EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
When we asked the minister about this during our March sitting, she said that she would talk to the airlines in regard to the patients being left behind due to lack of room on the airplane.
Particularly, when I was here in March, there was an elder who was left behind by the plane four times even though they had been at the airport four times, but because the transportation office is in Pangnirtung; this elder could not make the phone call themselves directly. This individual was left behind, although he was being helped by the family.
So what is the status of your meeting with the airlines to make sure that patients get on their flights on time?
Not to generalize too much in terms of this response because every case is on a case-by-case basis. If there is an elder that the individual is referring to that he had discussed this issue with in March, we need to know who that elder was to deal with the specifics of what actually happened with that person.
The procedures that are in place is; if a person is done with their appointments, the first available flight bookings are made, and those are made through our staff. The discharge papers are issued here and that information is sent to Pangnirtung, and the travel bookings are made for the first available flight.
Depending on the situation where I don’t know the exact scenario of this one, but not every case is the same, it could be weather; it could be the fact that this person was done their appointment sooner than later, and so on.
So there are a number of factors, and it’s not broad generally speaking.
So in order to respond to that specific individual’s case, I need the name of the person, and we will follow up to try and respond to that specific file.
But, generally speaking, I can’t respond to the hypothetical scenario because every case is different and every case management process is different.
So if the member can share with me the individual’s name, I can then proceed with responding.
What discussions have we had with the airlines?
We meet with the airlines. The airlines here have the direct lines to our staff.
At the same time, there is staff here in Iqaluit, as well as in Pangnirtung, as well as in Ottawa, so there is a direct connection with the airlines on a regular basis in supporting travel transportation of our patients.
This is a problem for all.
It is not just a case-by-case incident.
I don’t even want to mention the individual elder’s name. I’ll tell you privately and meet with you in your office privately to discuss this matter.
What I’m saying is that patients are constantly left behind, especially elders.
The elders know exactly when they’re supposed to leave and they know when they are to meet the doctor, and they request escorts if they’re going to see a chiropractor, or get an operation, or if they’re going down to one of the provinces, since it’s not their community, and they don’t know the community itself.
When they are not approved, they have to make an appeal to Rankin Inlet.
How long does this appeal process take to deal with in Rankin Inlet?
Again, case-by-case, if there are people left and stranded at the airport, tell me who they are, and we’ll follow up.
We need to know who they are to follow up if that is the situation that the member is referring to.
If it relates to this specific individual elder case, I would be glad to follow up.
But, the individuals that are being transported are given support through the boarding home staff, they are transported to the airport, they are made sure that they get on the plane, and for whatever reason, if their flight is not going that day, then they are booked on the next available flight.
The same applies in Ottawa.
In those situations we try our best to get people on their flights, depending on whether the flight is full or not, and so on, we try and follow up.
So if the individual has specific names, I will follow up on that and try to respond to the individual’s situation.
In terms of the appeals, the appeals are dealt with before the person travels.
The appeal process is not dealt with right away by your department, especially when the patients are elders.
They are gone already without having gone through the appeal process.
The patients have to call, themselves, to Pangnirtung because that is where the transportation office is.
It’s evident that that’s one of the reasons why the patients are left behind due to the fact that the office is there.
How do you deal with the elders’ appeal process when they have to travel on urgent cases?
In cases where elders are on the medevac, depending on the flight, I explained this earlier to Member Mapsalak, if the aircraft can accommodate, an escort is provided if it is required.
If it is required and the aircraft is too small, the escort follows on the first available flight to where that individual is.
We try to accommodate in that way, but the primary goal here is to treat the sick person first and foremost, and then we try and follow up with the escorts to the various communities, and so on.
Question 173 – 2(4): Update on Road to the Gravel Pit (Alagalak)
I did not expect that. You have a good tan, same as mine.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Community and Government Services.
As the minister knows that the mayor told the communities this spring that there was one issue or concern that was raised at the time. When we talked about the old gravel pit; the gravel pit was depleted two years ago. It was mainly all rock.
They found a new gravel pit and they needed to build a road to the pit.
The minister said that she would look into that. So what’s the update on that?
I remember we met with those individuals along with our officials. You were also involved at the meeting with the mayor.
We are still working on that and finding new things within the department.
The regional staff are still working on that and they are still doing a feasibility study.
We will follow the request by the community and we are looking into the things that need to be worked on.
Mr. Alagalak (interpretation): Thank you, Madam Minister.
Yes, the government had already identified that after the consultation with the municipalities. Also, I was already using the access road. I have tried travelling on that access road and I did a test drive on that.
We were able to reach that new gravel pit.
It is evident now that the Department of Community and Government Services and the Housing Corporation, and also the local housing authority in Arviat are now expecting to see units being constructed in Arviat. There are residential, commercial, and institutional lots. These are various lots and industrial lots; the companies sometimes have to leave all sorts of equipment on those industrial lots.
