EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
I suggest that wherever possible you ask your detailed questions during the page-by-page review.
I just want to remind all members that the contents of the minister’s opening comments are covered in the different branches.
Seeing none, we will go page K-4. Economic Development and Transportation. Branch Summary.
Corporate Management. I would appreciate if members would indicate to me at the start of each branch if you want to ask questions on that particular branch.
Mr. Enook (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, (interpretation) welcome.
Mr. Chairman, with your forbearance, I would like to ask for more details or explanation on the minister’s response earlier. I would like to ask another question with your permission.
Prior to moving to that item, can I ask my question?
It is a request for further information only.
Chairman: Yes. Mr. Enook.
I just want to fully understand the reasoning. Mr. Minister, in the English version on page 2, I want to find out what the reasoning is behind the wording.
It states that this fund is to provide assistance for tourism and the figure listed here is $1,550,000, which is specified for community programs.
Now, is the figure for the hamlet and local organizations that are to be involved in this process? Is this for them or for another purpose? Here I refer to local hamlets or local initiatives related to tourism.
That is what I want to understand here.
The $1,550,000 has a portion set aside of $276,000 going to Nunavut Film.
It would include $101,000 for salaries, $175,000 for film projects, and $100,000 would be used for the (interpretation ends) Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association (interpretation) so that they can be more visible in Nunavut and to successfully make plans and to hire more Inuit.
Also, the $1,285,000 increase would be for Nunavut Tourism.
It is called Tunngasaiji.
It’s to strengthen their plan for the future for tourism to grow in Nunavut.
I could have asked this on K-5, but it was in the opening comments, so I had overlooked the page.
Mr. Chairman, if you can allow me, I just need another clarification on the opening comments.
On page 4 of the minister’s opening comments, the last part in English, I’m not sure if it’s i or 1.
It states that “the Nunavut Economic Development Strategy is nearing completion.”
Who is going to be involved for Nunavut economic development?
Is it a board? Is it staff?
That is what I would like to get more information on.
The question posed is under page K-5.
We’re on page K-4. Economic Development and Transportation. Branch Summary.
Corporate Management. Mr. Savikataaq.
I think my question might be on K-5 too.
It’s about the Nunavut Credit Corporation.
I just need clarity whether it’s on K-4 or K-5.
Chairman: Under K-4.
Mr. Savikataaq: I just need some explanations from the minister.
I can’t find it here, but in Mr. Rumbolt’s opening comments, the department wants to increase the borrowing limits of the Nunavut Credit Corporation from $1 million to $2 million. In the core funding, the Nunavut Credit Corporation gets $600,000 and I’m sure they can’t lend out more than they get.
I just need an explanation or guidance of where the money is coming from.
I didn’t want to make a mistake.
I knew what it was, but this is just for planning purposes.
The policy will have to be amended if this is the way things will be planned to increase their ability to increase the grants and contributions approvals.
I think the minister didn’t understand my question or I didn’t understand her answer.
Currently, you can borrow up to $1 million from the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation and their core funding is $600,000.
I just want to know where else is this funding coming from because I’m sure that it is somewhere else here.
I’m on page 178 of the business plan and the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation’s core funding is $600,000.
Currently, they can lend out up to $1 million. The minister wants to increase that to $2 million.
If someone did borrow up to $1 million, $600,000 is not enough to cover it.
There must be funding somewhere else where the money would come from.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): This item currently is under the (interpretation ends) Nunavut Business Credit Corporation, (interpretation) if that is what the member is referencing.
The amounts lent out by this corporation throughout Nunavut up to now totals approximately $20 million. Further, it is true that the minimum amount you can apply for is set at $125,000 up to $1 million. That is the amount they can lend to a Nunavut-based business.
If I can get approval to bring in my official, Tanya Winmill, who is our Comptroller, she can provide that level of detail.
Mr. Chairman, I would like your permission to ask her to be taken to the table while my ADM vacates his seat, if you don’t mind.
Chairman: Iqsuktii, go ahead.
Sorry. Members have been asked if she can get an extra witness in.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Sergeant-at-Arms, Ms. Winmill.
Actually, NBCC has what is provided to the Department of Finance in working capital of up to $25 million and that is what their loans are paid out of. It is out of that working capital.
Mr. Savikataaq: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for the explanation.
If I understand then, the money that NBCC lends out comes from the Department of Finance’s working capital.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Yes, Mr. Chairman.
The total funds at their disposal that they can lend out is over $20 million, but with respect to the actual process of approving applications, I will have to ask that Ms. Winmill be allowed to respond.
Sorry, I wasn’t very clear.
