EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Which page is the member referring to?
I'm lost so if she could state the number.
I'm sorry. 7-12.
Recreation Contribution Program.
Under 7-12 the money has been reduced because it’s been moved to 7-10 under Recreation and Leisure Grants and we have transported it to that section.
We will have more training for inter-community sports, Inuit Games, as well as Hamlet Days, that’s what they requested so that’s why we have transferred it.
Under 7-11 Water and Sewage Service funding.
I was told that this was water and sewage delivery is very expensive and it’s the amount of $5 million, 71 thousand.
It has not been increased for quote some time, even though the community needs more service.
I'm just wondering why this has not increased.
We follow how many houses that they have, how many trucks that they have and so on, that is how we formulate this.
In the 26 communities, the money has not been increased for this project.
It has nothing to do with capital.
This is just for the operations and maintenance.
Yes, I know it’s got to do with just Operations and Maintenance but it still gets expensive when you have to operate in the community.
Perhaps this will not be enough for those 26 communities.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $48 million, 348 thousand.
Will that translation be corrected before we pass this?
I wanted to find that out before I agree to that page.
The reason why I did not agree to water and sewage service funding is because the hamlets in the communities, I wanted them to be able to get more funding for that.
I’d like to ask another question Mr. Chairman.
Will there be an increase to the grants and contributions under water and sewage block funding in the future?
It has been increased about two years ago and we have increased the operations of the hamlets to $3 million dollars.
What we do, is we use a formula base and count how many water tanks there are and how much sewage services are required and what we do is follow the number of trucks and houses and water tanks.
We have also increased the operations of the hamlets to $3 million dollars.
I know that there’s a $3 million dollars increase on the Municipal Operating Assistance but some communities will probably be in a deficit again.
There’s an increase in housing and there’s a lot more service to be provided by the hamlet.
How many years is this going to be used for?
What we do is we give them an overall increase of 16 percent to all the hamlets.
The water and sewage services, what we do is provide it according to the size of the population of the community and how much water delivery they need and sewage services.
That’s what we follow.
If there was an increase in the population of a community, we would look at it again and review it.
You didn’t increase it because it’s usually the right amount?
What we do is the public pays for their own services and what they do is they figure it out at the hamlet level.
They figure out what services they need and figure out how much they provide and then they would increase the funding and if they think its okay then we leave it at that.
For the smaller communities, there is no way for them to have any extra funding for them.
Could there be any more money if they would need it?
If the number of water tank increase and they need more sewage services, then we would probably provide more funding for them.
What we do is we count how many houses need these kinds of services and that is the amount of money that we set aside for that purpose.
So, Mr. Chairman, the Municipal Finance Review has been done and those are the types of things that we took into consideration.
Community Government. Total Operations and Maintenance. $48 million, 758 thousand.
Chairperson (interpretation): Transportation. 7-13.
Total Operations and Maintenance. 15 million, 738 thousand.
I have one question, Mr. Chairman.
I would like my question to be understood, I think it is under Transportation Emergency Services.
Under the Business Plan of the Department, the fire marshal, I tried to look at the Business Plans, under the Business Plans, it states that under priorities for 2003 and 2004, to do with Nunavut Emergency Measurement Management, is responsible for the office of the fire marshal and that Emergency Measure Organization.
In my Constituency of Arctic Bay and in Grise Fiord, the conditions of the two offices are quite bad over there and if you entered them you could smell oil, and in the other there is a leak in the office in Arctic Bay.
My question is, Mr. Chairman, is in regards to the fire marshal, would they be able to bring that fire marshal up to those two communities to look at those two buildings, office buildings under Emergency Management?
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): We just agreed to Emergency Management in the previous page.
I understand what the Member is talking about.
We can send a fire marshal up there to check those two buildings.
I apologize that we just approved the budget, but I do not see it, I guess it is too late.
I would really like the health inspector and the fire marshal, together, go inspect those buildings.
They can probably advise the Government as to the state and condition of the building.
Can they determine whether it has to be condemned or not?
They have not seen yet, so they cannot say what the conditions of those buildings are.
So, we will direct them to inspect those buildings and once they have those inspections done, we will find out what their directions are.
Yes, I am aware that they haven’t been up there to do their inspections, but once they have done the inspections, can they give directions to the department as to what the estimates would be to improve the conditions.
Or, can they condemned the building and say it’s a safety hazard.
The fire marshal has regulations and they are very stringent and they have that authority.
I have seen cases where the health inspector staff, once they’ve done an inspection, they do a report as to what needs to be worked on and the fire marshal does a report as to what work needs to be done.
Whether it be a restaurant or whether they need two doorways in a building.
They can give those types of directions and they would tell us.
