EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Speaker, normally we would just do it once.
I mean I am thinking in respect of the individuals that made up specifically the Nunavut Liquor Board, I can't say in respect to other nominations that may come in for other boards and agencies where other ministers may be responsible.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Ng. Final supplementary, Mr. Iqaqrialu.
Some of the nominees don't receive any letters.
Can you be a bit more truthful in your answers as ministers.
Speaker: Thank you. Minister Ng, please proceed.
I mean, Mr. Speaker, the member is bordering on raising a point of privilege in imputing that I or any other member is not stating the truth here.
Now I have said that we do respond to applicants, both those who are successful and those unsuccessful during the normal course of business.
Now there may be a time lag because of volumes of business that we are undertaking in getting those formal notices out.
If the member has a specific individual that he is referring to, I would be more than glad to meet with the member and speak about that individual to him.
But I certainly resent the fact that he is imputing that I am not telling the truth Mr. Speaker.
Question 281 - 1(5): List of Applicants for Liquor Licensing Board
I already asked this question earlier Mr. Speaker, but I will be asking the same question about the Liquor Board.
The minister of this department is saying that he does respond to the 27 communities.
Twenty seven communities is not a lot of communities and we do give names out of these communities who might want to be on the Liquor Board.
I am not only talking about this issue with respect to the Liquor Board members.
Local communities also ask for their own local committees to be established and they would deal with liquor issues.
Our questioning at this time is with respect to the names of applicants.
I would like to find out how many names were put forward and as well, who were given responses, and by whose department, with respect to wanting to be involved with the Liquor Board.
Speaker: Minister Ng
Mr. Speaker, I would be glad to supply the list of all the individuals that put forward those names, or those that were nominated by members and I will provide that information.
I have the same question, but I forgot too much of this question.
Is he going to be able to provide to me who was given responses to their requests.
If you give us a letter saying that we would like to get names from your community and they say before a certain date, if they give us a letter requesting nominations for certain boards.
I wanted to get a response on how many people do receive responses to their requests.
Mr. Speaker, I indicated that I would give the information in respect to the applicants for the Nunavut Liquor Board.
I can't speak on behalf of other ministers and the different boards or agencies where they have responsibility.
That is probably more appropriately a question to the Premier in respect of broader government policy.
I know the government policy is to advertise if at all possible with respect to individuals for nominations to all our boards and agencies, Mr. Speaker.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Ng. Question period is now over.
Item 12. Reports of Committee on the Review of Bills.
Tabled Document 041 - 1(5): Report of the Nunavut Liquor Licensing Board
I wish to table the Nunavut Liquor Licensing Board Report.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Ng. Item 13.
Tabled Document 042 - 1(5): Analysis of Gasoline Repulse Bay
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a document from the Hamlet of Repulse Bay on the analysis on bad gasoline.
Bill 13: Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002 - Notice
Hon. Kelvin Ng: Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on November 21, I shall move that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002, be read for the first time.
At the appropriate time I will request unanimous consent to deal with my motion today.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Ng. Item 16.
Speaker: The motion is in order. Are there any nays.
Bill 13: Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002 - First Reading
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Baffin South that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002, be read for the first time.
All those in favour. All those in favour.
The bill has had first reading.
Bill 13: Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002 - Second Reading
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hudson Bay that Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002, be read for the second time.
I note I have attached the supplementary appropriation document with the bill.
Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 2, 2001/2002 is to provide additional funding for the Government of Nunavut for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2002.
Authority is requested for a total of 41 million 47 thousand 500 dollars in additional appropriations.
This is made up of 37 million 588 thousand 500 dollars for operations and maintenance, and 3 million 459 thousand dollars for capital expenditures.
Speaker: Thank you, Minister Ng. To the principle of the bill.
Bill 13 has had second reading and accordingly the bill stands referred to the Committee.
In the Committee of the Whole we have the following items to deal with, Bill 12, Bill 13, Minister's Statement 96 - 1(1).
Members before we proceed to committee of the whole we will take a short break.
Sargeant-At-Arms.
>>House recessed at 3.30 p.m. and resumed at 4.04 p.m.
Chairperson (Mr. Puqiqnak) (interpretation): Good afternoon members.
For the sake of staying in order, I will recognize each person who wishes to speak and please say Mr. Chairman, so we can have a good meeting.
I would like to call this committee meeting to order.
In Committee of the Whole we have the following items to deal with, Bill 12 and Bill 13 and Minister's Statement 96 - 1(5).
We would like to review Bill 12, starting with Department of Justice for 2002-2003.
Do we all agree that we deal with Bill 12. Appropriations Act No. 1, 2002-2003.
