EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Within this school year the student was transferred to the Iqaluit campus to continue her studies in the NTEP program.
The lack of students resulted in the closure of the program in Cape Dorset. There were originally six students who took the program, as per my earlier statement, and only one pursued further studies and now attends the program here, as the student wanted to continue past their first year.
The student is here in Iqaluit and currently succeeding.
With respect to the other students who passed the first year, we are open to accommodating them in the program here in Iqaluit.
I want to reiterate that the NTEP program can be taken by students in the communities, but it is contingent on the number of students attending the program in order for it to succeed.
With only a singular student interested, we generally don’t offer the program.
I can’t tell the member when the NTEP program will continue in Cape Dorset, but I urge the people of Cape Dorset to express their interest in the NTEP program. We would need six or more applicants to take on the program to restart the course at the community level.
As the minister stated, they had a number of reasons not to continue the program.
Perhaps the burning of the school had more ramifications on these students, as it affected the community immensely.
Mr. Speaker, a number of students have received financial assistance to take the NTEP program through Arctic College in Cape Dorset.
Now that the program delivery has stalled through no fault of their own, will these students have to now pay back the money that they received?
Hon. Paul Quassa (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for requesting that information.
Let me first thank the students who originally participated in the program, as some are taking the course in other communities for the NTEP program. This sector is very important.
With respect to the students who didn’t continue with their studies, we would only encourage them to assess the viability of taking the NTEP program at the Nunatta Campus here in Iqaluit. This course is already ongoing and we would prefer that they continue.
With respect to FANS, the assistance program for students is administered by the Department of Family Services and perhaps the minister of that department can better respond to that question.
It would seem more appropriate, at least with respect to that part of his question.
Thank you for explaining as to whom I should be asking my questions.
Mr. Speaker, now that the NTEP program will not be proceeding in Cape Dorset as planned, can the minister tell us what programs will be delivered this year at Nunavut Arctic College’s community learning centre in Cape Dorset?
Every year in all communities with community learning centres the local worker sends out a questionnaire or survey to various organizations on what programs they want offered in the community, kind of like an individualized local set of programs.
They query the community members directly.
That is how we try to offer the programs that the community wants through the community learning centres. Direction is taken after this survey on the programs.
Our department doesn’t actually set the programming for the upcoming year nor dictate which community shall offer which program.
Instead we adapt the programming based on the desire of the community members.
Nonetheless, certain programs continue unabated, such as (interpretation ends) adult basic education, (interpretation) as the program is called, including others.
Further, different courses and their availability are outlined in various forums.
To reiterate, the community is surveyed on the programs they want offered and that is what we follow.
I suppose I can’t really answer my colleague’s question about whether this program will continue. However, it would depend on the CLC teachers, who make most of the decisions on the courses offered in the community.
I want to repeat that in the case of NTEP students, we currently have 88 students taking the program throughout Nunavut and I am quite thrilled with that number such that I wanted to say it again.
Question 416 – 4(3): Motion Regarding the Development of an Updated Elders Strategy and Action Plan (Angnakak)
My questions are for the Minister responsible for Seniors’ Advocate.
On March 16 of this year the Legislative Assembly voted unanimously in favour of a motion that called on the government to develop an updated and comprehensive strategy and action plan to address the needs of Nunavut’s elders.
I want to take this opportunity to again thank the Member for Quttiktuq for having seconded my motion and to thank the minister for his own strong words in support of the motion.
Mr. Speaker, the terms of the motion called for a strategy and action plan to be tabled in the House no later than the first sitting day of the fall sitting, which began earlier this week.
Can the minister assure the House today that we will be seeing this before the end of the current fall sitting?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister responsible for Seniors’ Advocate, Mr. Peter Taptuna.
Mr. Speaker, we have been working diligently with our departments and as the member is well aware, there are all kinds of programming dispersed through our departments, in fact eight different departments.
We have been working on a document initially to put all the programming together so that our seniors and our people out there fully understand that there are programs available for seniors, homeowners, and other types of programs that were distributed throughout a number of different departments.
We’re putting the document together. We’re just awaiting the translation of the document.
This is just about putting all the programs where every community would be able to understand the programs that are available to them.
This is coming up shortly.
We have been working on the strategy diligently.
Mr. Speaker, at this point I really can’t say when we will be able to table that.
There has been a lot of programming that we have been looking at, including the operational audit where we can make it more effective and have more efficiency in delivering these programs to the seniors.
Perhaps we could get a better idea.