Under transportation on the business plan, one of the priorities that you have on page 7-11, in regards to advance the Nunavut, Manitoba and the Bathurst Inlet road project, correct me if I’m wrong on this, but I was hearing that they must be going back to the drawing board on the Bathurst Inlet project.
Have you heard anything different that the project is still a go or otherwise.
I’m not sure, I’m just trying to get an update from you if you’ve heard anything from them.
Hon. Manitok Thompson: We’re still progressing on that project and we haven’t stalled on anything on that.
As far as I know it’s still one of the initiatives of the government and we’re working with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association on it.
My question is, you can stop me if I’m wrong.
As my colleague from the High Arctic asked and further to her question, the state and conditions of those buildings, the fire marshals have the only authority it seems to determine that, even though the community knows that the condition is unbearable.
So, is the fire marshal the only one with the authority in that regard.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you. To move things along, we’re in transportation.
That was already passed.
So, please keep in line with what we’re dealing with because that is not within our topic.
That’s the last question.
I’ll let the Minister respond.
I was asked whether those people can go do those inspections and I said, yes, we can send them.
Page 7-14, the top one, community aerodrome radio stations, are they not being given more funds.
She stated in her opening remarks that they were having financial problems and that there will be no increase in the budget.
It was 4.4 and there is an increase of up to 4.6 million.
Can you please explain that as to what the increase is for?
On the slight increase, I was told that we cannot increase it for two years.
There will be a freeze in the increases for two years.
Just on the bottom of that, Airport’s Capital Assistance Program, has that been moved elsewhere to another line item.
There are no funds for this year, although there was some for 2002-2003.
Has that been moved somewhere else?
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Once this funding was from the Federal Government, we are expecting it through negotiation, and then it will be put in there, once the funds come in.
Just to look back at that.
Once I see the funding is put in there, I will ask further questions.
I heard over the radio that $2.6 million dollars funding, is that the funds that you are waiting for from the Federal Government?
There are negotiations underway.
Once there is an announcement, I will pass on the information to my colleagues.
Under Community Aerodrome Radio (CARS), anyhow, it is a mouthful.
I heard something over the radio last week about a contract being awarded to a Yellowknife company to run the CARS Station in a couple of communities in the Baffin.
To me that is ludicrous, that outside contractors are trying to administer a contract inside of Nunavut.
I do not know who writes those contracts up, but in my community, the Hamlet does it and they do a very good job.
Maybe that is not the case in the other communities, in the Baffin where they are giving it to a Yellowknife firms, I heard.
I want you to know that if you cannot negotiate with the CARS to run them locally, or find a business in town to run them, I think it is just a tragedy that a company in Yellowknife is running those contracts outside of Nunavut.
I do not think that it is right.
I do not agree with it, because I am certainly sure that if I did one in the NWT, they would not let me run it.
I am just trying to give a plug here in Nunavut that we should not let dollars leak out of the Territory.
It is more of a comment.
On your transportation strategy 2001, on page 9, our vision for transportation in 2021 is that there are clearly marked and maintained routes between the communities.
There is efficient access to hunting and fishing sites adjacent to communities.
Inter-community and well used community trails are patrolled.
Inter-community routes have strategically placed emergency shelters.
Some inter-community trails have been upgraded to seasonal roads, and possible to all weather roads, depending on traffic levels.
There are important new surface transport routes between the Kivalliq region and Manitoba, and between the Kitikmeot regions, mining properties in Bathurst Inlet.
These are all weather routes where resource development projects are able to contribute substantially to the required funding, and also the announcement of the Kimmirut/Iqaluit Road.
The point that I am getting to is that, will your department commit to a long-term strategy in O&M of putting in a budget line every year of a quarter of a million dollars for the Kivalliq Road, the Bathurst Inlet Road, and the Kimmirut Road, so if it in there as a line item, this will be the beginning of starting something, because right now it is a hit and miss issue.
What I’m getting at here Minister, is if we commit say a certain amount of money in Operations and Maintenance, for whatever studies that it’s going to take, that this will be an ongoing thing and it’s not something we jump to in crisis when somebody speaks up and says what about this road and what about this road.
So, will your department look at putting on that line item?
At least it’s there and if you’ve got a quarter of a million dollars, or, I’m just throwing a figure out at you, $200 thousand dollars a year, then it’s easier to go access federal funding to match it or something like that so these studies can continue.
If we study for another ten years, at least there’s money in the budget to study them and implement them down the road and maybe big brother in Ottawa someday will feel sorry for this poor little territory and give us some money to develop a highway system that no other territory or province in Canada does not have some kind of linkage to southern Canada.
That’s just my question, if you’ll put that in as a line item for the next 20 years.
For the next 20 years, I don’t know but yes, we can do that for the next, how many years did we build that road.
