EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Actually, I am pleased to report that interviews are currently going on for two positions here in Iqaluit.
The reason why it took so long to advertise the positions is we requested housing, but housing has been allocated. The competition went out and now we are going through the interview process. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Under the other item on page 72, Community Inuit Language Initiatives, can you use an example as to how you provide grants and contributions?
Are there language committees in the communities? Can you provide information on how you provide support under that?
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The Department of Culture and Heritage administers the Grants and Contributions Policy. Every year, we do a call for proposals for all programs under the Department of Culture and Heritage, but the projects that we usually fund under Official Languages are with respect to support.
Some of the projects include creating reading materials, resources, books, apps for iPads, tablets, iPhones, and so on.
Other projects will be, let’s say, we will get requests from some communities to do workshops with elders and youth to pass on the traditional terminology to the younger generation.
We have a few of these projects that we fund under our grants and contributions.
We also support media initiatives, either on television, iPads, or interactive media, projects that will really engage youth.
Some of the very important projects that are also funded under our grants and contributions programs are with respect to the preservation or revitalization of some dialects that are maybe more at risk, especially in the western part of Nunavut, particularly in the Kitikmeot region.
We’re talking about Inuinnaqtun but also projects to support and preserve Nattilingmiutut.
These are some of the projects that are undertaken by community groups or individuals or municipalities, depending on who applies for the funds, to support and promote language use, to revitalize the use of the language in the communities, but also involving elders, youth, and everyone usually in the communities. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Is the entire $563,000 for grants and contributions or are there staff under that too?
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) For part of the $563,000, there is $113,000 that is in grants.
We support projects up to $15,000.
That mostly includes projects like workshops, community workshops with elders and youth, and those type of projects and projects that will promote the use of Inuktitut/Inuinnaqtun at the community level.
Then there is $450,000 that is in contributions. This is under this business plan, Vote 1 dollars.
We also receive funds from Canada under the Canada-Nunavut General Agreement on the Promotion of French and Inuit Languages. Added to that number, there’s $1.1 million that also goes to grants and contributions to support, as I mentioned earlier, all these community projects to support the use of Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
If I heard you correctly, I think you meant to say $113,000 in grants. Mr. Cloutier.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) You are correct. It’s $113,000 in grants.
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also thank him for the response.
Lastly, I just want you to elaborate for the listening audience and anyone who might want to find more information on the Uqausivut Plan for the use of Inuktitut within government operations.
In your business plan under priorities for 2015-16, you indicate that “The department coordinated and monitored the implementation of the Uqausivut priorities by GN departments and public agencies.”
It also states that the minister’s annual reports were tabled.
What is the status of that today? If you could just summarize the government departments’ operations.
Where are they now with respect to implementing the Uqausivut Plan? Are you able to summarize that?
When we dealt with that yesterday, Ms. Angnakak asked the minister about that issue, but Mr. Joanasie didn’t have an opportunity, so if the minister wishes to respond, Minister Mike.
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Yes, language is a serious issue and it has been decided to enforce the Official Languages Act and Inuit Language Protection Act. They were rarely enforced in the past and now we are trying to enforce them more. We have been able to move forward on that a little bit.
I’ll get Mr. Cloutier to elaborate on how that has been done to date.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) For the implementation activities by departments and the results they are achieving, we do ongoing monitoring and collection of data on the results they are achieving and implementing in their different projects, either with respect to the delivery of French services and French programs.
We collect detailed information on a number of things that they actually do, if it’s either the volume of translation, the amount of words that are being translated and processed, the number of documents, the number of requests, and that type of data.
With respect to Inuktitut under the Inuit Language Implementation Fund, we also collect detailed information from departments and public agencies on what results they are achieving, either the number of resources they are creating, the number of GN employees that are being trained, or the number of college students that are receiving language training or participating in language revitalization courses, how many municipalities are being supported, the level of compliance, the level of things they would do on the business side, and so on.
We are collecting that information and that will be part of the minister’s progress report. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like to ask a question under Official Languages.
My colleague, Mr. Joanasie, kind of touched on it.
There is a budget set aside for the Official Languages Division.
