EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
At that time, there was talk of harmonizing the different housing rents and things like that within the system, between staff housing and social housing.
I know that the social housing rent scale…. I believe anywhere between 20 or 17 and 25 percent of the income is used as basing their rent on.
I am just wondering if the Department of Finance is looking at changing its hardship program to conform with the same standards that are there for the social housing program.
Hon. Leona Aglukkaq: I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
In terms of questions that were asked to the previous minister on this subject, I cannot assume the responses, for I had mentioned I would look in to see if this program transferred from the Northwest Territories to the Nunavut government.
In past, this program was administered by the department of personnel’s Pay and Benefits Division.
The hardship program, from what I remember, factored a number of other areas, such as daycare, and cost of living, and what have you, based on an individual’s earnings and the number of dependents.
So, there is a number of areas that it looked at, from what I recall, and it was a subsidy for employees at the time. But, I cannot assume that it was transferred to the Government of Nunavut, and I would look into that.
Speaker (interpretation): Second supplementary. Mr. Tootoo.
Assuming that the program has been transferred, and I am pretty sure that it has, if those numbers have not changed would the minister commit to looking at possibly making some changes to the program, to conform with the social housing rent assessment, the percentage of income?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of Finance. Ms. Aglukkaq.
I will commit to look in to see if the program did transfer over here, to Nunavut. And, I will also commit to see if there has been any changes to that program, if it was transferred to Nunavut to address the issues here. And, I will also see if the issues around housing has also been incorporated into the policy.
Question 123 – 2(1): Departmental Responsibility for the Nanisivik Mine Closure
I would like to ask a question to the Premier.
Since the closure of Nanisivik I have been dealing with numerous ministers: the Minister of Education; the Minister of Environment; and the Minister of Economic Development. I have asked these ministers a number of questions.
The people of Arctic Bay have not moved ahead because the ministers have not done anything about the people of Nanisivik or the people Arctic Bay.
There has not been one cent put to that.
Which minister is responsible for the closure of the Nanisivik mine?
We would like to be able to help the people that used to work at Nanisivik, especially the people of Arctic Bay.
We have been working with various departments to try to find out as to how we can better assist the people of Arctic Bay.
That is why it has seemed that various departments are working on it.
Also, we have to be able to think of the environment, and that’s the problem we’re facing right now, because the water board has to look into the environmental part of the closure of the mine and the pollution.
That is why we have not been able to do anything about it at this time.
The Premier did not answer my question.
Which minister is responsible for the closure or is working with the closure of the Nanisivik mine?
Is the Premier the minister responsible for that?
I have been involved in the operations of the clean-up of the Nanisivik mine and to try to help the people of Arctic Bay.
Mr. Simailak took on the primary responsibilities, following the appointments of executive members, to deal with the concern of the member.
But, I just want to say at this time that we have problems with the cleaning up of that area at this time.
That is why it is not going ahead at this time.
Second supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
I would like to thank the Premier for his response.
We have been waiting for over three years for the clean-up of that mine and I guess we will be waiting for a long time.
The people of Arctic Bay have been told that the buildings or the infrastructure in the mine will be demolished.
How long are we going to wait again for the destruction of those buildings?
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Premier.
The people that have the mine, the mining company, are the ones involved, since we did not start the mine.
We have been waiting for the company to try and work with us.
If we were to use the infrastructure right now, it would not be feasible.
I think there would be too much of a problem; we can’t just take over the infrastructure at this time, because it would cost too much to operate.
We don’t have very many houses in Arctic Bay, and we don’t have very much infrastructure, not just in Arctic Bay, but in other communities.
There is a swimming pool in Nanisivik and a big community hall as well, and there are 40 houses in the area.
Shouldn’t that infrastructure be given to the people of Arctic Bay, or are they just going to destroy them?
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, some of them might not be good enough because there is some contamination there as well. Some of the houses are in poor condition because they have been there for a number of years.
We cannot take them right now.
Some of the buildings will be available.
These are not our buildings.
They belong to the mining company that was working up there.
We will try our best to look into this.
Question 124 – 2(1): Broughton Island Air Terminal
We know that those who are holding out their hands to the government are being left further and further behind.
For instance, Broughton Island, the air-terminal building in Broughton Island…. Broughton Island is very close to the park, and the air terminal is not in good shape.
When are they going to be building a new air terminal in Qikiqtarjuaq?
I apologize that I do not have any information on that with me, available right now.
Are you preparing to build an air terminal in Qikiqtarjuaq?
Hon. David Simailak (interpretation): Yes, I will direct my staff with the department of transportation to look into this.
Question 125 – 2(1): The Annual Nunavut Municipal Performance Program
I am going to be asking the Minister of Community and Government Services….
I think there were five municipal training organizations mentioned earlier.