And usually, if you go down, it’s full of water, and those lots are just filled with water.
They have to put land on there, even though they’re not creators.
But its evident now, madam minister, it is now June, and in July the municipality is going to start constructing the roads.
What are we going to do if we have no go of it?
We’ve been working on it on a regular basis, and I would like to thank you and the hamlet council for identifying this as a priority. We will keep working on it, especially looking into the future; we have to have long-term plans prepared for these different types of lots, and also for the gravel paving.
There are going to be more buildings coming into the communities. Over the next three years, we are going to have to prepare for the 700 new housing units that are going to be coming in.
We are going to be have to be prepared with the gravel pit.
We have to also make sure that we have enough at hand to handle the amount of construction and building that’s going to be coming into the communities.
I will have to urge my department to make sure that we’re prepared for the onslaught of construction and building that’s going into our communities.
Your second supplementary Mr. Alagalak.
The people who are working in Arviat are very close but I think it’s up to you to urge them to make sure that we are prepared and to make sure that we have proper roads. In order to do that we have to make sure that we have an adequate supply of gravel.
Is the minister prepared to tell us if there are going to be any additional funds to set up a gravel pit? Is she going to be able to answer me in the next few days or so?
Yes, I’ll make sure that I’ll work very closely with our department and I will also direct the communities to make sure that they start working on it right away, especially in Arviat.
Question 174 – 2(4): Patient Counsellors in the Boarding Homes (Arvaluk)
As a preamble, the patients who have to be transported to Ottawa for medical reasons, and if they’re diagnosed with cancer, are usually escorted by their wife, or a son, or a daughter, or an immediate family member because there is counselling involved when you’re diagnosed with cancer for example.
There has to be counselling and there has to be support given to this patient, and at times you have to tell this patient that there is nothing they can do and that he or she will have to be sent home to wait for death.
I know that’s very hard on the patient and also on the immediate family member who is escorting this patient.
My question to the minister is: is there a patient counsellor available in Ottawa who can work with patients who are terminally ill, who are waiting for an operation or some other work?
In all our boarding homes there are support systems that we have in place through OSNI, as an example, for the northern medical units of the boarding homes that are not directly through the boarding home operations, at this point in time.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Do I understand that there are no patient counsellors available in the hospitals?
Maybe I should ask if these counsellors in the boarding homes, are they able to speak Inuktitut, and do they know about the Inuit traditions?
Just to clarify, my response is that we don’t have social workers in the boarding home operations.
There are services that we use, through OSNI, as an example, which is the area where... but there’s all the appointments for us with the doctors and services that will be required by the patient.
When we send patients to various centres where there are services available for whatever type of treatment, we rely on those provinces, or communities, or cities for assistance to also support us, such as the doctors, surgeons, and so on, whatever the treatment may be deemed necessary for that individual.
Mr. Arvaluk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation) Well, I thought that was my first supplementary but it was my second.
Since I understand that there is no patient counsellor available, we’re told that there are Inuit counsellors available.
Some of them are social workers and they have been working for a very long time.
We have one such person in Pond Inlet, who has been working for the past 14 years.
My question is: since you don’t have patient counselors and because these terminally ill patients wait a very long time for their chemotherapy, and also for the operation, is it possible for you to set up a position so that we could have a patient counsellor available for those patients?
The services provided by jurisdictions, we rely on the jurisdiction, through our arrangement, to provide medical services that are not available in our territory. The Department of Health does not have Department of Health operations in Alberta, Yellowknife, Manitoba, or Ontario at this point in time.
In terms of the services that the member is referring to, currently, we rely on the jurisdictions where we send our patients through a reciprocal arrangement to provide support services.
Whether they are bilingual, I am not aware, but I can certainly look into what that service is in those jurisdictions. I can say though, through the boarding home, as well as through OSNI, as an example, we do have interpreters in those centres.
We are creating more questions than answers.
I am glad that she will be reviewing these with other jurisdictions.
In the question of patient counselling, I also understand that the jurisdictions like Manitoba or Ontario provide counselling services through translators. This is very similar to that. We have social workers from outside of our territory and they’re supposed to counsel people.
However, if you do not understand the social system of the Inuit especially, then you cannot effectively counsel.
So can the minister tell me then that she will review her contract with other jurisdictions with those services and consider, instead, creating a PY within their own department and have the PY placed in those hospitals?
I can look into that. I mentioned earlier that we do have some services available through our partners, and I will look into the member’s suggestions and get back to him.
Question 175 – 2(4): Informing Union of Transfer of Positions (Tootoo)
Earlier in my Member’s Statement and in my earlier questioning to the Minister of Finance that they deal with how employees of the Department of Health and Social Services felt that they were treated through this whole process with the transfer; and it’s my understanding, that there is an article in the collective agreement that requires the government to inform the union if any changes are going to be there that would affect or impact the employees.