I guess it would be helpful for ordinary people. The motion was passed about seven months ago.
I think it would be helpful for ordinary people who are following our proceedings today to get a better understanding of how government works behind the scenes.
Can the minister take a few moments to describe in detail what specific work the government has done over the past seven months to respond to the motion that all Members of the Legislative Assembly voted to support?
Again, I do know it’s taking this length of time to get things moving forward.
As I have indicated in the past, there are many obligations we have to do as a government and sometimes some of these files fall back.
There’s no intention of making these files fall back, especially for the seniors, our elders of Nunavut.
Mr. Speaker, we work diligently behind the scenes. As the member indicated, at times we have other files that we’re obligated to fulfill. It seems at times that there are just not enough employees to carry out some of these files that desperately want done as a government.
I understand fully the motion that was put forth seven months ago. We’re making that effort very diligently and we want to make sure we put everything in there that will make it quite clear.
We want to be able to ensure that we have a process that is going to be helping our seniors throughout Nunavut.
In June of this year the Legislative Assembly voted in the House here to approve over $4.5 million in supplementary funding to implement the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy.
I want to be the first to say that I look forward to supporting a new infusion of funding to support a new elders strategy.
Can the minister give us a sense today how much new funding will be required to implement the new Elders Strategy?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister responsible for Seniors’ Advocate, Mr. Taptuna.
I don’t have those figures in front of me at this point.
We’re working diligently to ensure that we have the strategy, our document, where it can be dispersed throughout the territory of Nunavut where it’s going to be available through our GLOs and the hamlets to ensure that the seniors understand that there are programs available, not just in one department but throughout seven or eight other departments.
There’s programming out there that we see that has been underutilized and we want to ensure that our seniors, our elders utilize these programs that are available.
At this point I can’t say exactly what the amount may be, but I’ll certainly get back to the member on that.
Question 417 – 4(3): Qulliq Energy Corporation’s Storage and Disposal of Waste Oil (Rumbolt)
Today I would like to direct my questions to the Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, according to the government’s used oil and waste fuel guidelines, generators, owners, or persons in charge of used oil and waste fuel “must ensure the waste is properly and safely managed from the time it is produced to its final reuse or disposal.”
Considering that QEC operates large diesel-powered generators in the communities to generate power, QEC must generate large amounts of waste oil.
Can the minister tell us today how the Qulliq Energy Corporation currently stores and disposes of its waste oil and at what cost to QEC?
Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Johnny Mike.
QEC strives to manage its hazardous waste in a manner that reduces harmful impacts on the environment and wildlife.
I know that QEC’s generators use great amount of oil.
I can say that in one year QEC generates approximately 200,000 litres of liquid waste products as a result of generating electricity from diesel engines.
This liquid waste must be properly disposed of or recycled by QEC, Mr. Speaker.
I also asked the minister how much it cost the Qulliq Energy Corporation to take care of its waste oil.
In its 2016-19 corporate plan the Qulliq Energy Corporation indicated that it had been working to develop a “waste oil reduction and recycling plan.”
Has the Qulliq Energy Corporation come up with any specific plans to reduce the amount of waste oil that is currently being produced in communities and what kind of cost savings are associated with these plans?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Mike.
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The cost of shipping liquid waste out of the territory is about $250,000 a year for disposal or recycling.
That is the approximate amount in dollars.
(interpretation) Eight waste oil burners were purchased for $232,000.
I can use one as an example. In Kugluktuk since 2003 the warehouse burner uses waste oil from the power plant.
I can use Cambridge Bay as an example. Since 2014 Qulliq Energy Corporation warehouses and/or garages have been utilizing waste oil.
A waste oil burner was installed in Cambridge Bay in 2014 and has been operational since that time. To date we have burned approximately 150,000 drums of waste oil.
There’s really not much else we can do with waste oil that was used for power generation.
We can’t just pour it out onto the tundra, so we have to try to reuse it as much as we can. That’s my response to the question, Mr. Speaker.
Waste oil in our communities is becoming a big concern as the territory grows. It’s interesting that QEC is coming up with ways to dispose of their oil.
I wonder if the minister could commit to tabling the Qulliq Energy Corporation’s waste oil reduction and recycling plan in the House and if he could also give us more details on how these types of burners that he’s talking about work in the communities.
Minister responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Mike.
We are currently heating up our warehouses with used oil. Following the plan for 2017, we’re looking at Igloolik, Clyde River, Sanikiluaq, and Pangnirtung to have their warehouses heated with recycled oil.
We will be working on those communities this year.