Is the report going to be tabled?
I tried reading it, but I did not really understand it.
I do not think if it goes to the smaller communities it would be understood by the smaller communities, unless you simplify this report.
I did not understand a lot of it, and I thought to myself that the communities will not be able to understand it.
Can you simplify the reports?
If you are asking about the Annual Nunavut Municipal Performance Measurement Program, yes, we are working on this right now. I will be directing my staff to make the language more understandable to ordinary people out there, to have it simplified.
Yes, I know that is going to help.
If you do not understand anything about money, it is very difficult to understand. I feel the councillors would understand it a lot better if it was written in a more simplified version.
Will you be able to table that report?
Speaker (interpretation): Kilabuk.
Yes, I do understand my colleague; to have it more simplified.
That report that he is talking about…. I am not sure which one you are talking about. Yes, definitely, I will direct my staff to look into having it simplified.
The first annual report, if it could be tabled here in the House….
It would be a lot of help for the estimates.
Yes, I will be tabling that document and also everything that we table here, we will try to make sure that they are comprehensible to everybody.
Question 126 – 2(1): Options for Economic Benefits from the Nunavut Fishery
My question is directed to the minister responsible for fisheries.
I believe that this is the same minister responsible for the environment.
I know, due to no fault of our own, and the result of no lack of effort to try and change things on the part of our government, that Nunavut gets a very small portion of the quotas for the fish that are caught off our shores.
I would like to ask the minister: if they’re not going to give us the quotas for those fish so that we can reap the rewards of that, are there any other things that we can do, like perhaps forcing the trawlers that catch those fish in our waters to off-load or do something with their catch here in Nunavut?
If there are any options like that, or things that we can look at doing to try and….
You know, as this government we want to try and increase the private-sector economy and trade, more of an economic base.
I’m just wondering if that’s something that we can do or not.
Mr. Akesuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for asking that question.
We know that we have been working very hard on the fishing issues.
Right now, we are trying to do more so that it can benefit the communities and fisheries.
We have been working on this issue, and very recently, this past winter, we went to Boston to talk about the fishery and how the fish that are in Nunavut…. That we could benefit financially from the fish….
The staff will be looking into this and we will be working with the federal government on how the fish and the quota of the fish that we are able to get in Nunavut…. We definitely will be working on this within Nunavut.
Also, we will be working with all the communities on the concerns of fishing so that Nunavummiut will get together and work on this on the issue of fishing in the water.
I appreciate the hard work of the minister.
One could say, catching your quota of fish is a slippery thing to try and do.
I know that I mentioned trying to find ways to capitalize on the fishery here in Nunavut if we can’t get those quotas.
I would like to ask the minister if he would be willing to look at the idea of setting up a trans-fishing, where we force the trawlers that fish off-shore to unload in Nunavut so that fish could be trans-shipped, I guess is the word I’m looking for, so that we can create an economic base, economic opportunities for Nunavummiut.
If that work hasn’t been done, I’m just wondering the minister could commit to having a look at doing a feasibility study to identify any benefit that might come from that type of an industry and where it might be best located.
Speaker (interpretation): Thank you. Mr. Akesuk.
We will be working together and we will try to make sure that the Department of Sustainable Development was working on this issue to be more beneficial to Nunavummiut.
We are trying to look into this, and we are continuing work on this issue. Also, we are open to any suggestions that you may have.
There is $350,000 available. How we could make this work better than in the past…. We definitely will be looking into this, on the question.
That is a very good question: how we can benefit more within Nunavut.
Like I said, we are continuing to work on the fisheries issues.
Again, I appreciate and acknowledge the hard work of the minister and his department on this issue.
I guess I’m just looking for a commitment that a feasibility study would be done to look at what the benefits would be. Whether a trans-shipping type of operation is something that would be feasible in Nunavut, and what other spin-off benefits would be there from an industry like that as well.
It extends to everything from, you know, if you have a back-haul leaving for the south and we fill them up with fish, that could help bring our transportation costs down for the goods coming into Nunavut, and I know that’s something we’ve been trying to do for some time.
I just, again, asked the minister for a commitment to have that feasibility study done, made in conjunction with the minister responsible for economic development…. To take a look at that….
Speaker (interpretation): Hon. Olayuk Akesuk.
Yes, we definitely will be looking at this, and we’ll be working together with the Department of Economic Development and any other departments who are willing to help us on the concern that my colleague has on fisheries issues.
I understand that there is an infrastructure, or a joint meeting going on in Whitehorse, if it hasn’t happened already, to look at setting up money for infrastructure projects throughout Canada, especially in the north.
I’m just wondering if the minister…. Or, has any of his staff attended a meeting like that to try and determine if that would be a possible area to try and access some funding for a project like that?
