want to make sure that appeals to young people, and to appeal to their self worth of not starting smoking and that’s what the promotional campaign is about and will be about.
Mr. Speaker the work Pauktuutit has done, as I said earlier is excellent material and we want to be able to probably develop and use some of that material also, so we were in contact with Pauktuutit, so that’s an outside organization, for example, from the Government that we’re also working with that the member had asked about earlier.
I’d like to say Mr. Speaker, I don’t have materials available right now. We are in the process of developing stuff.
We’ve been having workshops with our health promotion people at the community level and that was what the member for Pond Inlet was talking about.
Now we need to be able to develop some of the other things.
One of the recommendations from the Health committee was to look at possible visual aids, posters, videos, information packages, working with communities, working with youth councils and so on.
Mr. Speaker, that’s the direction we’re moving towards.
I understand what he is trying to say.
He is only using examples like, Newfoundland and British Columbia and the workshops that have been held in Pond Inlet and he is just slightly touching upon this.
My question is, when will this actually start and who will be working on it.
Hon. Ed Picco: As I said earlier, we expect that over the next 2 months, that on posters, on radio, local radio, with support staff at the community level and in schools, we will start the anti-smoking programs aimed at young people and that will be delivered in conjunction, we are hoping right now, with staff and maybe outside agencies like Pauktuutit.
Probably we are hiring a private sector company, to be able to help us develop some of these commercials and videos like ITSL or Sackett and Associates or one of these companies.
Mr. Speaker, we are also looking at the MLA's themselves and hopefully having packages that MLA’s will be able to bring back to their home communities and the main source Mr. Speaker, of course will be the work of our community health committees that we have set up in the community.
I think they are going to be a major player in that we will be able to bring information to them.
If they wanted to hold an anti-smoking fair or something like that, then that is how we would be supporting them.
So Mr. Speaker the short answer is over the next 2 months, within 6 to 8 weeks, we would hope to have available for the members, for the public in Nunavut at large, promotional material for radio and for TV, advertisements in newspapers, and also stuff at the community level for hamlets and for the health committees.
I have two members that have yet to ask questions on my list, Mr. Alakannuark and Mr. Iqaqrialu.
We will let the elder go first.
Question 598 – 1(3): Inuit Employment Plan
I have a question to the Minister of Human Resources.
How many Inuit are working for the Nunavut Government within the last 6 months and how many…(interpretation unavailable)…
I think we lost the last portion of the question through the translation.
So maybe if the member wouldn't mind repeating that.
Speaker: Mr. Alakannuark could you repeat your question please.
How many Inuit are, how many positions were acquired by Inuit for the last 6 months in the decentralized communities and how many Inuit employed that were in the south.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have the information on the specific decentralized communities.
I can say that the statistics that I have were taken as of June 30.
At that time of the 2,716 positions that we have through the government and the boards I mentioned earlier, the Housing Corporation, Education, Boards that have now become Department of Education employees, and at Nunavut Arctic College, of the 2,716 positions, 910 of them were filled by Inuit, by beneficiaries.
Speaker: Thank you Mr. Ng. Even though our clock is up we have an understanding and a practice here that when a memvber has started a question that we will allow the member to continue with this final supplementary.
The decentralized communities, how many positions were directed to the communities.
Mr. Speaker, again I do not have the specifics of the decentralized communities.
One has to recognise for some of those communities as well that there were existing positions in addition to the incremental positions.
I know the Premier has the responsibility for decentralization on behalf of our government and he is planning on reporting on the details of the process.
I would imagine that information would be available at that time.
The smaller communities that were not given government jobs, will they eventually be given government jobs.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Human Resources.
I know that this issue has come up on several occasions in the House, members with communities that have not been identified for government positions.
Our government has quite frankly discussed that in detail not that long ago and one of the mechanisms we are trying to use to support those communities without targeted decentralized positions is trying in enhance the focus from the Sustainable Development side of things and economic initiatives and looking at the opportunities for stand alone institutions or government that may come up in the future into Nunavut.
So those are the kinds of things that we are looking at.
I am sure that the minister would be happy to speak on some of those initiatives.
As indicated by the clock question period is over.
Mr. McLean: I would like to get unanimous consent to extend question period.
Speaker: Are there any nays for Mr. McLean's request.