The Department of Finance is provided with what you call a working capital, which is a line of credit, essentially, which is up to $25 million that NBCC uses to loan out money to entities or corporations throughout Nunavut.
The current portfolio, I think, if I understand the question correctly, is you are wondering, with the loan portfolio of already $21 million, where they would get more money to loan more funds. No?
Chairman: Mr. Savikataaq, clarification.
No, I just wanted clarity on where the money for the loan was from because the core funding for the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation was $600,000 a year and they want to increase the limit to $2 million. I just want to know where the money was.
Obviously, if you have $600,000 funding, you can’t lend out $2 million. It’s just simple math. I just wanted to know where it was coming from.
If I understand, you just made it clear that it’s a working capital that is with the Department of Finance.
When people or businesses access the loans that the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation gives out, it actually comes out from the Department of Finance’s funds. They have a working capital there.
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Ms. Winmill will respond.
Ms. Winmill: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s not under the Department of Finance. The Department of Finance has given us the working capital, so it is under the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation.
We report on it at year-end. It’s for the financial statements.
That’s what I want to know. Where is it in the budget? I just want to be educated on where I can find this budget.
First, I thought it was in the Finance budget, but now it’s clear that it’s actually in the ED&T budget. Where can I find it amongst all these papers I have where it is?
Hon. Monica Ell (interpretation): Ms. Winmill will respond to that as well.
The $600,000 that you see is for our contribution to the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation to operate, which really just, we give them funding for their salaries.
You won’t see the working capital in ED&T’s budget; it is under the Department of Finance.
I’m just getting totally confused now.
I asked if it was like under ED&T’s budget and you said no, it’s in the Department of Finance’s budget, so then I asked if the money belongs in the Department of Finance and you just have access to it and then you tell me, “No, it’s not under the Department of Finance’s budget.”
I just want to know where I can find a line item budget where the $20 million plus is located.
The money that he is asking about is in the Department of Finance.
Mr. Savikataaq: Thank you. I thank the minister for clearly stating that this budget is under the Department of Finance.
I’ll just go on before I get confused further.
Back in October of 2014, the former minister who was responsible for the department stated that they were developing the new revised NNI Policy and it was due to be scheduled shortly.
Due to scheduling conflicts with NTI, they hadn’t completed it yet.
What is the current status of the review of the NNI Policy?
Regarding the new revised Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti Policy where there’s a requirement to hire Inuit under Article 24 in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, this policy is still being discussed by the Nunavut government staff and Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated. They have set up a committee that will be reviewing the NNI Policy.
They are still negotiating on the contents and we’re looking at possibly completing this review by spring.
The minister stated that the report is coming out in the spring of this year, 2015.
Is that just a report on the recommendation of the NNI Policy or the new NNI Policy or a revised NNI Policy?
Chairman (Mr. Mikkungwak): Minister Ell.
The revised NNI Policy will be tabled.
I know that it is still being reviewed, but can the minister indicate whether the revised NNI Policy will include whether QEC is part of the NNI Policy or they’re excluded?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) Hon. Minister, Ms. Ell.
Hon. Monica Ell: The revised policy will include QEC.
There’s another part of this here too.
What is the department’s position on replacing the current NNI Contracting Appeals Board with a new body that has a broader mandate to hear appeals of government contract awards based on evaluative factors beyond simply the application of the NNI Policy, not just the dollar figures, but on the whole scheme of the evaluating process?
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. Minister Ell.
The department has contracted the services of a procurement lawyer with the firm BLG to facilitate the research for the comprehensive review. BLG completed the review.
We are currently looking at those reports with GN staff, the private sector entrepreneurs, and representatives from NTI.
Part of that includes looking at how the appeals board is applied and whether we should go into a more structured format.
It’s my last question here.
The makeup of what the appeals board could be, is that going to be part of the NNI Policy when it does come out, when it’s done, or is it separate or is it part of the revised policy?
That is an important issue that we may wish to act upon without an approval of a new policy and that is the issue of professionalizing the contracting appeals board, and we are currently looking at that.
I would just like to take Mr. Savikataaq’s question just a little bit further.
Last year, I brought up during Committee of The Whole proceedings that the appeals process didn’t really have a lot of teeth, I believe, was the wording I used at the time.
In a response from the department official, it said that “the appeals board only makes a recommendation and has a fairly limited scope.”
With this review of the appeals board, is there going to be more “teeth” added to their mandate?
Ms. Ell.  Hon. Monica Ell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The current board is composed of laypersons. The hearings have become extremely complex and require extensive legal knowledge such that the current board is unable to fulfill the requirements.
A new version of the board would be constituted with professionals with expertise in contract law, public procurement law, and administrative law.
