EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Before I was done, my time was out. I want to thank the minister for trying to caution me, but I don’t think I need cautioning on that. I’m quite aware how the legal system works and what we can and can’t say in here, but I appreciate the gesture anyway.
Maybe I’ll try and ask this in a way that the government won’t be scared to answer.
I guess for parents with a child with a disability, whatever the disability is, I won’t limit to any one disability, like the example that I used earlier, but any disability where services are not offered in the territory for that individual.
The team that the minister had indicated earlier had determined and after an assessment indicated that this disabled child, whatever the disability be, would be better off in a southern institution, or some place in the south where they could receive the specialized care that they require.
I’m just wondering, in cases like that, where there is this assessment done, and that does indicate that a disabled child should be placed in a facility, or a home down south, or some place else outside the territory to get those services. Is that something that is covered by the department through this area or this division in her budget?
The department does that right now. We have over 50 people in care out of the territory and, again, those cases are examined on a case-by-case basis.
We have said in the past that we are trying to provide more of those types of services in Nunavut and we are looking at constructing two long term care facilities.
It is not children; it is adults there are a number of people that are outside. We do that type of arrangement today. We have no choice, but to do that type of arrangement and those assessments are done by the complex team that is involved in making those assessments.
So then I guess the answer is yes to basically all the questions that I have been asking for the last little while.
The minister just indicated, yes, that is something that would be covered under this part of their budget. I just want to make sure that my interpretation of that response is correct. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Again, I mentioned in that, and I will just repeat what I said before, each patient is examined and the needs are assessed, and then decisions are made for placements. We spend over $15 million a year in providing that service in our contracts. So I do not have anything more to add to that.
It seems like the government is scared to say yes in a case like this for some strange reason, but I will leave that one alone for now because it seems like I am going to get just as far as someone else did in this case.
Mr. Chairman, also on the H-10 there is $213,000 for the Embrace Life Council and the last amount in there was in 2004-05 actual expenditure of $157,000. I am just wondering if the minister can indicate how that money is going to be spent.
The Embrace Life Council is an organization that was established and that funding of $213,000 is to assist the Embrace Life Council Organization and that is O&M and so on.
I know that the Embrace Life Council was established in January of 2004 and last year, there was nothing in the budget. In 2004-05, there was $157,000 in the budget. Is this going to be an every two year contribution?
How come there was nothing last year and there is some again in this budget.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe in the previous year, that particular item was budgeted in another category of the Department of Health and Social Services budget.
Is there a requirement for the Embrace Life Council to do an annual report and if there is, could the minister table that in the House?
Chairman: It will be done, Mr. Tootoo.
Healthy Children, Families and Communities. Total Operations and Maintenance...Oh, I’m sorry.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): I thought you saw me the first time.
I just had, under the Contract Services, my understanding is that elders’ facilities provided to not-for-profit organizations in Nunavut is part of that $15,241,000 I believe. I just wanted to let the minister know that we are grateful for the services these not-for-profit groups provide, because they do provide very important treatment needs, and therapy needs for elders who reside in those facilities.
I’m not going to single out any one community. I think in the Kivalliq region, Rankin Inlet has mainly a residential and not so much therapeutic programs or any thing, but Chesterfield Inlet has one that is a more advanced facility for handicapped people and so on.
So I want to acknowledge the contributions they are making to our needy people in those areas.
We also have a very large one here in Iqaluit, and all the other facilities.
No doubt the government has an ongoing, from time to time, review of these services for those contracts with these groups.
I’m wondering whether or not the government has, in its terms and conditions, that the ongoing training needs are also included in that, or do they have to ask the government for training?
To train more for providing for care, is that something that is part of the contract, or do they have apply separately to gain more experience in actually caring for the elderly?
Chairman: Thank you, Mr. Curley. Minister Aglukkaq.
I appreciate the member’s question. This is one that I’ve been having discussions in regard to it with my staff.
I think on a broader than just elders, I’ve asked my officials to look at all the facilities that we operate in Nunavut, whether it be for children, or adults, and whatnot, or the mental health facilities, and look at what their needs are, whether it be for operating for their training, for what kind of assistance do they need from us and what kinds of programs that they provide services in.
It is an area that is a concern of mine that we need to pay more attention to.
Since 1999, there has not been a lot of movement in that in providing the ongoing support, the training and assistance to these facilities, and not only the area of financial resource, that we provided much more broader than that in that what kinds of services are provided in level one facilities, level two facilities, or level three, and also to look at what kind of care is provided to those patients that are living in different facilities, and are they meeting the needs and so on.
I’ve asked my staff to look at that and to act on providing what the needs are and go forward, not just on the financial side, and then to give the resources and stand back.