Question 599 – 1(3): Policy & Procedures of Health & Social Services Review
I was doubtful I was going to ask a question.
I have a question directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services.
I heard very clearly the responses he gave in terms of the anti-smoking campaign but I have a question that is not pertaining to cigarettes. I know cigarette smoking has been an issue and that anti smoking campaign has been taken as an initiative.
Now in terms of the deaths that have occurred that is very much in my heart, right now, and this is also in the hearts of the Inuit, as well.
As a Minister of Health and Social Services, and I know that Social Services has policies and procedures that they follow in their communities, those very policies and procedures are not sensitive to needs of the Inuit in the communities in terms of Inuit ways of life.
For example, being accountable when someone goes against the policy or procedure,  because these procedures and policies are very easy to break.
Can there be a review on policies and procedures to see if there are any improvements that can be made to deal with concerns regarding this issue.
Speaker: Minister responsible for Health & Social Services. Mr. Picco.
If I understand the question properly, this member brought up, interesting area, concerns on the policies and procedures of the activities of Health and Social Services. In particular, Mr. Speaker we have moved as a Department towards incorporating more Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within Health and Social Services.
We’ve done that Mr. Speaker this year, for example through the business plan, inviting elders from across Nunavut from the different regions in Nunavut, to actually see and review our business plans to make sure that it has incorporated into its policies and its procedures Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit.
After saying that Mr. Speaker, as the member knows under policies and procedures, we have just introduced and it is effective starting September 1st of this year, a new travel policy that is reflective, made in Nunavut, and a Nunavut approach to the medical transport policy that we have in place. Before we used to use the Government of the Northwest Territories policy which was haphazardly used in the three different regions of Nunavut.
So the policy that was there for medical travel or escorts in the Keewatin, as an example Mr. Speaker, wasn’t the same as in the Baffin. So we've taken the recommendation of the member and from the Standing committee on Health and we brought in a new travel policy. I think the members had an opportunity to review it, and it is reflective of the Nunavut dream.
Under the policies and procedures we have done a lot of work under Health and Social Services to make sure that they are Nunavut friendly, that they incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, that they sustain that Mr. Speaker.
Like most Government Departments, I think we have a long ways to go yet, Mr. Speaker, but we have to start somewhere, and I think out of the past 14 months, the Department of Social Services has Mr. Speaker, made an honest effort and has accomplished quite a bit in regards to the policies and procedures of the department.
What you have said is very clear and your goals and objectives are very interesting, that is what we wanted to hear, but I cannot figure out what you have accomplished so far. I want to see this and we can probably appoint a commission who will deal with reviewing the policies and procedures, instead of just putting in everything into place all at once.
It should be done because we have seen a lot of side effects of these policies and procedures, so we Members of this Legislative Assembly should be dealing with Acts that will effect the Acts of Canada.
Mr. Speaker, there is something Mr. Speaker, we should say here, that is under the leadership Mr. Speaker, of our premier over a year ago, in discussions and in co-operation with the Minister of Justice, Mr. Anawak, Premier Okalik introduced a law reform commission to look at all the laws of Nunavut to make sure that they are reflective of Nunavut.
To make sure that they are there to incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit into legislation.
To make sure that those laws on the books of the Government of Nunavut are reflective of Nunavut.
On policies and procedures Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, in the Department of Health and Social Services, and I can specifically speak to that, we just created a new position within the department, with Rosemary Cooper, who is our Assistant Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, and now she is in charge of policy and procedure for the Government of Nunavut.
One of the things that we are doing within the Government of Nunavut Department of Health and Social Services with Rosemary Cooper, an Inuk from here in Iqaluit from Nunavut, is to look at all policies and procedures of the department.
To reflect, as the member just spoke about, incorporating some of the cultural values and also incorporating Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit within the Department of Health and Social Services.
So I think in those two steps, Mr. Speaker, we are doing exactly what the member said.
I think Mr. Speaker, the problem is the government sometimes and as a department, we are not really communicating, Mr. Speaker, some people can do it better with their hands, like Mr. Ng, we are not communicating as well to the constituency at large, to the government as a whole on what individual departments and indeed what the government has accomplished in a lot of these areas.
For example, if the member had not asked that question it probably would not have come out.
I understand that you are working on the review.
I think 3 million was allocated towards anti-smoking campaigns.
I have not yet seen any results of that anti-smoking campaign.