Speaker (interpretation): Minister of environment, Hon. Olayuk Akesuk.
My deputy minister will be going up to attend the meeting, and I’m sure we will brief you once the meeting is over and strategize.
I will also keep the member informed about any development on this subject.
Question 127 – 2(1): Support for Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord
I’ve got a lot of questions today, and this question I will be directing to the Department of Community and Government Services minister.
We have similar problem in Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord.
It is in regards to the closure of the mine and the remediation.
I have had discussions with the hamlet on if the hamlets are going to be asking for bowhead whale hunting.
Is the Nunavut government going to be able to give any support to the communities of Grise Fiord and Resolute Bay in regards to them wanting to go bowhead whale hunting?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): I am a little embarrassed when I stand up at this point because I have no idea what he is talking about.
I don’t know whether he is talking about bowhead whales or something else.
If the member would clarify his question, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Barnabas (interpretation): The ministers should keep on top of things so they know what we are talking about.
I am talking about Polaris Mines; it is called “arvik,” sometimes it is called “marruliqqii”.So, I can refer to it in a number of different names.
I will want to get more information from the member in regards to the type of support he is talking about.
Polaris Mine…. This is the first time that Polaris Mine in Inuktitut is called “arvik,” so this is why I was a little confused.
I will want to be getting further information on this subject and the type of support that Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord are requesting from the government.
Question 128 – 2(1): Employees at the Qulliq Energy Corporation
I just wanted to go back to the minister’s statement yesterday on the Nunavut Power Corporation.
My question is for the minister responsible.
He made a comment in his statement that stability starts at the top.
I am wondering if the minister is recruiting a person at the top of the organization who has a lot of utility experience, who will be able to guide and direct the Nunavut Power Corporation, the Qulliq Energy Corporation, over the next five years.
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister of Energy, Mr. Simailak.
In my statement, I was referring to the previous deputy minister who was appointed by our Premier to the Qulliq Energy Corporation. He will be the President of the Qulliq Energy Corporation.
Speaker (interpretation): Supplementary. Mr. Peterson
I thought that part of the Auditor General’s report recommended that an individual with significant utility experience be recruited.
I hope that will happen through the board of directors.
Also in the same statement, the minister mentioned that there are three new designated accounting staff that work in headquarters, I assume that is Baker Lake.
Do those accounting staff…. Are they certified general accountants, or certified accountants, or certified management accountants with designations to be accountants?
Speaker (interpretation): The Minister Responsible for the Qulliq Energy Corporation, Mr. Simailak.
I am sorry I don’t know the actual designation of what their classification is.
I believe they are certified general accountants.
What I should do is check with my staff and inform the member of their classification.
I apologize,the question period is over.
We still have tomorrow.
Tabled Document 025 – 2(1): Response to SC to Review OLA Final Report Dec. ’03 - Next Steps Toward Made-In-Nunavut Language Legislation (Tapardjuk)
Hon. Louis Tapardjuk (interpretation): Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Next Steps Toward Made- in-Nunavut Language Legislation.
Bill 2 – Appropriation (O&M) Act, 2004-2005, with Mr. Netser in the Chair.
We will take a 10-minute break.
>>House recessed at 15:21 and resumed at 15:42
Chairman (Mr. Netser)(Interpretation): Welcome, Mr. Minister, please introduce your witnesses for the record.
On my immediate right is Deputy Minister of the Department of Education, Pam Hine.
And on my immediate left, Director of Corporate Services, the person in charge of finance with that grouping within the department, Ms. Kathy Stinson.
Welcome. Okay, we were on page G-16.
Please turn to page G-16 on your main estimates. (Interpretation.)
I think Mr. Curley had a question, but he is not present right now. (Interpretation ends.) He is not here, so we’ll just move along.
Education branch summary, Curriculum and school services.
Chairman: Moving to G-18.
School operations. Total, operations and maintenance: $93,956,000.
Chairman: Are there any questions on G-20?
Information item, okay.
Go to G-21.
Does anyone have any questions on G-21?
G-22, for your information.
Chairman: Okay, back to G-4, education department summary.
Total, operations and maintenance: $165,662,000.
Does the committee agree that this department is concluded?
Thank you for coming, Minister Picco.
I would like to thank the committee for the excellent questions over the last few days.
In our new role as the department….
You will note that in the gallery, we have some members of the senior administration of the department. I would like to take the opportunity just to welcome to the gallery the assistant deputy minister of the department, Mr. Peter Geikie, as well as Assistant Deputy Minister Phoebe Hainnu, from Clyde River.
I would like to welcome them, as well as Sandy and Mr. Clendenning from the college.
I thank the members for their excellent questions and we are looking forward to serving you in the coming months in the Department of Education.
Chairman: Okay, we’ll go to the Department of Health, with Ms. Brown. If you could go to the witness table, Madam Minister.