Department of Justice, Capital Estimates for Justice.
Would the minister do his opening remarks for the Committee of the Whole.
Bill 12 – Appropriation Act No. 1, 2002/2003
I would also first like to say that we are now Maligalirijiit in Inuktitut, just to let the Legislative Assembly members know.
We’re not just dealing with justice but we’re dealing with various kinds.
I’m going to be very brief with my opening remarks.
The Department of Justice is looking at two longer term priorities and is currently doing planning work in relation to these.
The two longer term capital priorities for the Department of Justice are the construction of a new court house for the Nunavut Court of Justice, and related community justice purposes and the construction of a smaller correctional facility with a healing focus, to operate in addition to an upgraded Baffin Correctional Centre.
In the current fiscal year we have allocated planning and design money towards both of these projects and that the work is going ahead so that the plans will be ready when the government is able to make the larger allocations needed for those construction projects.
A Needs and Assessment Study Report on the existing court facility has been completed. The preliminary estimate from the consulting architects is that the cost of constructing the new court house in Iqaluit would require substantial capital expenditure.
The Correctional Institutional Planning phase is progressing. One hundred thousand dollars has been set aside for the planning phase.
A consultant has been hired to look at institutional needs in Nunavut and come up with options that are available to us. This may include a construction of healing focused correctional centre outside of Iqaluit as well as renovation or reconstruction of the Baffin Correctional Centre.
The Correctional Services of Canada is working with us on the project and we are exploring the possibility of joint capital developments.
When the government sets its capital planning priorities for next year, the Department of Justice was allocated 720 thousand dollars for its capital budget.  This capital funding will allow us to do minor renovations and maintenance of existing facilities in order to keep them functioning as well as possible and to purchase capital equipment required for institutional operations and programming.
Before you, you have the breakdowns of our capital estimates for 2002-2003 fiscal year.
I will be pleased to answer any questions that the committee members may have about the capital allocation for the Department of Justice.
Perhaps the minister can take his seat at the witness table.
Would it be okay for his staff to come.
Sergeant-At-Arms would you bring the witnesses to the table.
Welcome minister would you introduce your officials for the record.
To my right Nora Sanders is my Deputy Minister, and also to my left is a new employee Pierre Chartrand. He works as the comptroller for our Department of Justice.
Welcome, Nora.
Mr. Chartrand.
I am sorry for not being able to pronounce your name properly.
So instead of that, we’ll continue on.
Mr. Iqaqrialu, is the Chairperson of the Standing Committee.
Could you do your opening comments please.
Opening comments.
The Standing Committee Ajauqtiit has carefully reviewed the 2002-2003 capital estimates for the Department of Justice.
I’m sorry I just heard the new term for Inuktitut of the Department of Justice, so I’ll be just saying Iqaqtuivilirijik.
The Standing Committee Ajauqtiit has carefully reviewed the 2002-2003 Capital Estimates for the Department of Justice.
As Chairman of the Standing Committee, I am pleased to be able to provide the Committee’s opening comments as we begin the review of the department’s 2002-2003 Capital Estimates.
Later on, members of the Committee will have an opportunity to ask questions regarding these estimates.
The Committee recognizes that the Department of Justice plays an important role for all Nunavummiut.
Because Nunavut has one of the highest crime rates of all the provinces and territories in Canada, the department is faced with challenges such as limited space in our current corrections facility, as well as limited space in the current Court House.
This problem is increased by the fact that the general population of Nunavut continues to grow very rapidly, and as a result, there is a substantial increase in adult correctional centre admissions, and more people are going through the court system.
Therefore, it is the hope of this Committee that these two major capital items are looked at very seriously and that the plans are made to relieve the continuing workload burden on the justice system and to minimize the strain on all our communities when crime occurs.
Having said that, the committee is pleased to see the majority of the capital expenditures slated for renovations to the Baffin Correctional Centre and the Young Offenders Facility.
Improvements to these existing facilities should be made in order to effectively serve all communities.
The committee is also pleased to see the plans for a new Court House are still underway.
However, it is still unclear if this is an estimate for the actual building of the Court House or for the planning and whether the building will be leased or owned by the Government of Nunavut.
The committee looks forward to seeing further work on this capital item with possible location sites identified.
The Committee also looks forward to future plans for a new Regional Community Corrections facility; however, the Committee would have like to see planning for the facility proceed as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the 2003-2004 fiscal year.
The Committee would like more information as to which community this facility will be located in, and if a design has been chosen for the facility.
We would also suggest that the design be as culturally appropriate as possible, without compromising security.
The Committee would also like to remind the department that any new facility requires substantial operations and maintenance and that this must be carefully considered for the two longer-term projects.