We can’t stand back, and we need to be more active in having and building those relationships with the organizations that provide this kind of service for us.
This is an area that I think that has been somewhat neglected in the last few years, and I want to respond to the member by saying that because I think it’s long overdue, amongst other things, and an area that I think we need to give some attention in, and address those recommendations coming from service providers and what some of their needs are, and so on.
I certainly appreciate the minister taking note of the training requirements; I understood it to be that it was to address all aspects of these services that should be minimum standard that would be required to enter into contracting arrangements. I say that because these organizations do need the understanding of employee relations and who does actual care of these elderly people who are not able to get up anymore to take care of basic needs and so on.
So it’s very, critically important, I don’t think there has been enough of the minimum guidelines even as to who should be qualified to work in those facilities because if I had a labourer in the construction field, I don’t think a person should be working in those kinds of things. That’s one example I’m using as an extreme.
So we need people who really do have the compassionate care to work in those facilities and I certainly appreciate the minister and we look forward to the minister tabling an ongoing progress report on those areas to the Assembly.
(interpretation) I would like to thank the minister.
Maybe I would like to direct my question someday to get the answer.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Curley. (interpretation ends) Madam Minister.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will commit to that and I would like to share with the Members of this House what plans will be in place to address whatever the findings are and I think we need to act on those very quickly. (interpretation) And I agree with the member.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you, Minister. (interpretation ends) Mr. Barnabas.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): I would like to move a motion at this time to adjourn the meeting; adjourn the session.
Opposed. The motion is defeated.
We are on page H-8, H-9, and H-10. (interpretation ends) Healthy Children, Families and Communities.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $42,430,000. (interpretation) Do you agree?
Chairman: Page H-11.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Mr. Chairman, I was going to ask a question on page H-12, but I will ask my question when we get to that page.
Mr. Kilabuk: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) As I stated yesterday, I would like to add further to my Member’s Statement regarding the lack of decent services and resources for individuals with disabilities. I have chosen not to wait for consultations.
I was seeking support yesterday from this minister with the disability group, knowing we were approving a portion of the budget that allows for this minister and her staff to deal with issues as such through its operation, but my apologies to the minister and her staff.
Without going over the many difficulties, again, experienced by the individuals with disabilities every minute, every hour, and every day of the year, I want to try and suggest to the minister and her department of the need to change.
The need to a change a policy, rule, or mentality to be able to help equip people confined to wheelchairs by medical professionals with proper motorized, battery-operated wheelchairs.
(interpretation ends) Mr. Chairman, every time I talk about people being confined to wheelchairs, I feel guilty, and I do feel guilty because that is exactly what they are confined to; a wheelchair.
I’m sure, a wheelchair, you and I, or anybody around this room, would never choose to live in.
For example, you and I are greatly inconvenienced already when we get sore muscles from having done too much exercise or enjoyment from outdoor activities.
I don’t think I need to say any more.
However, to try and help develop a solution to this problem, we have to understand the problem first. I think that that has been achieved with the years of bragging about the lack of services and resources.
Secondly, the option to change, I believe, is here and that the need to change is now.
In my view, the solutions I seek on behalf of my constituents and many more in Nunavut are small steps in comparison with great rewards.
If you understand the benefits that this can provide and our priorities, which are the people, plus the security this brings along with the new opportunities is great with what the system has denied for too long.
My question, without going into the possible benefits and lack of, if the minister and this government agree we can provide benefits for people with disabilities, confined to wheelchairs now.
Will she commit to lobbying her colleagues to change whatever policy, rule, or guideline is used to deny the plea for assistance by my constituents and others confined to wheelchairs over the next thirty days?
Will she do that so that the people with disabilities can finally receive the long overdue assistance to finally receive hopes of independence with goals of becoming more self-reliant? Will she commit to that?
I thank the member for raising the issue around people with disabilities.
Will I commit to reviewing whether we can provide that?
From what I understand of some of the programs that we have to provide assistance for individuals or persons with disabilities such as wheelchairs, walkers, prosthesis, hearing aids, and so on, those are currently covered through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program.
There’s also some services provided through physiotherapy and occupational therapy services that are offered here, but that’s not to say that we couldn’t do better in providing services.
As well, the Council for People with Disabilities has been recently re-established. There were some challenges that they faced in getting up and going, financial difficulties that they had. I am confident, through working with that group, that we’ll be able to address some of the recommendations that are also coming through that advocacy group for people with disabilities.
I do agree with the member, yes, we need to work harder in this area.
I also will say that in trying to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, it involves more than one department’s role, it involves looking at ways of how we can improve the quality of life of a person disabled through other means, such as housing, such as education, such as employment opportunities, and so on.