Hundreds of years.
Mr. Chairman, we will put that in the line item the next time we do the budget.
Mr. Nutarak, mentioned the C.A.R.S. program, you stated that there will be a freeze for two years and the staff for the C.A.R.S. belong to a union, they are part of the hamlet union.
We’ll need to see increases in their compensation.
If there is a freeze from the Federal Government for two years, will the Community Government & Transportation have to pay for the difference that the Federal Government will not pay anymore?
We can review that question with my department so that we’re not totally dependant on the Federal Government.
We will review it.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Just below it, Minor Works for coast guard, we’re given $394 thousand dollars, does the Nunavut Government have to pay 100 percent or is that totally coming from the Federal Government.
And on the last line, Airports Capital Assistance Program, the Federal Government will no longer sponsor the program for 2003/2004, and you stated that you had filed several applications for the A.C.A.P. criteria pending federal approval.
Is that forthcoming and how much do you think it will be.
Mr. Chairman, what I’m trying to say here is that they’re useful for say like the Coral Harbour garage at the airport terminal, will be built this year.
If that will continue, those communities with the run down terminal in a lot of the Nunavut communities, the Federal Government if they no longer give those funds and if you can’t find other funds, how are you going to deal with that Line Item?
Those buildings are under a different program, it is not this program.
This program is for snow blowers, heavy equipment for the airports.
This is an ongoing program from the Federal Government.
We are doing the negotiations now.
We will get money for it.
I just cannot tell you how much we will get this year.
That is encouraging to hear.
Page 7-15.
The funding for land administration, it started in 1993. $1 million, 126 thousand dollars that there is a cap, run until 2003.
Why is it only until 2003?
What has the Federal Government said in saying that they will no longer fund it because we need more work on the Land Claims Agreement?
In 2003-2004, there will be a new agreement.
Will it be more or if there is no further funds coming in, what will happen to those positions of land administrators in the communities?
Would you have to lay them off if the money is not coming?
This is negotiated by EIA and they will have to negotiate it again, they will have to renew this program again, that is all it is saying.
Mr. Arvaluk: They are going to have to or will they not?
Is there a commitment from the Federal side that they will renegotiate a new deal on under that 2003 and they have assured EIA that there will be a new deal to continue that land administration program?
I cannot speak for the Federal Government, but the negotiations are ongoing through EIA for this particular issue.
Can you at least find out from EIA that the Federal Government has agreed to continue this program, maybe under the different terms of agreement?
I do not expect the Minister to speak for the Federal Government, but has the Federal Government told EIA that they will continue to do that?
The agreement only ends in 2003 with the deal that after 2003, were in the year 2003, we have to negotiate a new deal, but we will continue.
Have they told the EIA that?
Hon. Manitok Thompson: I can just make a commitment from my staff that we will be assisting EIA with the negotiations and I can find more information if it is for the Member, but at this time, I cannot say what EIA has planned for this, but we are working with the EIA Department internally.
This is very important because if the communities do not have land administrators and they are in the mercy of these programs, if this program ends, so is the administration program.
That usually helps the community very much in town planning and things like that now, where the commercial areas are and residential, water reservoirs, garbage site relocation and things like that.
On page 7-16, are the Coast Guard of Nunavut, are the auxiliary programs and Canada/Nunavut infrastructure program are funded 100% by the Federal Government or does the Government of Nunavut have to continue to that?
We will contribute to those programs.
What is the portion from each, from the Federal Government, I know they’re putting in 153 thousand dollars and the infrastructure program is 1 million 65.
What amount will you contribute to that.
For the emergency planning, the 39 percent from the Federal Government and rest of it from us.
For the Canada infrastructure program, how much is it, 50/50.
Are you done.
Mr. Arvaluk: I don’t know if this is really a question but in my opening remarks, Mr. Chairman, I stressed the need to review how the Community Government & Transportation is not proportionately divided for the purposes of serving the communities.
For example, on page 7-17, the compensation and benefits distribution or payments for the government offices in headquarters and the three regions is every entry on the 28th.
But if you look at the headquarters alone, but the regional offices is quite a bit smaller, who have direct contact as you stated, Minister, direct contact with the communities.
Non-direct contact at the headquarters is 8 million dollars.
That’s more than half of the total budget for the three regions.
I know this is in the policy planning, but I think you will have to reconsider where we can streamline within the government so that the hamlets can have a little bit more share of that total budget of $99 million dollars.
That is just a comment Mr. Chairman.
Regarding his comments 878 thousand dollars, it’s not a million figure.
Is that what he’s talking about.
Regarding his comments, I understood with his opening comments that my department will do a review and I think that’s what his wishes are and that’s what we can commit to, doing a review within my department.