I anticipate that individual members will raise their own comments and concerns on the department’s 2002-2003 Capital Estimates.
And also, Mr. Chairman I would like to make my own comments after this as a Member of the Legislative Assembly afterwards.
Your opening comments were very interesting on behalf of the Standing Committee.
Before we proceed with questions, I just want to remind you that you have ten minutes to make your general comments on this Bill.
At this time are there any general comments.
Before I start my comments, I don’t want to be a stranger to his officials.
I’m wondering if he could introduce his officials.
Also would my questions be included in the ten minute timeframe.
Chairperson (interpretation): You can make your ten minute general comments and on top of that, you can ask questions.
Although I introduced the officials, I will introduce them again.
To my right Nora Sanders who’s my Deputy Minister and on my left Pierre Chartrand he’s the Comptroller for the Department of Justice.
That’s about it.
I think the member would like to make his comments now.
Sometimes we read too much during the proceedings and sometimes we don't get to hear what's happening in the House.
In his opening comments, I do have a few comments to make in regards to your opening remarks.
The department talks about doing planning work within the department for a courthouse and a new correctional facility.
They speak about making renovations or additional centres.
When you go to the top of the page, the design and the building of the courthouse would cost huge sums of money to construct it.
In their plans they have 100 thousand dollars set aside for this planning phase if we approve it.
Also on top of that in the last paragraph of his opening remarks, that the Nunavut Government are trying to work with Corrections Canada on projects and they are exploring the possibility of joint capital development in building the courthouse and correctional centres.
I would like to speak on those two issues.
I wanted to say that he didn't describe what they would like to do, especially in regards to the 100 thousand dollars.
Yes, it is set aside for this planning phase, but they did not describe what the planning will consist of.
This is going to be very expensive in the future to construct the courthouse and correctional centre here in Iqaluit.
If the member could tell me how much approximately it would cost and what the size of this facility would be.
It doesn't state the size, although we know that the Federal Government is responsible for part of it.
They are responsible for some of the inmates that are sent down to the penitentiaries.
I think there were close to 80 inmates that have been sent to institutions in the south.
Have you considered having those inmates shipped back to Nunavut.
I would like to hear more about that issue and also where, or how are you going to find additional funding.
Is this with the partnership of the Federal Government.
Have you made those plans.
Do you have a close working relationship with the Federal Government.
Also, I don't know if you are aware of this, I don't know if the Premier is aware of this, but we have read in Nunatsiaq News that the Federal Government is making plans on their own.
Close to 50 million dollars it said in the article that it would cost.
Do you have a close working relationship with them, are there things that we don't know about.
I was wondering if he could elaborate on this, since it isn't described fully.
I was wondering if he could describe the second paragraph on the second page of your opening comments.
If it is impossible to give me a description, I could perhaps ask more questions.
Mr. Minister, could you clarify the paragraph that the member was asking about.
I could clarify that we would like to build a facility to replace the one in Iqaluit, a correctional centre.
The old correctional centre is overcrowded and the money that will be spent on this won't be small.
We will be looking at having programs for healing and to have more support for inmates.
The correctional centre that is presently being used we feel that there are a lot of areas that need improvement.
The facility, we are now aware that it has to be renovated or we will have to work on plans to design a new facility.
We feel that this will be outside of Iqaluit, but we haven't identified exactly where it would be.
The new correctional centre is presently being looked at but we want to be open to any ideas.
So that is in response to the member's comments.
I understand that response, but perhaps if he could tell us more.
I understand what he is saying that it would be built outside of Iqaluit and I know that the 100 thousand dollars has been set aside for this planning stage.
It says that Correctional Services of Canada is working with us on this project and we are exploring the possibilities of joint capital development.
Is this trying to say, because we have read the article in Nunatsiaq News about a correctional centre.
Mr. Chairman, I am trying to ask if you are talking with the Federal Government about the work that is being done on the planning.
We are trying to work closely with the Federal Government and you are aware that the GNWT was working with the Federal Government and there was an agreement on the use of the facilities.
So if we could work closely with the Federal Government in trying to make it possible for us to jointly develop this through capital.
That was the response that I was looking for.
When we are dealing with capital estimates line by line, I know we will be using 400 thousand for capital in the next four years.
I am wondering where they could seek more funds for other projects other than the 100 thousand.
Thank you for his response.
You have a question Mr. Arvaluk.
Mr. Minister would like to respond or wait.
It is good to hear some of the comments.
In Iqaluit and throughout Nunavut, our offenders are going to this facility and it is good to hear that renovations are in the works.
They are our problems.