How is this budget divvied up between our official languages of Inuktitut, French, English, and Inuinnaqtun or even for another language?
I would like Mr. Cloutier respond to the question.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) If I understand correctly, and correct me if I’m wrong, I think the member is referring to the grants and contributions funding we have available for communities.
What is listed in our business plan is exclusively for the Inuit language.
Any money that would go toward French is under a separate agreement with the federal government. It’s the Government of Canada that provides the funds to the Government of Nunavut to support those projects at the community level.
What we have in our business plan at Culture and Heritage, grants and contributions, is exclusively for the Inuit language. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Yes, I want to understand this issue clearly and that’s why I’m asking about it.
We do not want the Inuit language lost or forgotten because it is our original language.
With respect to (interpretation ends) the French (interpretation) language, our dialect doesn’t have a word for it, so I am unable to say it in Inuktitut.
I am not criticizing any language, be it English or French or Inuktitut, but I want it clearly understood that Inuktitut is our mother tongue and is our original language as northern people.
When speaking about languages foreign to Inuit and their usage as languages of instruction, our language was taught at the lowest grades.
If we tie it into the way the funds are allocated, I believe a stronger emphasis on Inuktitut would emerge. At least that is my perception. This is why I am asking about this issue.
Let me move on to a different topic. My initial preamble was not really associated with a question, so I am fine if a response is not provided to that.
However, I do have a question related to this. Perhaps I will explain it in English and if you don’t want to respond to it, it’s okay.
I will ask this question because I have not heard it before.
(interpretation ends) A number of your department’s policies, including its Grants and Contributions Policy and its Translation Policy, have expired.
When will these policies be updated and made available to the public?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker…Chairman.
Chairman (interpretation): Thank you very much. (interpretation ends) I’m Mr. Chairman.
I almost got a promotion.
Mr. Cloutier will answer that question.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Thank you for the question.
We are working on a comprehensive policy with respect to communications in the official languages.
This is going to an internal review, which also includes a revised policy on translation services. Once the final review is completed and the policy is approved, it will be made available to the public. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
My apologies, I almost promoted you to Speaker. I made a mistake.
I will ask this next question in English. (interpretation ends) In your August 31, 2015 correspondence to the Standing Committee on Oversight of Government Operations and Public Accounts, you provided an updated copy of the terms of reference for the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit. Will you be committed to tabling the updated terms of reference for the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit during the 2016 winter sitting?
I would like Mr. Cloutier to respond to that.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) As a result of the report from the standing committee, there will be a response that will be forwarded back to the standing committee in due course, which will also include the updated terms of reference for the Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for recognizing me again.
I had forgotten to ask a question.
In your opening remarks from yesterday and looking at the Blues on page 63, at the bottom, you reported that you work with the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit “to improve Nunavummiut’s language skills and enjoyment of Inuktitut literature in an oral format through a computer text-to-speech program based on Greenland’s model.”
You also said that “We will continue to strengthen our partnerships with the Government of Greenland...” It looks like there will be an exchange program with students from here and Greenland, according to your opening remarks.
Can you tell us what the text-to-speech program would be used for?
If this question has not been asked previously, I am asking it now.
Yes, we have to progress with proper terminology.
Following the progression of technology, we know that computers can read out loud in English. When we want to find out how to say a word, we can just go on the computer and see how to say it and what it means.
We know how useful that is.
Because of that, we feel it can improve things, especially in the Inuit languages. We are trying to see how it can be made more available to the public and how it can be adapted to fit. That’s why we are working with the Government of Greenland to do this.
They have already gone through it, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Can you also elaborate a bit further? On page 64, it states in English, (interpretation ends) “development and delivery of an exchange program with Inuit students.” (interpretation) Can you explain what grades would be involved in the exchange program or if it would be for college students?
You mentioned the page number and explained where it is.
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Thank you to my colleague for asking for an explanation of that.
Mr. Cloutier will provide the explanation.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Last September, there was a meeting between senior officials from the Government of Nunavut’s Department of Culture and Heritage as well as the Department of Culture in Greenland to review different options for potential collaboration between our two jurisdictions.
We also visited different organizations, including the National School of Theatre of Greenland.