Are you actually going to work now.
I mean are you actually getting this going.
Speaker: Mr. Iqaqrialu, I will have to rule that question out of order.
It is a new question.
You are only entitled to one, same subject.
Mr. Iqaqrialu: It seems like my questions are not going anywhere so I will wait until tomorrow.
Question 600 – 1(3): Positions for Kugluktuk
Mr. Havioyak (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask about Health and Social Services.
I would to first say thank you for coming to Kugluktuk this summer.
You came to do a presentation on decentralization for the staff who moved to Kugluktuk.
You had said there would be 12 or 13 positions moved over to Kugluktuk.
Which positions and when, are these people or staff being moved.
Speaker: Mr. Ng or Mr. Picco.
Minister responsible for Health & Social Services.
If you just allow me to respond to the last question that Mr. Iqaqrialu asked.
That is Mr. Speaker, your staff have been doing anti-smoking since March.
The CHRs are doing that work. I do not have the physical pamphlet that says anti-smoking in Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, on Mr. Havioyak's question on decentralization.
We went over to Kugluktuk following up on the commitment made by the Premier and this cabinet to decentralize to Kugluktuk.
The Premier stated that we would move at least 10 positions to Kugluktuk and I went over at the end of August with my Deputy Minister and senior staff and we announced that we would be setting up an Assistant Deputy Minister position.
I am pleased to announce Mr. Speaker that the cabinet has approved the organizational chart of the Department of Health & Social Services.
Dr. Keith Best will be appointed the Assistant Deputy Minister of health and will be moving to Kugluktuk.
We believe he will be there next week and will be able to start staffing those positions.
Originally we had 10 positions Mr. Speaker, we now think we should be able to put in 12-14 positions there.
We expect that half of those positions will be hired from Kugluktuk.
I also committed along with the Department of Education to run a job fair in Kugluktuk in November and try to use some of the experience we gained from the Power Corporation where we used the same type of program to maximize local employment.
So, I think that is some good news for the Member for Kugluktuk.
I would like to thank him and the Mayor of Kugluktuk who have continued to advocate for decentralization and the training plan.
Speaker: Mr. Picco just to remind you and the other ministers that when a question is ruled out of order, it is not anticipated that the minister will get up and answer the question. So that’s for the future.
There are no further oral questions.
Mr. Iqaqrialu (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regarding the question that I imposed earlier, I apologise for raising a question that was misunderstood.
If I had elaborated a little bit more as to what my question was pertaining to, maybe the minister would have made a clear response.
I apologize as I think it was a little too powerful.
That is just a comment not a question.
Oral questions. Oral questions. Oral questions.
Continuing on to item 7. Written questions.
Written Question 17 – 1(3): Details of Community Initiatives Program Funding
My written question is based on a handout that the Minister of Sustainable Development gave to the mayors at the recent mayors’ meeting in Iqaluit.
Could the Minister give this House a detailed list of the community initiative program fund for each community and the person who received these funds and how much each person received.
Item 7. Written questions.
Moving on to item 8.
Returns to written questions, Mr. Clerk.
Return to WQ 12-1(3): Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Review Committee
Return to WQ 14-1(3): Ministerial Portfolio Responsibilities
Return to WQ 15-1(3): Ministerial Responsibility - Income Support & P-3 Projects
I wish to inform the House that Returns to Written Questions 12-1 (3), 14-1(3), 15-1(3) have been filed with the Office of the Clerk.
I have a return to Written Question 12 – 1(3) asked by Mr. Irqittuq.
Part one, the terms of reference have yet to be approved by cabinet.
They will be released upon being approved by cabinet.
Another part of the question asked by the same member for Amittuq, was what is the membership of this task force.
The proposal was that the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit task force would be composed of six members. Of the six members two members will be from NSDC and two the government of Nunavut.
Part two, there will be two positions filled by elders, both NSDC and Culture, Language, Elders & Youth, will select one elder and Culture, Language, Elders & Youth Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit co-ordinator will be in charge of administration and clerical duties of the task force.
Third part, what time frame is the task force operating under.
The task force’s long term time frame will be determined once it is established.
The duration of the task force is contingent upon Culture, Language, Elders & Youth’s annual budget allocation and that will come from the Financial Management Board.
Part four, when is the minister scheduled to report the task force findings to the House.