It is much broader than health.
I will commit to taking an active role and lead in trying to advance those types of thinking in addressing some of the needs of people with a disability in Nunavut.
What will really help us in that is that we have a direct contact with an advocacy group that can recommend to us and monitor our work and work with them in trying to address them.
There is many areas that we can look at in trying to address improving the quality of life of people with disabilities, but in terms of addressing your specific question relating to the wheelchair, I will look into that and I would like to have specifics and more details from you outside of this room for privacy issues.
I will have my officials follow up and make sure that the officials, my staff, and health care are also able to provide the assistance in making the adequate assessments for what their needs may be.
Thank you, Minister, for that explanation.
I realize that the task of putting this challenge for the minister to follow-up on the wheelchair issue.
I know this is just one very small problem that are faced by our people with disabilities and I believe if we are serious about finding solutions for these many problems, we have to deal with them individually and separately, and not claim that we have a solution that will fix all because I do not think that can be realistically expected over a given period of time.
So it will be to handle each issue separately, which I am asking the minister to do with this.
Mr. Chairman, I hope my colleagues can support me with this because for whatever unexplainable reason if the minister does not get the support from her colleagues or partners, will she advise us immediately by way of letter or notification so we can know which group or people to lobby or go after, immediately after the 30 days?
I will advise the member that same time. On a serious side, I also welcome recommendations and solutions and options from you in this House on what areas we need to address and I think that this is an area, again, we need to put more energy and focus within the department, and not only within the department, but also in partnership with the other departments and agencies, like the land claims groups and so on.
(interpretation) So I agree (interpretation ends) on that and I will keep you updated on our progress.
I will just leave it at that for now and I would like to thank the minister and her officials for being able to discuss this.
I will go on to another question later.
Chairman: Okay we are on page H-11.
Operations and Maintenance. Total Operations and Maintenance. $47,873,000.
There is a committee that is going to be leaving for Pangnirtung pretty soon, so I would like to report progress.
Chairman: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Netser.
There is a motion on the floor to report progress and the motion is not debatable.
I will now rise to report progress. Thank you, Madame Minister, and your officials. We’ll see you again tomorrow.
Speaker (interpretation): Going back to the Orders of the Day. Item 21.
Your committee has been considering Bill 12 and the main estimates, and would like to report progress. Also, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Is there a seconder? Mr. Netser.
Orders of the Day for March 3:
Speaker (interpretation): We will resume on Friday, March 3, 2006 at 10:00 in the morning.
>>House adjourned at 17:30
Friday, March 3, 2006
Pages 1257 – 1303
Opening Prayer 1257
Ministers’ Statements 1257
Members’ Statements 1259
Returns to Oral Questions 1264
Notices of Motions 1285
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 1286
Report of the Committee of the Whole 1302
Orders of the Day 1302
Friday, March 3, 2006 1257
070 – 2(3): Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun Language Training Needs Assessment (Tapardjuk) 1257
071 – 2(3): Severe Weather in Baffin – Work for Qulliq Energy Crews (Picco) 1258
172 – 2(3): Kitikmeot Meat Plant in Cambridge Bay (Peterson) 1259
173 – 2(3): Weather Forecasting (Curley) 1261
174 – 2(3): Dangerous Work – Power Plant (Tootoo) 1262
175 – 2(3): Arctic Winter Games Participants (Akesuk) 1262
176 – 2(3): Seal Hunt Protesting – Sir Paul McCartney (Picco) 1263
177 – 2(3): Happy Birthday Wish to Mother (Netser) 1264
Return to Oral Question 125 – 2(3): Waiting List for Staff Housing (Number of Vacant Units) (Akesuk) 1264
199 – 2(3): Main Estimates – Timely Financial Information (Tootoo) 1266
200 – 2(3): Arctic College Affiliated with Universities (Barnabas) 1268
201 – 2(3): Deferring Capital Projects (Mapsalak) 1270
202 – 2(3): Discussion with the Federal Government on Pandemic Emergency Planning (Curley) 1272
203 – 2(3): Tabling the Mining Strategy (Peterson) 1274
204 – 2(3): Addressing the Student Drop-out Rate (Tootoo) 1276
205 – 2(3): Funding Approval by FMB for Capital Projects (Barnabas) 1280
206 – 2(3): Department of Justice Budget Cut Backs (Tootoo) 1281
207 – 2(3): City of Iqaluit Finances (Tootoo) 1283
083 – 2(3): Kitikmeot Inuit Association 2006 Newsletter (Peterson) 1285
011 – 2(3): Legislative Assembly Appointments – Notice (Tootoo) 1285
Bill 12 – Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, 2006-07 – Review in Committee – Health and Social Services 1286
Speaker (interpretation): Good morning, Ministers, Members, and visitors.