The National School of Theatre of Greenland is a professional training program. It’s a two-year program where they train Inuit Greenlandic in acting, either to do plays, for television, also for the media to be good communicators.
What is very interesting with that particular program is that they have different objectives or different principles and the first objective of their program is to improve the quality of Greenlandic used by the actors. The actors are role models in society because they are in front of the public and they are in the media. This is one of their core objectives.
Their prime objective is to really improve the quality of language used by the actors.
The second one is to ensure that all the training provided is done in a way that is rooted in Greenlandic culture and society in their own values, not from outside of Greenland but within Greenland.
There are a number of things, including teaching drama techniques and so on, but it was very interesting to hear that their program really focuses on core, similar objectives that we have in Nunavut, language, culture, and so on.
The current program in Greenland has five students.
It’s a very intensive program, but they are open and they sent the invitation.
They are very open to welcome Inuit students from other circumpolar regions.
Since we were there, we identified it as a priority to explore the potential possibility of working with our partners in Nunavut to try to identify what the possibilities and opportunities are to maybe encourage two of our students from Nunavut so that they can attend that program. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Joanasie (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for explaining that. Mr. Chairman, thank you for pointing out that I indicated the page number.
The final question that I was planning to ask is the Department of Culture and Heritage is responsible for languages and they have different grants and contributions programs. Some of them are just grants. Some of them are contributions.
As I stated earlier, maybe if I say it this way, there is the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit. If I can ask, do the communities have language committees?
Do you know of any of them and, if so, how many are there and how do you support them?
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) I really thank the member for the question.
Language revitalization, language use, and language promotion sometimes need to be grassroots. It needs to start at home at the community level and it’s very important to have grassroots support, community support for those initiatives.
Under our G&C Policy, communities that want to establish a committee want to get together to identify what their needs are and what their objectives and goals should be, we provide support through our G&C Policy.
We provided support in the past to Sanikiluaq, where they wanted to get a group of elders, teachers, and members of the community to document that unique dialect in Nunavut. We provided support in the past. They have done the same with Kangiqtugaapik (Clyde River).
In the last few years, we have been working very actively with the stakeholders in the Kitikmeot region to create a grassroots movement toward the promotion and revitalization of Inuinnaqtun as well as Nattilingmiutut.
There are key stakeholders in the Kitikmeot region that have led this work and next week they are doing a big workshop in Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay) where they are bringing community representatives from every community to Iqaluktuuttiaq to provide mentorship and also provide training on how to establish that kind of work at the community level.
They have been working on trying to establish community groups or language committees at the grassroots level so that the communities can empower themselves to identify their own needs, but also their own goals and objectives to lead that work. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Qirngnuq (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for acknowledging me again.
I had a question in mind, but I forgot to ask about it earlier.
I don’t know the issue and though my colleagues may already understand it, I will ask about this anyway so that I can have a very clear understanding of this issue.
With respect to the Inuktut (interpretation ends) dictionary (interpretation) initiative, is that under development or is this just the initial discussion?
What is the position of the department on this idea?
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) That would be a good question for the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit, the public body established at arm’s length from the government under the Inuit Language Protection Act. They have the mandate and they have the duty to create, maintain, and promote the database of all the terminology that they collect and develop.
Taiguusiliuqtiit has been doing some work with different communities to do that kind of work.
For instance, they have been working with some stakeholders in the Kitikmeot region to support the documentation of Nattilingmiutut.
They’re also doing other projects on traditional terminology with respect to traditional domains like qammaq, iglu, qulliq, qamutik, and also other areas like about siku, snow, ice, and this is ongoing work of Taiguusiliuqtiit.
That public body has the legislated mandate to document, preserve, and promote traditional terminology but also local dialects. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
When would I be able to get my hands on an actual copy of this dictionary in print?
Thank you and that will be my last question.
Chairman (interpretation): He indicated earlier that IUT is responsible for that, but Mr. Cloutier, if you would like to respond.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) Taiguusiliuqtiit has already published some resources.
I believe one is about the qamutik, another one about iglu.
In the future, from what I can gather from our collaboration with Taiguusiliuqtiit, they also have in the works publishing books about other traditional topics.