Just to further elaborate on my question, is this appeals board going to have the ability to put disciplinary measures to non-conforming contractors?
Mr. Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for that blunt answer. Thank you.
I would just like to take a little step over to the Iqaluit airport.
In your opening comments on page 3, it speaks that “the department still needs to retain enough internal capacity to manage those responsibilities which have not been transferred to the private partner.”
I’m going by memory, but I seem to recall that there weren’t going to be any jobs lost from the Department of Economic Development and Transportation through this airport authority during the construction period, yet I have been made aware of at least three positions that have been either eliminated or reallocated.
Maybe if the minister could just give me a little education on that.
I would like to ask my Assistant Deputy Minister of Transportation to come back and sit with me with those questions and ask Ms. Winmill to leave.
Chairman: Does the committee agree for the officials’ switch?
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation): Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the official out and the other official to come in.
Please introduce your employee.
This is my Assistant Deputy Minister of Transportation, Mr. Jim Stevens. I will ask him to answer the question from the member.
The Iqaluit airport project is a very complex project and at this time, we have retained two staff members to provide the oversight to the project.
Mr. Hickes: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank Mr. Stevens for that response.
Just for clarity, with those two positions that you retained, are those from the original three positions that were moved out?
Chairman: I think that question would best be reflected in K-6, but Ms. Ell, if you want to respond. Ms. Ell.
Hon. Monica Ell: I’ll ask Mr. Stevens to answer that question.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. Mr. Stevens.
The two positions that I alluded to are in the process of being reassessed and re-profiled relative to new duties.
There’s also consideration of one additional person relative to regulatory and compliance issues.
The reason I’m asking is that I feel it falls directly under the Directorate section of the business plan when you’re establishing the positions that are needed to do the duties of the department.
Forgive me; I’m just not quite clear here.
I know there were three positions that were either eliminated or moved and I don’t recall the actual titles of them. I know a couple of the individuals and I know that they have, from what I understand, left the employ of Economic Development and Transportation.
Are these the same individuals who are brought back under these restructured positions to enhance the corporate knowledge for this whole project moving forward from years past?
Can I just get some clarification, Mr. Chairman?
I’ll ask Mr. Stevens to answer that question.
Of those three positions, one position has stayed throughout the course and that’s the director’s position.
I believe that answers my questions.
If I’ve got any further questions on that topic, I’ll go see the minister directly.
Still again, it’s on the implementation of the department. If the Chairman will indulge me, I would like to ask about the Inuit employment levels.
There was a lot of discussion on an Article 24 committee being formed.
At that time, when I was asking the question last year in Committee of the Whole, they were saying that they had just met for the first time with the proponent and would be evaluating and starting the process of recruiting Inuit employees.
My question is: what type of criteria was established through that committee on Inuit employment percentages and are those numbers being maintained?
The first annual audit of the project company’s Inuit engagement in the project was started by the NNI Secretariat in October 2014.
I would like to ask Mr. Stevens to answer the latter part of his question.
Mr. Stevens: Mr. Chairman, I must apologize, I didn’t understand the latter part of the question.
Chairman: Mr. Hickes, can you repeat the question?
As this project falls outside of a normal NNI type of a contract, we were informed that there would still be minimum Inuit employment numbers associated with the project. I was asking what those numbers are and are they being maintained.
The project has two Inuit labour requirements, one for the construction period and one for the operating period.
For the operating period, there’s an initial requirement of 20 percent and then there’s an escalator clause of 6.7 percent increase over every five-year period to a maximum of 60 percent.
For the capital construction, there is an overall percentage requirement of 15 percent. In any given year, there should be no less than 10 percent.
Are there any other incentives or conditions within the contract on northern employment?
I have spoken a number of times in this House that not only Inuit employment is important, but also employing Nunavummiut on projects of this size and staffing needs.
I was just wondering if there are any requirements under the contracting process for northern employment.
We are not aware of northern employment and we will have to get back to the member on that question.
I would like to think that a project of this scope would have more than 10 percent Nunavummiut working on it.
I would like to switch gears over to the pay-for-power program under the Energy Secretariat.
I had asked some questions to the Minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation to clarify a little bit of the interaction that has gone on with the Energy Secretariat.
I was just wondering, maybe from the ED&T’s side of things, if they could explain the objective, scope, and terms of reference for the pay-for-power program.
The pay-for-power program is a Housing program.
In the department’s draft 2015-18 business plan, it indicated that in the 2014 fiscal year, “Energy Secretariat staff have worked closely with colleagues at the Nunavut Housing Corporation on a number of actions, including working towards a new pay-for-power program for public housing tenants, a tenant energy conservation program and energy efficient retrofits.”