Minister’s Statement 070 – 2(3): Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun Language Training Needs Assessment (Tapardjuk)
I rise today to announce that my department is in the process of conducting an extensive Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun language training needs assessment aimed at improving Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun language training for the Government of Nunavut employees.
Mr. Speaker, Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun language training needs assessment has two components: a language skills assessment to determine employees’ current knowledge and abilities in Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun language, and a survey to determine language training gaps, interests, and barriers.
The information gathered will remain anonymous and will help us to improve our language training programs, and to better determine where to invest money in new curriculum and resource development.
It’s our goal, Mr. Speaker, to tailor the Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun language training needs assessment to both first language and second language learners as the language training needs of these two groups differ significantly.
The needs assessments will be tailored to address regional dialectical differences. It’s our goal to administer the needs assessments to as broad a cross-section of our employees as possible in order to obtain the most accurate data.
To date, the first phase of the needs assessment has been completed. My department has partnered with Nunavut Arctic College and the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth to create and deliver an Inuktitut language literacy assessment and survey for first language learners in Iqaluit.
Over the next fiscal year, phase two will see the development and administration of customized needs assessments for our first language speakers in the regions, while phase three and four will focus on Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun second language training needs across the Government of Nunavut.
Pinasuaqtavut 2004-09 confirms the goal of Inuktitut in all its forms as the working language of the Government of Nunavut by the year 2020.
The Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun training needs assessment will be a key part of improving our language training programs in order to meet this goal and to better serve the needs of Nunavummiut.
Minister’s Statement 071 – 2(3): Severe Weather in Baffin – Work for Qulliq Energy Crews (Picco)
Hon. Ed. Picco: Good morning, Mr. Speaker.
I wish to acknowledge the hard work demonstrated this week by our Qulliq Energy Corporation employees.
As you know, Mr. Speaker, this past week has been extremely busy with weather-related incidents and outages.
In Sanikiluaq, on February 27 and 28, the extreme weather caught the corporation’s safety officer off guard.
She was stuck in a vehicle on the way to the plant and ended up spending the night sleeping on the floor at the airport.
In Sanikiluaq, the plant operator, Charlie Cookie, was stuck at the plant due to the weather.
It was a good thing he was stuck there, Mr. Speaker, because he could look out the plant window and see a connector torn loose by the winds at over 100 kilometres per hour. Each time the torn lines slapped across one of the feeders, it caused about half the town to lose power.
The operator sat by the window through the storm and he was there to re-close the feeder each time it tripped out.
In Grise Fiord, the winds caused electrical service connections to be ripped away from some homes.
Several houses lost power completely.
Safety required that the feeder be turned off before the plant operator and assistant could approach an otherwise live wire.
Line crews were sent in from Cambridge Bay to assist as no one could take off from the Iqaluit Airport at that point.
Repairs were completed by 4:30 in the afternoon.
In Iqaluit, on last Sunday night, some people thought they were seeing lightning when high winds and warm weather caused two phases of a single feeder line to come into contact several times.
Mr. Speaker, each contact resulted in a loud noise and bright flashes in the sky.
Line crews were sent out to find and repair the problems.
They needed to wear full rubber clothes including rubber gloves with leather insets, which can withstand 5,000 volts of electricity.
There were three separate incidents in Iqaluit during that storm and each one was attended to in approximately one hour.
In Igloolik, during storm and whiteout conditions, the Nunavut Power operator was working without a second crew. This means that a significant number of safety precautions must be adhered to. Winds caused a large portion of the community to be without power due to the loss of a primary line.
During a lull in the storm, he managed to isolate the break in the line and restore power to most of the community.
Mr. Speaker, we can all appreciate that the Qulliq Energy Corporation plant operators and our line crews are doing dangerous work under very, very difficult conditions. The line workers and plant operators at Qulliq Energy Corporation are trained to work safely, but it is still a cold and difficult job maintaining power in our communities in weather such as we are experiencing over the past several days and weeks.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask that you would join with me in congratulating and thanking our very dedicated Qulliq Energy Corporation employees.
Going back to the Orders of the Day. Item 3.
Member’s Statement 172 – 2(3): Kitikmeot Meat Plant in Cambridge Bay (Peterson)
I rise today to inform the House about a good-news story from Cambridge Bay.
A plan to diversify the economy is important to a community. When we depend on one or two economic sectors to create most of our employment opportunities, it is also likely that many people will not be able to find jobs and will have to rely on income support to feed their family.
Mr. Speaker, if developed properly, the renewable resource centre in Nunavut holds great promise for many communities.