This is an ongoing priority of Taiguusiliuqtiit to support the publishing of resources and glossaries and they are working actively on the database that will be made available to the public. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
He indicated that he’s done. (interpretation ends) Branch Summary. Culture and Heritage.
Chairman: Thank you. (interpretation) Turn to page F-6. (interpretation ends) Culture and Heritage.
Let me just ask for clarification.
In the minister’s opening comments, it states here on page 2, you recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
If I understand it correctly, this is a five-year agreement. Let me ask this question about what is written here. Can you confirm if your department is responsible for providing the $500,000 contribution to this initiative?
It looks like you will be providing $500,000 for one year.
Yes, that’s exactly what it means. It is a one-year agreement with the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
This memorandum of understanding between Manitoba and Nunavut is for cooperation and development. We have an agreement and we want to work together to deal with these issues.
Mr. Cloutier can elaborate further on the funding side.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The member is correct, it’s a five-year agreement. On the part of Nunavut, it would be $500,000 in total.
I must say it’s a co-share cost.
The costs are co-shared by the Government of Manitoba as well as the Government of Nunavut.
The part that Nunavut is contributing is $100,000 annually over a period of five years; therefore, $500,000.
The Government of Manitoba is also under a separate agreement directly with the Winnipeg Art Gallery and is also contributing $100,000 to help with the creation and storage of the Nunavut art collection in Winnipeg. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
At the end of the memorandum of understanding, you will pay $500,000 in total.
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): Yes, you understood correctly.
In the Canadian Museum of History, do we have any artefacts currently stored there?
I have been told that no, there are no artefacts stored there.
There are artefacts stored in Winnipeg. Where else do we have artefacts stored?
Hon. Johnny Mike (interpretation): We spoke to the ones that are in Winnipeg.
Mr. Cloutier will elaborate further to that on culture and heritage.
Chairman: Thank you. Mr. Cloutier.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The Inuit art collection that we had in Yellowknife at the Prince of Wales [Northern Heritage Centre] were transferred to Winnipeg, as the member pointed out.
We still do have artefacts, archives, and other collections at the museum of Prince of Wales in Yellowknife. That is one location. Some of the other archaeological artefacts and palaeontological artefacts/items are also held at the Museum of Nature in Ottawa. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Since we’re paying $100,000 per year for this agreement with the Winnipeg gallery, do we have the right to make suggestions as to what they can store in that building or is it at their discretion to spend it any way they want?
Do we have rights as to how the artefacts are displayed?
That is a very good question and I’ll have Mr. Cloutier respond.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) The $100,000 under the agreement covers the storage space at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, but also for enhanced documentation and curation of the art collection over the next five years.
That also includes training and education, providing training to Nunavummiut in the way of properly curating that kind of collection, and in developing exhibit programs in Winnipeg, Canada, and across the world, including travelling exhibits within Nunavut.
That is what that agreement entails. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I would like further clarity.
We are going to give them an opportunity to train Inuit about artefacts.
How will they go about doing that?
Where will the trainees come from and how will they be selected to be sent down to Winnipeg for training?
Mr. Cloutier will respond to the question.
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) This will be about training, giving opportunities to Inuit students or interested Inuit from Nunavut in the creation of Inuit art.
When we talk about artefacts, the archaeological and palaeontological artefacts, these are stored in other locations.
What we have in Winnipeg is the Inuit art collection that was held in Yellowknife.
Now 7,000 pieces of Inuit art is moved to Winnipeg.
That would provide opportunities to Nunavummiut to get further training in the creation, documentation, and preparing exhibits on Inuit art. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
That’s why I’m asking: who will be sent down for training and what is the selection process? Do you utilize the schools?
How would interested students be selected and how long would they stay down for training?
Mr. Cloutier (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (interpretation ends) There is not a process yet established.
This is what we have in the plan because it’s a new initiative, but the process will be established to plan those details; the selection process of the students and individuals that will go down there and how long they will go down there.
I don’t have any further information at this time, but I’m sure that when the process is well established, it will be communicated to the members. (interpretation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
This will probably be my last question depending on the response I get.
Mr. Minister, the people of Nunavut look forward to new initiatives and services.
We would like to repatriate all those types of things in Nunavut.