I would assume that the Department of Human Resources would be that department conveying with the union and in any cases like that.
So I guess my question to the minister is: have they, or did they, or when did they contact the union to let them know that this policy change of where positions were going to be transferred from department to another; when did they contact the union?
In regard to the departments and in transferring employees from one department to another, the union is asked for their opinion on the subject, and if there should be any changes to the proposal, the departments have to be informed ahead of time before we proceed with the transfer.
With your question, I can inform the member that we did inform the union on March 23, and we made sure that the information was given to the Department of Finance, the Department of Health and Social Services, and also Human Resources. We made sure that they were given all the information prior to the transfer.
I think the minister indicated that he provided that information on March 23.
My understanding of it is that it was earlier in March that the announcement was made here in the House on those position transfers.
So I’m just wondering if I could get some clarification: was there a requirement to inform them before, as I said I heard the minister state, or was it just an after-the-fact type of thing that it just seemed to be what happened?
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk: (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I stated earlier, once I was informed about these proposals that will affect the employees, we are asked about what we should do in order to propose making any changes.
Once we’re informed, first of all, we would talk to the two departments and we would have a meeting with the departments that are making the proposal to make the transfers. We would have a meeting with the employees and make sure that they were informed on how it’s going to affect them.
Once Human Resources are informed, then the process would begin. For example, after we were informed then we had a meeting with the union. They were informed March 23.
I can understand a little about what the minister is saying.
I guess the Department of Human Resources, much like the Department of Finance, is a central organization providing advice and support to the other departments.
He kept referring, in his response, that once they were informed of this, I would just like to ask the minister, when was the Department of Human Resources informed by the Department of Health and Social Services about this change?
My staff, deputy minister, I can’t remember the exact date when they were asked to review.
I can’t say exactly on what date they were asked. I will have to get back on the member with the exact date.
While the minister is checking that out, would he have an idea of whether or not the information was passed on to him or the department officials prior to the announcement being made here in the House?
For Human Resources, we were not informed on how it would affect us.
If we could provide the organizational charts when they’re going to make changes, then they can ask for assistance from the department.
Once that is put in front of us then Human Resources can make changes if they’re recommended by the department.
That is our mandate. We have to try and accommodate those departments if they want to make those changes.
That’s how we operate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to recognize that Questions Period is now over.
Item. 7.
Tabled Document 085 – 2(4): A Northern Vision: A Stronger North and A Better Canada (Okalik)
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (interpretation ends) I wish to table the following document: A Northern Vision: A Stronger North and A Better Canada.
Can we have the document brought forward to the table, please.
Tabled Document 086 – 2(4): Petition from Nunavut Employees Union Members in H&SS Finance Division re. Transfer to Department of Finance (Tootoo)
I’d like to table, on behalf of the Nunavut Employees Union, a request that I got from the president of the union, is a petition on their behalf of the individuals.
I’ll read it. It says, “We, the individuals signed on this petition disagree with the treatment by the Department of Health and Social Services and their decision to move us to the Department of Finance.
We disagree with Minister Simailak’s comments in the Legislature on March 12, 2007, that any of us had been asked if we were okay with this decision but rather we’re told that we have no choice in the matter and we wouldn’t have a job otherwise.”
Also it says, “We are in no way responsible for the deficit of the Department of Health and Social Services and our presence in the department in no way made the department any less effective, efficient, and responsible in the use of public funds, which Minister Aglukkaq is implying by her statement in the Legislature of March 9, 2007.”
The petition is signed by 17 out of 20 employees that are affected by that.
Again, I would like to commend the courage of these employees for speaking out through what there appears to be some misinformation that has been put out there against them.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Tootoo. (interpretation ends) Can we have that document brought forward to the table, please.
Tabled Documents. (interpretation) Member for Iqaluit Centre, Mr. Tootoo.
Tabled Document 087 – 2(4): Letter and Petition from Nunavut Employees Untion re: Centralization of Payment Processing – Department of Health & Social Services (Tootoo)
Again, I would like to table another document. A letter that I received from the President of the Nunavut Employees Union; it is outlining some of the concerns that they have as far as recentralizing the payment processing unit of the Department of Health and Social Services to the Department of Finance.
Motion 014 – 2(4): Listing of Polar Bears as a Threatened Species – Notice (Netser)
I give notice that on Friday, June 1, 2007, I will move the following motion:
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Honourable Member for Tununiq, that the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut opposes the move of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to list our polar bears as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973.
If there are none, Item 15.
Motion 015 – 2(4): Adjournment for the Day (Tootoo)
Pursuant to Rule 46, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Cambridge Bay, that the House adjourn for the day.