I do know that in Pangnirtung we have a backup generator that is also using recycled oil.
Yes, I could to commit tabling that plan in the House so that you will have better information on how we look at those different programs at QEC.
Question 418 – 4(3): Community Transportation Initiatives Programs (Sammurtok, T)
First of all I say “good afternoon” to the people of Chesterfield Inlet and the people of Rankin Inlet, who are having a funeral service. They are in my thoughts.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) My question today is for the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation.
Earlier this week the government’s response to a written question concerning her department’s Community Transportation Initiatives Program was tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
Under this program, municipalities submit funding proposals to the department for consideration.
I was very pleased to note that a total of $155,000 was provided during the 2015-16 fiscal year for community access road projects in Rankin Inlet and Chesterfield Inlet.
Can the minister indicate what projects her department has approved for funding in Chesterfield Inlet and Rankin Inlet for the current 2016-17 fiscal year?
I also thank the member from Chesterfield Inlet for his question.
For Chesterfield Inlet, we had set up a contract to build the access roads and with the community access road, there’s $40,000 that was given to the Hamlet of Chesterfield Inlet. I’m not sure what it’s called in Inuktitut, but it’s for a small craft harbour and we have also given $21,730 for that project.
I also thank the minister for her response. (interpretation ends) The government’s Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy states that an annual call for proposals will be sent to all municipalities before the beginning of a new fiscal year.
Can the minister confirm what the deadline is for proposals to be submitted from municipalities to her department for funding during the upcoming 2017-18 fiscal year?
I can’t tell you the exact date, but we usually start getting submissions around the beginning of the new year. This time around we would like to start getting proposals before November.
Your final supplementary, Mr. Tom Sammurtok.
I also thank the minister for that response and now our communities will be making funding proposals.
(interpretation ends) The government’s Community Transportation Initiatives Program Policy requires the Minister of Economic Development and Transportation to table an annual report in the Legislative Assembly that details her department’s activities and expenditures under this policy.
When will the minister’s next annual report be ready for tabling in the Legislative Assembly?
I will get further information and give him an actual date on when it’s going to be tabled.
Speaker (interpretation): Can you clarify your question for the minister?
I’m sorry, I misunderstood.
Question 419 – 4(3): Implementation of the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy (Qirngnuq)
When I made my statement earlier, I forgot to say something. Good afternoon to my fellow residents of Kugaaruk, people of Taloyoak, and my colleagues. I say “good afternoon” to you all.
My questions are for the Minister responsible for Suicide Prevention.
As I noted in my Member’s Statement, the Legislative Assembly approved over $4.5 million in new funding in June of this year for the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Can the minister provide an update on how these new resources are being used?
Minister responsible for Suicide Prevention, Mr. George Hickes.
I thank the member for continuing the focus on this very important file that we have to deal with, unfortunately. The member is correct. About $4.5 million was allocated through the Quality of Life, with some of that money going to the Department of Family Services and the Department of Education.
That being said, in May of this year there was summit held with a number of stakeholders brought forward to bring forward different concerns and suggestions on how to improve the situation that we’re experiencing.
Mr. Speaker, there are a number of wellness programs delivered at the community level, some through the hamlet and some through the Department of Health.
We’re in the process right now of renewing a wellness agreement with the federal government.
Just as recently as a couple weeks ago I have met with two different regional training sessions of community wellness workers that are tasked with bringing forward the concerns at the community level to make sure that we focus our energies to individual community needs.
There are a number of other different initiatives that the Quality of Life has been working with other departments on bringing forward across the territory as a whole.
Like I said, with a lot of the programming that we’re looking at focusing on, we want to make sure it’s done at the community level, where people know what programs and services are needed in their community.
Mr. Qirngnuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) As I noted in my Member’s Statement, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs held a public hearing in Iqaluit last month on the issue of suicide prevention.
During his testimony to the standing committee, the minister stated that he would, and I am quoting here, “like to see the federal government sit at the table with us.”
Can the minister indicate what specific actions he would like the federal government to take in the area of suicide prevention?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. (interpretation ends) The Hon. Minister responsible for Suicide Prevention, Mr. Hickes.
When we’re dealing with the federal government on suicide prevention, the main focus that we’re looking at is mental health and community wellness.
Just coming from a federal-territorial-provincial meeting as of two days ago, mental health is a large focus of the federal government.
I’m very excited about some of the anticipated programming that we could be applying for.
I think it’s an ideal time for Nunavut to be negotiating our wellness agreement with the federal government.