Do you have witnesses with you?
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): Yes. They are not quite here yet.
Chairman: Could somebody ring the bell? Please wait. I do not think the officials were expecting for us to finish education.
Thank you. Ms. Brown, if you can go to the witness table at this time. Thank you.
Welcome. Madam Minister, if you could introduce your officials for the purpose of the committee.
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
My officials: on my right Bernie Blais, deputy minister.
On my left, Director of Finance, Eric Whitworth.
Chairman: Welcome.
I am not sure whether we are actually on that page. I would ask the Clerk or your staff to explain, because due to the loss of quorum I believe the Item 2 was nullified.
So, it is my view that we have to go back to where we began at that time.
And so, that is really, I think, the point of order tomorrow, because I just want to be clear that we are actually on that page.
The staff tells me that page H-10 was approved and we were on H-11 prior to having no quorum.
Okay. Mr. Curley.
Mr. Curley: Okay. Thank you.
Yes…. (Interpretation.) My question, Mr. Chairman, under medical client travel and urgent medical….
(Interpretation.) My question, Mr. Chairman, is to the minister, or the deputy minister of the department of public health.
Have they ever been complained to that there was a conflict of interest when they were evaluating the RFP? Did you receive a letter at that time?
Hon. Levinia Brown (interpretation): Thank you, Chairman.
I, personally, have no knowledge whether they received the letter or not.
Chairman: Thank you, Ms. Brown.
Mr. Curley (interpretation): Perhaps if I could ask the deputy minister if you ever received a letter of complaint in regards to whether the department of public health had any conflict of interest when they were evaluating the RFPs last year or the year before.
Mr. Blais, could you answer that question, please.
Mr. Blais: Thank you.
There have been many letters that have come forth from one company in regards to general allegation of conflict. Many times we have requested from that company specific information, I guess, to allow us to follow through, and in a recent letter in April, also have requested that we be given enough information in regards to dealing with those allegations.
But, we have not received anything formal or anything specific enough for us to be able to carry out any investigation regarding that.
Mr. Curley: I want to be very graphic. I’m speaking to you in English because I think it’s important that we state facts to the House.
To do otherwise would be…. I think it’s in the rulebook that to not state the facts when there are facts is really, I think, a really serious one.
I want to ask you again. I’m not asking about general correspondence or reference to conflict of interest.
I’m asking specifically: has the department of health ever received any letter of complaint regarding some staff in the department who were involved in the evaluation of the RFPs, or any other competitive request for quotes, or what not.
Mr. Blais: Has the department received, just to clarify the question, any complaint in regards to staff being involved in the review of contracts that would have been in conflict of interest.
Is that my understanding of the question, Chairman?
Mr. Curley: Mr. Chairman, I’ll be very clear.
Have you ever received any letters of complaints with respect to the allegations, or potential, or otherwise conflict of interest, within the Keewatin region department of health, with respect to medevac RFPs or medical travel RFPs?
Mr. Blais: The answer: since I’ve been here, and the last time, the answer was yes to that question.
But the allegations that have been brought forward have been very general in nature. Thank you, Chairman.
Mr. Curley: My further question: if the letters of complaint were given to the department of health, what do you do with that information?
Mr. Blais: Thank you, Chairman.
Typically, in regards to this particular issue what we have done is we have requested from that individual specific information to allow us enough to be able to follow through, to see whether those allegations or any general allegation were well founded.
That was confirmed, again, in a recent letter dating, I believe, April 20. I’ve yet to receive anything specific.
Mr. Curley: Mr. Chairman, I think that I do understand the letter of complaint that was presented to the former deputy minister, as well as, I believe, to the Premier, and to the former minister, which I tabled the other week, contains a specific provision with a letter of allegation, or conflict of interest report, too, which I tabled last week.
So, my point is this. The letter provided to this House contained that there were allegations.
Specifically, that they were two employees of the department of public health that were spouses of the airline that the cabinet had approved for medevac services.
I believe that would constitute a conflict: when they were, during the course of the evaluation process, involved.
So, my question is: if that were a fact today, would the department of health do something about it?
Mr. Blais: I can say that we have done a thorough review within our department of those general allegations.
I believe that the minister will have a statement to that effect.
We have found no conflict of interest existed at that time, I think there was dating back to 1996, which predates Nunavut.
Even in all of the current issues, or RFPs, that we have been dealing with, there is no conflict of interest with any of our employees.
So, there was none then, and there is none today.
To page H-11.
Health and social services.
I am sorry. Mr. Peterson.
I have a question on where it says “Urgent medical evacuations.”
I’m wondering what determines an urgent medical evacuation, and who makes that determination that patients should be sent south.
Is it a nurse, a doctor, or a practitioner?
Can you clarify that for me, please.