That’s where I was asking how the Energy Secretariat plays in the objective, scope, and terms of reference for this program.
Yes, we are working collaboratively with the housing department.
I would like Mr. Suvega to answer that question.
As the minister alluded, we are working collaboratively with the Nunavut Housing Corporation on future initiatives.
This is a direct result of our membership with Arctic Energy Alliance.
We are trying to take advantage of existing research and information that we could apply within the territory on future programs like this.
As I am sure most members will know I have always been a strong proponent of energy conservation, especially within the public housing field, if you want to call it that way.
The deputy minister mentioned that there are other collaborative efforts that are going on with the Nunavut Housing Corporation.
Maybe if the deputy minister would be able to just elaborate a little bit more on what types of ventures that they are looking at working with Nunavut Housing on.
There a number of areas we do try and explore depending on the availability of things like funding, resources both within the department and other partners, such as people or information that is available. Other initiatives might include things like alternative energy options for the future, solar panel energy, energy reduction initiatives, and various types of housing programs, lights, and metering was mention this week. I also saw that.
It depends on the type of partnering that happens at the time and what funding we can access.
One recent example would be energy audits conducted within homes.
We tried to do a pilot here in Iqaluit. We would like to try and go after even more resources in the future to see how we can expand this throughout the territory.
Exciting results, I must say.
I was in touch with a representative from your department regarding the energy audit and a lot of the spots were filled, so it’s obviously a well-received program.
Just more of a comment, Mr. Chairman, I would just like to encourage the department under the Energy Secretariat to continue this work and work collaboratively not just with the Nunavut Housing Corporation but Qulliq Energy to explore how more partnerships could be arranged through alternative energy sourcing and energy conservation methods. That is just a statement.
I take that as a comment and with that comment, we will take a 10-minute break.
>>Committee recessed at 18:06 and resumed at 18:27
A number of your department’s key policies, including the Community Transportation Initiative Program, the Country Food Distribution Program, the Small Business Support Program, and some other programs where the contribution policies have expired, your department’s business plan indicated that one of the priorities for the 2014-15 fiscal year was to “Facilitate stakeholder consultations and assist in the renewal of economic development contribution program policies and guidelines.”
Were there any significant changes to the policies and, if so, what were they?
I am aware that a number of department contribution policies have sunset and need to be renewed.
For the time being, the department is implementing its programs using the existing policies, but we are committed to developing new policies to best implement Sivumut Abluqta. I have directed the department to make this work a priority.
I’m wondering if the department can tell me if they have actually gone into some of the communities to talk about the policies.
Currently, we have not gone to any communities, but that is part of the plan.
We will look to seeing what comes out of those consultations.
I’m going to your business plan on page 178 where you talk about the Nunavut Economic Forum.
I believe, in the first week of December, there was a conference put on to talk about the next Nunavut Economic Development Strategy, what it would look like.
I know that you’re planning to launch the new strategy some time in this fiscal year, but do you have an actual date in mind and, if so, what is the date and what are the next steps?
What are you going to do with this information and how will it be implemented?
Hon. Monica Ell: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation) They held their meeting in December and all the discussions that happened have been transcribed to the Nunavut Economic Forum website.
With respect to the Sivumut strategy, Paul Suvega sits as the chairman of the committee representing the government.
He can explain where they’re at.
As the minister pointed out, we are members of the economic forum.
The current draft of the strategy is being reviewed by the forum members.
We hope to try and conclude the review early in 2015.
By April, we hope to have it out to most of the members.
The emphasis here is to try and get it out to the membership so that they all agree on what the strategy is going to look like and what some of the outcomes might be, not just for the economic forum but all the membership and how they will feed into the strategy going forward.
Can the department tell us a little bit more on who that membership is?
The membership consists of the Government of Nunavut along with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, as well as membership from CanNor and non-profit organizations as well as other organizations that deal with economic development in Nunavut.
I’m going to go on to something else.
It’s to do with the new Iqaluit airport project and the NNI Secretariat participation.
It says here, “…specific Schedule 24 Advisory Panel.”
I’m just wondering if you can tell me what the mandate of this panel is and maybe we could just start there.
It’s on page 179.
Hon. Monica Ell: Thank you, Itsivautaaq.
I will ask Mr. Suvega to answer that question.
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Suvega.
The makeup of the panel is largely comprised of government departments and organizations, the proponents, as well as federal departments and agencies that try and work with the proponents in trying to meet and adhere to contracting terms and conditions to try and meet Inuit employment targets.
Can the department tell me exactly which departments sit on that panel and who chairs it?