The motion is in order and it is not debatable.
All those in favour. (interpretation) Opposed.
The motion is carried and we go onto Item 22.
There will be a meeting of the regular caucus with the Minister of Finance at 3:30 in the Nanuq Room this afternoon.
Orders of the Day for May 31:
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until May 31 and we will reconvene at 1:30 p.m.
>>House adjourned at 15:03
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Pages 1358 – 1427
Opening Prayer 1358
Ministers’ Statements 1358
Members’ Statements 1360
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery 1366
Oral Questions 1368
Point of Order 1383
Written Questions 1389
Tabled Documents 1389
First Reading of Bills 1390
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters 1391
Report of the Committee of the Whole 1425
Orders of the Day 1426
Thursday, May 31, 2007 1358
059 – 2(4): May 31st is World No Tobacco Day (Aglukkaq) 1358
060 – 2(4): Department Collaboration with Hamlets (Brown) 1359
061 – 2(4): Environment Week June 3 - 9, 2007 (Netser) 1360
131 – 2(4): Repulse Bay Public Meeting (Mapsalak) 1360
132 – 2(4): Taloyoak Social Events (Aglukkaq) 1361
133 – 2(4): Happy Birthday to Father (Simailak) 1361
134 – 2(4): Kitikmeot Welcomes Second Airline (Evyagotailak) 1362
135 – 2(4): Inuit Traditions (Kattuk) 1363
136 – 2(4): Community Constables (Brown) 1363
137 – 2(4): Alaska Bowhead Hunt (Barnabas) 1364
138 – 2(4): N.P.C. Over-billing Customers (Curley) 1364
139 – 2(4): Support for New Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services (Tootoo) 1365
140 – 2(4): Polar Bear Issue (Arreak) 1366
176 – 2(4): Health and Social Service Finance Employees Transfers (Tootoo) 1368
177 – 2(4): Cambridge Bay School Hostel Closure (Peterson) 1370
178 – 2(4): Tabling of the Nunavut Development Corporation and the Nunavut Business Credit Corporation Annual Reports (Curley) 1373
179 – 2(4): Search and Rescue Emergency Disaster Plans (Arreak) 1375
180 – 2(4): Update on Minister’s Meetings in the United States (Kattuk) 1376
181 – 2(4): Cancer Treatment Services (Alagalak) 1377
182 – 2(4): Repulse Bay School Overcrowding (Mapsalak) 1379
183 – 2(4): Employee Transfer Policy (Tootoo) 1381
184 – 2(4): Update on the Fuel Rider (Barnabas) 1384
185 – 2(4): Senior Citizens Fuel Subsidy Program (Curley) 1386
006 – 2(4): Administration and Enforcement of the Liquor Act (Peterson) 1389
088 – 2(4): Nunavut Association of Municipalities Annual General Meeting – 2007 Approved and Deleted Motions (Peterson) 1389
089 – 2(4): Letter to Minister of Finance & Minister Responsible for the Nunavut Liquor Commission Supporting Amendments to Nunavut’s Liquor Act re. Allocating Fine Revenue to Substance Abuse Programs (Peterson) 1390
090 – 2(4): Leasing of Commercial Real Property – Consolidated Policy, May 10, 2007 (Brown) 1390
Bill 13 – Nunavut Energy Efficiency Act – First Reading 1390
Bill 10 – Supplementary Appropriation (Capital) Act, No. 1, 2007-2008 – Consideration in Committee 1391
Bill 11 – Supplementary Appropriation (Operations & Maintenance) Act, No. 1, 2007-2008 – Consideration in Committee 1391
Speaker (Hon. Peter Kilabuk)(interpretation): Good afternoon. I would like to ask Mr. Curley to say the opening prayer.
Today I’d like to say happy birthday to my daughter Lynn Kilabuk.
Minister’s Statement 059 – 2(4): May 31st is World No Tobacco Day (Aglukkaq)
Welcome back to James Arreak.
The World Health Organization in 1987 set aside May 31 as World No Tobacco Day in order to draw global attention to tobacco epidemic and the preventable death and disease it causes.
In Iqaluit World No Tobacco Day will be observed with a special ten-day event. It will include interactive games on tobacco and a pledge where people can show support to those who want to quit smoking.
There will be a special showing of a documentary “An Ordinary Canadian’s Extraordinary Gift” about the late Heather Crowe, a non-smoker who died of lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke. Performers and refreshments will be on hand as well.
In Nunavut this event is part of an ongoing effort of the Department of Health and Social Services to promote good health.
It complements the resources available at our health centres and public health units for helping people quit smoking and the work in schools and elsewhere to encourage people never to start.
The health costs of smoking are immense. We want to focus our resources and energy in keeping people healthy, not just on treating people when they’re sick.