Yes, I was talking about the compensation and benefits for headquarters for $8.3 million dollars and the rest are $2.5 and $1.2 and $1.1 respectively.
The last question.
I’d like to do, or second last question, I’m sorry.
In the travel and transportation, for your staff travelling to regions and communities and where else, who knows, 2 million dollars.
That’s a whole lot of travel.
Is that for the hamlets that are in financial problems because we hardly get anyone from your department going to Coral Harbour after Sean left.
I don’t know who goes there anymore.
I’m less concerned about that $2 million dollar travel budget.
Under contract services, can you tell me exactly what these are for, a total of $11 million, 402 thousand dollars?
Hon. Manitok Thompson: Actually Margaret Taylor was in Coral Harbour for quite some time.
She’s from my department in the regional office, so there are a lot more people going to Coral Harbour after Shawn became an Assistant Deputy Minister.
So we’ve staff traveling over there some times just the names are probably not familiar.
We are the most decentralized department in the government.
We have decentralized to 9 communities throughout Nunavut.
We have a community; we have part of the department in Cape Dorset, Resolute Bay, Arctic Bay, Nanisivik, Igloolik, Baker Lake, Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, and Kugluktuk.
There are a lot of decentralized positions in those communities and that’s why that travel budget is that high.
And I may have missed one more of the questions so I will have Mr. Rafter say something because he’s been quiet for quite a while.
With respect to the contract services under transportation, the vast majority of those funds are used for airport operating contracts and that’s basically funding which in about 90 percent of the cases goes directly to municipalities for operating the airports.
I think I forget what I was going to say.
Page 7-13.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $15 million, 738 thousand dollars.
Go back to page 7-4.
Total Operations and Maintenance. $72 million, 23 thousand dollars.
The different departments that we’ve reviewed, $4 million for Department of Sustainable Development, $12 million, Human Resources, $16 million, Department of Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, $8 million, 620 thousand dollars.
Looking at these departmental budgets for Operations and Maintenance, for these government departments, the Community Government & Transportation have increased by $3 million but a lot of the communities continue to have problems regarding deficits.
What I think is that the Community Government & Transportation in representing these communities, in the 26 communities, these municipalities are very short of funds for operating their hamlets.
$8 million dollars for Human Resources, I think that is how much the hamlet operating budget should be it’s at $13 million dollars.
There is a lot of travelling to the communities from the department.
I do not see any improvements that they are making from all these travels and I think that it is just a waste of money in my mind.
Community visits, financial management assistance and there are not improving the services.
That is how I see it.
That is why I need a better explanation as to how they use that budget to the best that they can?
Hon. Manitok Thompson (interpretation): We try to use those funds to the best that we can.
For instance, those trips to Clyde River, they got a shiny new fire truck.
We got it almost immediately when it burnt down.
The Community Government employee, Timoon Toonoo out of Cape Dorset, visited those communities for fives years to help them plan for this, and the Hamlets were very grateful for the help.
My departmental staff, and Joanasie Akumalik, as well, thanked my department for getting officials into their communities to assist Hamlet employees.
They are always open to go into these communities because if they do not need the assistance then they would not be asking for assistance from my departmental staff.
If you want that stopped, I could do that.
If there is no insurance then the Hamlet in the community, it would have been impossible to get a replacement fire truck, but because it was insured then the Government said that the insurance will cover it so we might as well pay for it.
Some of the communities who asked for assistance, from what I have seen, they are taking some of the funds from the Hamlets for those visits, from my experience anyways.
Is that so, or not?
My departmental staff once they go to the Hamlets, they do not charge the Hamlets for those services.
Lootie Toomasie of Qikiqtarjuaq, the Mayor, he was also very grateful for the support that he gets from my department. I do hear any complaints about the support that my staff gives to the Hamlets.
In Clyde River we tried the best that we can when their Fire Hall burnt down.
I guess that there might be a misunderstanding as to why our staff travelled to those communities.
They do not charge the Hamlets for those services.
I’m trying to represent my community.
Once the departmental staff go to those communities, they also ask me to come because it seems their staff do not seem to be supporting, they go to the communities but they do not seem to help.
But because I have more authority, I am just wondering whether they will continue to try and meet the needs from those communities. I think that that is where the misunderstanding comes from.
As the Members representing the communities we always have to try to keep up with the needs of the communities, even though the departmental staffs goes to the communities.
I would like an explanation why they go to the communities?
What I seem to understand is do not let the staff go to Clyde River.
We do not need them.
Is that what I am hearing?
If so, yes I can make it so.
We can let the Hamlet know.
Chairperson (interpretation): There may be a misunderstanding in there regarding those exchanges.
We are dealing with the Department Budget’s Main Estimates.