As to some of the inmates when they go through a process like this, that there would be healing programs that will be in the new facility, that is good to hear.
The other issue being the planning stages of a new correctional centre.
This will become clear down the road.
As you mentioned earlier on in terms of Nunavummiut in terms of population are growing.
Yes we’d like to encourage people not to get into trouble with the law but at times they have problems too while they are incarcerated.
We want them not to worry and have the proper services and programs when we encourage them to improve their lives.
There are families out there that need to be looked after as we mentioned social workers and probation officers.
They are utilized.
Sometimes when they don't hear from family members when they are incarcerated this becomes worrisome for them.
More stress.
And it seems to bring families apart at times.
I believe things are going to improve for those that are incarcerated in southern institutions in Edmonton or wherever, because Nunavummiut that go to those institutions have problems.
They should be looked after even though Nunavummiut are in conflict with the laws we can help them out.
As the Government of Nunavut, we have to look at them and say yes they are our people and encourage them not to get in conflict with the law or be incarcerated.
For those that are sent to southern institutions it causes a lot more stress on these inmates.
Yes we are growing in population.
I am glad that there is work being done in this area.
I'd like to mention because they are in the planning stages and reviewing a new facility and the utilization of the 100 thousand for that project.
As to where the location is going to be and keep in mind for those people sent away to far places to be incarcerated so a lot of them can return to.
To date it is like this.
For instance, those that are incarcerated from Kugluktuk come here, that is a long away from home.
When a person has been incarcerated for a long time those that are left at home want to go see their family member but it’s too far away and costly.
Keep those things in mind.
We need to be aware of those facts once we begin the planning process.
We’ve heard from the minister, maybe it’s been a year now.
You can correct me if I am wrong.
One or two communities will have sent to the minister proposals so that correctional facility can be built in their community.
Why is the 100 thousand dollars being utilized towards the planning stages, some of those things aren't clear.
For instance when you mentioned that the 100 thousand dollars will be utilized so that we can begin to get information as to where it will be, some of the work must be done already.
One or two communities have requested that those facilities be built in those communities.
Can you not utilize those.
Why are they still trying to get some of that information.
I'll be asking more questions on this later on.
It is not here in his opening remarks but I'll mention that we have been harping on that since the very first time that we were brought here as Members of the Legislative Assembly in 1999.
He didn’t mention the outpost camps.
I'll mention it very quickly.
It is more helpful to one’s life once they get out on the land to hunt.
Their life then begins to heal.
When they forget some of their culture then that brings on sadness on them.
We need to be aware of this and I want you to remember that.
Yes, it has been used before we had Nunavut.
You are aware because we have worked on this kind of a venture.
The Deputy Minister is aware, it’s been used before it’s not used as much any more.
I just want you to be aware so I mentioned that.
Chairperson: (interpretation): Minister
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): There are quite a few concerns, I’ll try to answer them.
If I don’t answer some of them he can ask me again when he has the opportunity to do so.
We’ve just been to the jail, the correctional facilities that’s going to be renovated.
We’re at the planning stages, we will try and find out as to where it’s going to be, we can not tell you where it’s going to be, where the location is going to be at this time.
But there will be others we will be seeking funding from and I’d like to thank the departments who are involved and we will look into this, it’s not going to be Iqaluit, it’ll be outside of Iqaluit.
We’ve just been to outpost camps. I have spoken to my colleague about this many times with respect to outpost camps and we do want to use more outpost camps and take the inmates out to the outpost camps and I want to hear from colleagues about their plans and how they can be more involved with their communities.
I just want to tell the rest of the members that you have 10 minutes.
In regards to questions, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.
In terms of my comments, in regards to the 100 thousand dollars, I have stated that perhaps two or three communities, we can use for example, and I have stated in the letter that I wrote to you, we have identified the work and the locations. We already discussed this.
Perhaps there was miscommunication in terms of using the 100 thousand dollars that is allocated. I understand your comments and we need better facilities, as you stated, where inmates can also be treated.
In terms of two or three communities and how the funds would be used, how are you planning to work on this project.
Hon. Paul Okalik (interpretation): I’m sorry Mr. Chairman.
Can he repeat his question, I didn’t quite get his question.
Chairperson: (interpretation): Can you keep your question brief and repeat the same question that you asked so that it will be clearer.
Mr. Havioyak: The two or three communities that expressed an interest in building correctional centres in their communities, and they did a business plan.
To make it simple I guess, maybe the findings from the business plan, they weren't completed, is this why you are hiring these consultants to do more work.
What I said earlier too, is that these business proposals, or the expressions of interest, had all the information they need there.
Maybe that's why this is happening.
I just wanted some clarification on that.
Koanaqutit.