Like I stated earlier, we want to make sure that we’re delivering programs in the communities that are wanted and recognized by those communities as needs.
I’m encouraged by the relationship that we have with the federal government on this topic and I look forward to returning with good news in the House in the future.
I believe he responded to the latter part of my question, so I will first ask him my supplementary.
(interpretation ends) Earlier this week a federal-provincial-territorial meeting of health ministers took place in Toronto.
Although I recognize that the main topic of this meeting was funding for the health care system in Canada, can the minister indicate if he had the opportunity to raise the issue of suicide prevention with the federal Minister of Health?
Minister responsible for Suicide Prevention, Mr. Hickes.
I thank the member for giving me the opportunity to elaborate a little bit more on some of the discussions that we had in Toronto.
Like I have stated, there is a shared focus on mental health with all of my colleagues across the country. I did have the opportunity to address those specifically to Nunavut’s needs.
Like what the member said, core funding was one of the focuses of that meeting.
One of the other aspects of the meeting that came out was how interested the federal government is willing to explore proposals from other Canadian jurisdictions, including the territories, on accessing more detailed funding for mental health, including addictions counselling.
Like I had mentioned earlier, I appreciate the member asking that question and giving me the opportunity to elaborate a little bit more.
Like I stated, when I learn more of the parameters of the proposal structure that the federal government is looking for, I can assure you that Nunavut will be applying for further funds.
Question 420 – 4(3): Houses Built in 1960s (Keyootak)
Mr. Speaker, in representing our communities, we try to canvass our constituents’ concerns prior to attending the sessions at the House.
In my constituency a concern was brought up on more than one occasion about the length of years some buildings have been inhabited, with some units continuously inhabited since the early 1960s.
I know for a fact that in our community, the areas with the DEW line installations that the Americans used as early warning posts had buildings in nearby communities, as well as certain lands near the community.
They had buildings at every site.
Once usage was discontinued, Inuit tried to acquire the buildings.
Due to the soundness of the buildings, they wanted to purchase them for their own usage, but Inuit were warned that these buildings couldn’t be used at all.
All buildings constructed for those sites in the 1960s apparently were painted with lead paint and that all paints mixed in that era contained PCBs.
It made Inuit wonder if these buildings that were constructed during the early 1960s, which are still inhabited today, contain any PCBs.
Hon. George Kuksuk (interpretation): Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I also thank the member for that excellent question.
Mr. Speaker, I can’t say or respond as to whether or not the units owned by the housing association have PCBs, as per his question, and whether or not any remnants exist.
Nonetheless, I can say that if any units have any hazardous materials such as (interpretation ends) mould (interpretation) or other contaminants, the local building maintainers employed by the LHOs were recently trained by the housing corporation on the removal of contaminated materials and the processes involved.
However, with regard to the actual component he mentioned in his question of PCBs in any unit, I can’t respond whether or not any such contamination exists at this time.
At the time it was feared that the residents of Qikiqtarjuaq were in danger by health authorities, which led to meetings of the residents on the contaminants and hazards associated with PCBs from the 1960s era.
The information was that no building with PCBs can ever be used. The information stated that all paints mixed in that era contained this contaminant.
Inuit started pondering how long Inuit had been exposed to hazardous substances without their knowledge. This may continue to this day where Inuit are needlessly exposed to hazards, so it makes one wonder if we still are.
At that time all buildings in those sites could not be occupied or owned by any Inuk, as we were informed they contained paints from the 1960s era.
We queried the presenters whether the DEW line buildings were the only ones that contained the PCB contaminants.
The response was that no, all paints used in that era and earlier had this PCB additive wherever any and all paints were sold.
This has been a real concern of my constituents and perhaps we have been exposed to other substances for years.
Residents always state that they don’t want the wildlife contaminated, but on the other hand, Inuit don’t seem to be a cause of worry with needless exposure for many years. That is the perception of people.
I wonder if the minister can commit to getting any unit, with records dating back to this era, that doesn’t contain this type of paint which our residents still inhabit today.
As per my earlier statement, if any of our units contain any hazardous materials or if suspicion exists, our local maintainers at the LHOs were trained to conduct proper clean-up procedures in the Kivalliq, Kitikmeot, and Baffin regions. This training encompassed the entire process and what procedures were required for different substances, especially for any of our units suspected to be in that category.
If we know of any hazardous materials or contaminants, yes, I concur that we do not want any Inuit to be faced with any exposure to dangerous substances wherever they are. This would be immediately treated as an emergency clean-up situation if that was indeed the case.